United defenders Chris Korb and Kofi Opare have been nominated for MLS' 2017 Comeback Player of the Year award.
Korb returned to action for the Black-and-Red in May after recovering from an injury that kept him sidelined since August of 2015. The defender underwent surgery to repair a torn ACL in his right knee in 2015, but complications and a second surgery kept Korb out through the entire 2016 season as well. United waived the veteran at the end of the 2016 season, but Korb returned to D.C. in 2017 as an unsigned trialist and ultimately re-signed with United in May. Since his return, Korb has started in 12 games and made 15 appearances for the Black-and-Red.
Opare is capping off a standout season for United in which the defender has started 24 matches, scored two goals, and added an assist. Opare's renaissance in the back line comes after a quiet 2016 season, when the defender made only 10 appearances and was primarily a second-choice defender for the Black-and-Red. After not seeing time in the first five matches of 2017, Opare worked his way into the starting lineup, and has since asserted himself as one of United's top defensemen.
See the full list of MLS Comeback Player of the Year Award nominees below.
- Dillon Serna (MF, Colorado Rapids)
- Federico Higuaín (MF, Crew SC)
- Chris Korb (DF, D.C. United)
- Kofi Opare (DF, D.C. United)
- Mauro Diaz (MF, FC Dallas)
- Erick Torres (FW, Houston Dynamo)
- Leonardo (DF, Houston Dyanmo)
- Xavier Kouassi (MF, New England Revolution)
- Ben Sweat (DF, NYCFC)
- Connor Lade (DF, New York Red Bulls)
- Oguchi Onyewu (DF, Philadelphia Union)
- Luis Silva (FW, Real Salt Lake)
- Quincy Amarikwa (FW, San Jose Earthquakes)
- Clint Dempsey (FW, Seattle Sounders)
- Seth Sinovic (DF, Sporting Kansas City)
- Drew Moor (DF, Toronto FC)
- Steven Beitashour (DF, Toronto FC)
- Yordy Reyna ( MF, Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
