Philadelphia Union wraps up its three-game swing in eight days with a trip down I-95 to take on rivals D.C. United on Saturday, August 20th. Kick off is set for 7:30 p.m. ET with coverage on PHL17 and PhiladelphiaUnion.com.
Fans will have a variety of options to view the match so be sure to check how below how you can consume the match.
TV: PHL17 is the home the Union soccer on Saturday night with Dave Leno and Tommy Higginbotham calling the action beginning at 7:30 p.m. ET.
Radio: Click here to listen to FOX The Gambler where pregame coverage starts at 7 p.m. You can listen to the Union game via 102.5 FM, 104.5 HD2, the iHeart App and 1480 AM.
Stream: Coverage on PhiladelphiaUnion.com will begin starting at 7:30 p.m. ET courtesy of BIMBO. Streaming is free for all viewers within the Philadelphia Union DMA.
Match Preview
The summer months are always difficult to navigate in MLS. The games pile up, the heat and travel keep energy levels low, and every club is fighting for playoff positioning or making their final assault on a postseason spot.Â
Philadelphia Union felt the full force of the dog days of summer in Dallas on Wednesday, and they need to bounce back in DC this Saturday by re-asserting control over the game with their press.Â
It’s not easy — the Union were strong for much of the first half hour in Dallas, and they created a lot of set plays from corners and free kicks that could have brought them level. It didn’t happen, though, and now they need three points in DC to retain a safe gap between themselves and the rest of the Eastern Conference.Â
Dallas and DC are in different places. The Texas side is on a hot streak, and they have real aspirations of going nose-to-nose with LAFC in the Western Conference playoffs. DC is building for the future by bringing in the players that can solidify their squad next year and identifying who among the kids and vets is ready to step up for Wayne Rooney.Â
To right the ship, Rooney needs to start protecting Audi Field, and the Union need to make sure that doesn’t start on Saturday night. While Curtin sought a defensive look with Leon Flach’s immense running and Nate Harriel’s quickness against Dallas, he could try to lean into his attacking strengths in DC. That could mean Jack McGlynn joining the first eleven and Olivier Mbaizo returning on the right, and Cory Burke’s injury, even if it was minor, likely signals the return of Mikael Uhre to the first eleven.Â
But against a DC side that can’t dominate the ball the way other sides can at home, Curtin may go further. He could pull McGlynn into a double-pivot with Jose Martinez or Ale Bedoya in order to add more attackers to the lineup. Paxten Aaronson’s dominance with Union II in MLSNEXTPro games could translate against a struggling DC side, and Quinn Sullivan’s Flach-like pressing could disrupt a DC defense that is likely going to be short on bodies.Â
The aim for the Union will be to get DC backpedaling. Philly has not been exceptional when they need to break down a set defense, but whenever they can attack in transition, opponents get overwhelmed by the movement of the front three and the early, accurate delivery from Wagner and Bedoya out wide.Â
This may be a good time to rest Bedoya, since the Union need to make sure their captain is at peak fitness when the playoffs arrive. But the stalwart midfielder’s contributions are often overlooked and can’t be replicated by anyone else on the roster. First, Bedoya is severely underrated in the air. He’s a primary outlet for Andre Blake and consistently finds a way to win aerial battles that physics say he shouldn’t. Second, he’s the only midfielder that is comfortable playing wide and narrow in the final third, providing more options for Daniel Gazdag’s runs and giving support to his fullback so they are never cornered alone. Third, he’s a threat in the box. Five goals from a No. 8 position in a diamond is an eyebrow-raising return, and for all the plaudits Gazdag has rightfully earned this season, Bedoya’s ability to capitalize on the gravity of his No. 10 deserves more praise.
