As the referee blew his whistle, Haris Medunjanin raised his arms to the Union supporters section, bellowing for the fans to cheer louder. The crowd responded in kind, chants and drum beats rising as the midfielder waved his arms.
The Union’s midfield is defined by its star: U.S. national team starter Alejandro Bedoya. But when Bedoya is gone, Medunjanin becomes the heartbeat of the Union attack. In Sunday’s 3-0 win over the Revolution, he tugged on the captain’s armband, yet the symbol of leadership wasn’t important. All Medunjanin cared about was notching a win.
“I did not expect that I am going to be a captain,” said Medunjanin, who had a hand in two of the Union’s three goals.