The Philadelphia Union will aim to extend their three-game MLS win streak Wednesday when they host D.C. United, who are showing considerable improvement under coach Wayne Rooney.
The Union (5-4-2, 17 points) started slowly in league play while balancing CONCACAF Champions League commitments. Their league form has improved following their elimination from the CCL as well as the U.S. Open Cup.
They’re also unbeaten in four consecutive MLS games (3-0-1) while playing three of those away from home.
On Saturday, they came from a goal down to hand the Colorado Rapids their first defeat since March 18, with Kai Wagner scoring just before halftime and Julian Carranza adding his fourth goal of the season early in the second half.
It is finally a run of success that was expected from the defending Eastern Conference champions.
“I think if you look at our last three league games now, some decent performances, two of them on the road in hard places to play, and three important wins in league play in a row,” coach Jim Curtin said. “So something for the group to build on.”
D.C. United (4-5-3, 15 points) are playing less in line with 2022, when they finished with an MLS-worst 27 points.
Rooney has built some positive momentum in the first full season of his return. The Black and Red already have put together their first three-game win streak since the end of the 2020 campaign.
Despite missing leading scorer Christian Benteke, and losing another attacker early in Taxi Fountas, they were the better side in a 1-1 draw against visiting Nashville SC on Saturday.
D.C. United trailed after a fluky deflected goal from Nashville’s Alex Muyl, but substitute Theodore Ku-DiPietro’s equalizer rescued a share of the points.
“I thought we were excellent,” Rooney said. “Controlled the game and dominated the game, and it would’ve been very hard to take if we didn’t get anything out of the game.”
Benteke is expected to return but Fountas remains out for D.C. For Philadelphia, leading scorer Mikael Uhre (knee) is questionable after missing Saturday’s game.
–Field Level Media
