DC United head coach Ben Olsen always knew that his Montreal Impact counterpart Jesse Marsch would get into coaching.

The two sides, who are both coached by former DC players, are preparing to do battle in MLS on Thursday with Olsen heaping praise on the Impact boss for the start he has made with the expansion franchise.

"Jesse was always a guy you knew was going to be a coach," he told the Washington Post.

"I'm sure a lot of people wouldn't say that about me. Jesse always had a great mind for the game and was a real cerebral player out there.

"They've been very organized and pretty in sync with each other so far. They're certainly a better team than their record [1-5-1] indicates.

"They lost a couple late that they deserved more out of. That's part of their process: finding ways to win games. That's our process too.

"They're in every game, they grind, and they have a couple of individuals who can really put you on your heels and create some magic."

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