Bill Hamid Begins Season with Two Shutouts, Gets Recognized Twice with MLS Team of the Week Honors
D.C. Untied has picked up where they left off rom last season and a big part of their early 2019 success has been the play of goalie Bill Hamid. Hamid has began 2019 with two shutouts, one over the defending MLS champions Atlanta Unied FC at Audi Field in a 2-0 win as well as this Sunday at Yankee Stadium where Hamid held NYCFC off the scoresheet in a scoreless draw.
Hamid was D.C. Untied’s first Homegrown Player, meaning he was part of the club’s youth academy team before joining the big boys. Hamid actually left in September of the 2017 season to play for FC Midtjylland in Denmark before rejoining D.C. United for their playoff push in August last season.
During that late-run to the playoffs in the 2018 season, Hamid started 14 games and made a total of 51 saves in 1,260 minutes while allowing 12 goals, posting a 9-2-3 record. This season, Hamid has played in 180 minutes, that’s all of both D.C. United’s games to begin the season.
Hamid stopped both of the shots he faced in the season opener at Audi Field while on Sunday, Hamid stopped all six shots. That’s eight total saves to help D.C. United to an early 1-0-1 start before their game on Saturday night against Real Salt Lake.
Hamid’s two shutouts haven’t gone unnoticed from the league. MLS has awarded Hamid MLS Team of the Week honors during both weeks of the 2019 season so far. Sunday’s game against NYCFC was Hamid’s 200th start for D.C. Untied and his shutout was the 56th of his career.
With D.C. United tied with the Columbus Crew for four points for first place in the Eastern Conference, the Black and Red need another big game from Hamid on Saturday night.
Top photo credit: Geoff Burke
