DC United vs. Philadelphia Union | MLS Match Preview

D.C. UNITED vs PHILADELPHIA UNION
RFK MEMORIAL STADIUM, Washington, D.C.
Sept. 27, 2014 (WEEK 29, MLS Game #277)
3 p.m. ET (NBCSN)

A massive match in the Eastern Conference is ahead when D.C. United play host to Philadelphia Union on Saturday afternoon at RFK Stadium before an NBC Sports Network audience. United come into the match still holding onto the top spot in the division, despite a three-game winless run that was extended in a 3-3 draw at the Chicago Fire last week. Union are undefeated in their last five matches and sit just two points outside the top five and the playoff positions, following their scoreless draw with the Houston Dynamo at PPL Park last Saturday.

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REFEREE: Silviu Petrescu. AR1 (bench): Claudio Badea; AR2 (opposite): Adam Wienckowski; 4th: Marcos de Oliveira
MLS Career: 88 games; FC/gm: 27.5; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 10; pens: 16

SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: DC: Fabian Espindola, Perry Kitchen
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: DC: Davy Arnaud, Lewis Neal, Chris Korb, Nick DeLeon … PHI: Maurice Edu, Fabinho, Raymon Gaddis
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (11 meetings): United 4 wins, 15 goals … Union 4 wins, 15 goals … Ties 3
AT RFK STADIUM (5 meetings): United 1 win, 8 goals … Union 1 win, 7 goals … Ties 3

2014 (MLS)
5/10: PHI 0, DC 1 (Rolfe 6)

• The teams are meeting for the second time this season. Chris Rolfe scored the game’s only goal after just six minutes for a United victory May 10 at PPL Park.
• The win was the first for United since 2012. Union took victories in the first two league encounters a year ago before a draw in the third. United did win a U.S. Open Cup tie last year, the third year in a row the clubs met in that competition.
• Coaches record: Jim Curtin vs. DC: first game … Ben Olsen vs. PHI: P10 W4 L3 T3

LAST MEETING (MLS)

• The game's only goal came in the sixth minute. A sharp-angle shot from United's Cristian Fernandez ricocheted off Union fullback Ray Gaddis and popped up to an unmarked Chris Rolfe in the middle of the box. He settled the ball off his chest and in one motion blasted a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Zac MacMath.
• United goalkeeper Bill Hamid finished with four saves to record the shutout.
• PHILADELPHIA UNION (4-4-2): Zac MacMath - Raymon Gaddis, Amobi Okugo, Austin Berry (Leo Fernandes 83), Fabinho - Cristian Maidana, Maurice Edu, Brian Carroll (Danny Cruz 46), Vincent Nogueira - Conor Casey (Sebastien Le Toux 73), Andrew Wenger.
• D.C. UNITED (4-4-2): Bill Hamid - Chris Korb, Jeff Parke, Bobby Boswell, Cristian Fernandez - Lewis Neal (Alex Caskey 75), Perry Kitchen, Davy Arnaud, Chris Rolfe - Eddie Johnson (Conor Doyle 84), Fabian Espindola (Luis Silva 88).

D.C. UNITED
D.C. United saw their winless run extended to three matches, reaching a 3-3 draw with the Chicago Fire on Saturday evening at Toyota Park. United are still in first place in the Eastern Conference with 48 points from 28 games.

LAST MATCH

• The Fire opened the scoring in the 16th minute. A lively Harry Shipp picked out Quincy Amarikwa just inside the box, and he turned his defender before calmly slotting a left-footed shot past United goalkeeper Bill Hamid on the right.
• The lead was doubled just after the half-hour when Amarikwa was taken down by United midfielder Davy Arnaud and referee Fotis Bazakos pointed to the spot. Jeff Larentowicz drilled the ball to Hamid’s left for the 32nd-minute second.
• United won a penalty of their own seven minutes later after Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson committed an infraction while punching clear, and Luis Silva converted from the spot although his right-footed effort was almost kept out by Johnson.
• The visitors then drew level in dramatic circumstances in the 54th minute when Silva found the top left corner of Johnson's goal with a stunning free kick after a foul by Razvan Cocis on Perry Kitchen.
• United then took the lead through another set play in the 68th minute when Kitchen latched on to a Silva free kick which was helped on by Boswell and lobbed the ball goalwards. The ball was cleared off the line, but not until after the assistant referee had ruled it had gone over, even though Boswell drove the rebound into the back of the net.
• But the Fire had one final answer, striking for a sensational 78th-minute equalizer when Amarikwa teed up Matt Watson and his well-struck shot deflected off defender Steve Birnbaum to give Hamid no chance.
• United head coach Ben Olsen made two changes to the team that suffered a 1-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena. Samuel Inkoom came into the midfield for David Estrada, and Michael Seaton started up top in place of the suspended Fabian Espindola.
• D.C. UNITED (4-4-1-1): Bill Hamid - Sean Franklin, Bobby Boswell, Steve Birnbaum, Taylor Kemp - Samuel Inkoom (Chris Korb 46), Perry Kitchen, Davy Arnaud, Nick DeLeon - Luis Silva (Collin Martin 83) - Michael Seaton (Chris Pontius 46).

