DC United vs. Philadelphia Union | MLS Match Preview

MLSsoccer staff

D.C. United vs. Philadelphia Union
RFK STADIUM, Washington, D.C.
July 26, 2015 (MLS Game # 211)
5 pm ET (ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, WatchESPN)

Two clubs that have gotten to know themselves pretty well over the last few weeks meet in a crucial Eastern Conference contest when D.C. United play host to Philadelphia Union on Sunday afternoon at RFK Stadium before an ESPN2 audience. The teams have met twice in league play, each winning at home, and Union dumped United out of the US Open Cup in a dramatic contest. United return home riding a three-game winless run off a four-game road swing, last a late 2-1 loss at FC Dallas, while Union had a three-game undefeated run put to an end in a 2-1 loss at Toronto FC last weekend.

DOWNLOAD FULL GAME GUIDE (PDF)

REFEREE: Jose Carlos Rivero. AR1 (bench): Sean Hurd; AR2 (opposite): Brian Dunn; 4th: Marcos de Oliveira
MLS Career: 49 games; FC/gm: 26.9; Y/gm: 3.8; R: 12; pens: 22

SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: DC: Perry Kitchen
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: DC: Bobby Boswell, Taylor Kemp, Davy Arnaud, Conor Doyle … PHI: Vincent Nogueira, Sheanon Williams
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: PHI: Andre Blake (Jamaica, CONCACAF Gold Cup)

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (14 meetings): United 6 wins, 18 goals … Union 5 wins, 17 goals … Ties 3
AT RFK STADIUM (7 meetings): United 3 wins, 11 goals … Union 1 win, 8 goals … Ties 3

2015 (MLS)
5/17: PHI 1, DC 0 (Pfeffer 92+)
5/30: DC 2, PHI 1 (Pontius 46+; Rolfe 85 – Le Toux 5)

The teams are meeting for the third time this season in league play, splitting the first two. Zach Pfeffer scored the game’s only goal deep into second-half stoppage time to give Union a 1-0 win May 17 at PPL Park. Then on May 30 at RFK Stadium, Chris Rolfe converted a penalty kick in the 85th minute to hand United a 2-1 win.
The teams also met in the U.S. Open Cup, when Eric Ayuk Mbu and Fabinho scored second-half goals to lead a 10-man Union back from a goal down for a 2-1 win at PPL Park in a fifth-round match June 30.
The Union win in the first league meeting was their first against United since Aug. 10, 2013, a 1-0 victory in Chester, snapping a three-game winless streak in league play in the series.
Coaches record: Ben Olsen vs. PHI: P13 W6 L4 D3 … Jim Curtin vs. DC: P3 W1 L2 D0

LAST MEETING (MLS)

Union struck in just the fifth minute. Andrew Wenger quickly dispossessed a United defender in front of goal, took a couple touches and slipped the ball right to Sebastian Le Toux, who thumped a finish beyond Bill Hamid from just outside the six-yard box.
United pulled level in the first minute of first-half stoppage time when Chris Pontius rose to head home Taylor Kemp’s cross from the left wing, scoring from the center of the area.
The eventual game-winner came with five minutes remaining in regulation time. Zach Pfeffer failed get his arm out of the way of a long looping ball across the penalty area, and referee Ted Unkel pointed to the spot. Chris Rolfe hammered home the spot kick, leaving a motionless Brian Sylvestre with no chance in the Union goal.
D.C. UNITED (4-4-2): Bill Hamid - Sean Franklin, Bobby Boswell, Steve Birnbaum, Taylor Kemp (Chris Korb 73) - Nick DeLeon, Davy Arnaud, Perry Kitchen, Chris Pontius (Miguel Aguilar 75) - Conor Doyle (Jairo Arrieta 65), Chris Rolfe.
PHILADELPHIA UNION (4-2-3-1): Brian Sylvestre - Sheanon Williams, Maurice Edu, Richard Marquez, Fabinho - Vincent Nogueira, Brian Carroll - Sebastien Le Toux (Eric Ayuk Mbu 89), Cristian Maidana, Andrew Wenger (Zach Pfeffer 81) - Fernando Aristeguieta (C.J. Sapong 72)