D.C. United goalkeeper Bill Hamid spoke with Steven Goff about what unfolded in the confusing moments Monday when he injured his left ankle in the first half and departed the U.S. U-23 national team’s 3-3 draw with El Salvador that ended the USA's Olympic hopes. After hurting himself coming out to cover a cross, Hamid was examined by medical personnel and remained in the game. El Salvador then scored twice in rapid succession for a 2-1 lead. Sean Johnson replaced Hamid after the second goal. Eight minutes passed between the time of the injury and the substitution.

“I didn’t feel too good,” said Hamid, who has begun rehabbing a sprained ankle and bone bruises that will sideline him for one to three weeks. “I tried to test it by jumping, moving side to side, doing some high knee [exercises] right there on the field. Once I did it, there was no doubt in my mind I would do nothing more but hurt the team by staying on.

“They were getting Sean ready. I don’t know if you saw [on TV], but Sean was actually getting ready. He was on the line [sideline] before the second goal. The sub was ready to be made.”

Hamid adamantly defended Coach Caleb Porter’s handling of the situation: “At the end of the day, the medical staff and Caleb did everything that they could to make the sub as quick as possible. They did the right thing. They asked me if I was OK. I said, ‘No.’ And they got Sean ready and got him on the line.”

The goalkeeper said the ankle injury didn’t have an impact on the two goals. “No. They were good goals.”