TEAM NEWS

• United saw their winless streak extended to three games in the draw at Chicago, their second draw in that stretch, and all away from RFK Stadium. Their winless streak on the road reached four games.
• “This was one of the toughest road trips anybody can go through. I think a bunch of us have been doing this a long time and it was definitely not easy,” said defender Bobby Boswell. “We got some results in tough places so I can’t be too upset with that. … It’ll be nice to get some home games and I think our fans are awesome, and we will take care of business at home.”
• Luis Silva scored multiple goals in a game for the third time this season, Silva has 10 goals this season; he had eight goals over his first two MLS seasons before this year.
• “I think he takes a little more responsibility on the field. What a classy free kick. Then stepping up and taking the penalty kick, he’s been as big as anybody this year for us. So it’s nice to see him continue his scoring form,” United head coach Ben Olsen said.
• Eddie Johnson was expected to return to the United lineup, but instead missed his third consecutive match after post-concussion symptoms again arose the day before the Chicago match. Fabian Espindola also missed the match while serving a one-match ban following his sending off vs. New York.
• “It was the first time [Espindola’s] not here and [Johnson’s] not here and I thought I had to step in there,” said Silva. "I try to do my best, my teammates around me helped me a lot and we were able to get a point even though we’re always looking to get a win.”
• Michael Seaton made the start as the target striker, his first start in any competition this season and just his second league appearance.
• Samuel Inkoom also made his MLS debut, starting and playing 45 minutes on the right side of midfield. He was replaced at halftime by Chris Korb, who was making his first appearance since Aug. 22.
• “We were down 2-0, travel-weary early in the game – just a little bit out of sync in the first half,” Olsen said. “I thought our subs came in and really changed the game. Their energy was good and the entire team just raised it a level in the second half. It’s not always perfect, you don’t always play at your best and you find ways to keep inching along.”
• Perry Kitchen was credited with the third United goal after consultation with the match officials, his fifth goal this season. “When you get guys like Perry, pitching in and what is he at now – five goals? That helps. That really gets you to your scoring totals that you need to get into the postseason,” Olsen said.
• On Wednesday, United punched their ticket for the knockout stage of the CONCACAF Champions League with a third victory in three group games, defeating Tauro FC of Panamá 2-0 at RFK Stadium. Chris Pontius and Eddie Johnson netted second-half goals for the victory.
• Here’s the United team: Joe Willis -- Chris Korb (Sean Franklin 46), Conor Shanosky, Kofi Opare, Samuel Inkoom; Alex Caskey, Collin Martin, Jared Jeffrey, Kyle Porter; Chris Pontius (Eddie Johnson 53), David Estrada

PHILADELPHIA UNION
Philadelphia Union extended their undefeated streak to five matches, playing to a scoreless draw with the Houston Dynamo on Saturday evening at PPL Park. Union are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with 38 points from 29 games.

LAST MATCH

• Union nearly stole the match late in stoppage time when rookie Pedro Ribeiro hit the woodwork on a sharply-angled shot.
• Philadelphia goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi was not called upon to make a single save, while Dynamo goalkeeper Tyler Deric was credited with three stops.
• Union interim manager Jim Curtin made seven changes to the team that got a late equalizer for a 2-2 draw with the New York Red Bulls at PPL Park. Only defenders Ethan White and Raymon Gaddis and midfielder Maurice Edu and Andrew Wenger kept their places.
• PHILADELPHIA UNION (4-4-2): Rais Mbolhi - Sheanon Williams, Ethan White (Amobi Okugo 52), Carlos Valdes, Raymon Gaddis - Cristian Maidana, Vincent Nogueira, Maurice Edu, Andrew Wenger - Sebastien Le Toux (Fred 85), Conor Casey (Pedro Ribeiro 61).

TEAM NEWS

• Union extended their league undefeated streak to five games with a second consecutive draw in the scoreless result with Houston. Union have lost just once in 11 league games dating back to mid-July.
• Making his second start in a league match, goalkeeper Rais Mbolhi recorded his first MLS shutout. It was the third shutout in the last four matches overall for Union, after going 10 league matches without one, dating back to the start of June.
• “We needed them,” Mbolhi said. “We are on a run to the playoffs and while one point is still important, you’re still racing for the playoffs, so to have the maximum points is what every team wants. We’ll take the point, it’s better than nothing, but we really should’ve gotten the three.”
• Union completed their three matches vs. Houston without a goal, playing to a pair of scoreless draws at PPL Park (also losing 2-0 at BBVA Compass Stadium).
• “We played hard and I think were a little bit unlucky. We got some chances to score but it ended up a scoreless draw and we leave with one point,” said Sebastien Le Toux. “I think we’re a little bit disappointed. The playoff race still has a long way to go. We have five matches left. We could have used three points but we have to come back strong and get ready for the next one. Every match from here on out is going to be big.”
• Carlos Valdes returned to the starting lineup after missing three matches to international duty and squad rotation, coming into central defense alongside Ethan White.
• Vincent Nogueira also came back into the lineup, his second start over the last three matches and seventh since mid-July after suffering an injury that kept him out of three games.
• “I’m pretty happy right now the way I’m playing, especially right now that I am playing my favored position as a holding midfielder,” Nogueira said. “It’s where I want to play, so that makes me happy to be on the field there. … Right now I feel great, and I’m pretty confident about what I can do on the field.”
• Maurice Edu moved forward from central defense to a holding midfield role with the insertion of Valdes into the back four, and Amobi Okugo went to the substitutes’ bench for the first time in seven matches.
• “I think Amobi’s a great player, but at the same time he’s not displacing Vincent [Nogueira], he’s not displacing [Cristian Maidana] and he’s not displacing Maurice Edu at this time in our group,” Union interim manager Jim Curtin said. “So that was the decision. … I think highly of Amobi. I think he’s in great form. But for these two games, this was the lineup that we went with and I think this was our best midfield.”
• But there will be likely be a further change for the United match after White was forced off early in the second half after suffering a hamstring injury.
• “It’s bad timing,” said White. “It’s also part of the game. Players get injured. I just have to do whatever I can in the next week to get back on the field.”