Union look to keep rolling at D.C. United
When the Union head down I-95 on Saturday to face D.C. United, they hope to crank up the temperature, turning their back-to-back wins into a full-blown hot streak.
When the Union head down I-95 on Saturday to face D.C. United, they hope to crank up the temperature, turning their back-to-back wins into a full-blown hot streak.
The Union (3-7-3) couldn't win consecutive games until the last week, when they beat D.C. at home and then upset the Red Bulls in New York on Sunday. The two-game win streak has raised morale on the field.
"Guys are healthy, putting in the work in training, and we're executing the game plan," midfielder Brian Carroll said. "With that comes confidence, a belief, and a trust in one another, and it's showing on the field."
Translating that confidence in practice into a third straight wins will not be easy, however.
D.C. United (6-3-4) sits atop the Eastern Conference with 22 points, and is unbeaten (4-0-3) at home.
If that wasn't intimidating enough, D.C. is out for blood. Not only did D.C. fall, 1-0, to the Timbers in Portland on Wednesday, there was also the loss two weekends ago at PPL Park, thanks to a well-placed goal by Union midfielder Zach Pfeffer in stoppage time.
D.C. goalkeeper Bill Hamid, who is second in MLS with 44 saves, will be looking for revenge Sunday. Perhaps the biggest challenge for the Union will not be the stalwart in goal, but the familiarity factor.
"It's hard playing a team that you recently played back-to-back and it's hard getting the second win," defender Raymon Gaddis said. "They know what you're going to do, you know what they're going to do, so it's going to boil down to who makes that mistake."
In the teams' last meeting, Gaddis left the field with a left ankle sprain after playing 58 minutes. After being sidelined against the Red Bulls on May 24, Gaddis remains questionable for Sunday, but he is optimistic.
Rejoining the team after a brief hiatus is goalkeeper Brian Sylvestre. The rookie posted two clean sheets in three starts for the Union. He will be on the field in blue and gold after being called back to the Carolina Railhawks for a Wednesday U.S. Open Cup game against Charlotte after Carolina's starting goalkeeper suffered a concussion.
"[MLS] is a league of streaks where teams get hot and teams get cold," coach Jim Curtin said. "Hopefully we got a lot of our cold streaks out of our system early and hopefully we can get back on track."
Union at D.C. United
What: Major League Soccer
Who: Union (3-7-3) at D.C. United (6-3-4)
When: Saturday at 7 p.m.
TV: The Comcast Network
Union on the road: 1-4-2; D.C. at home: 4-0-3
Goals for: Union 13; D.C., 14
Goals against: Union 21; D.C., 11.
Last game: On Sunday, the Union beat the Red Bulls, 2-0, in New York. D.C. lost, 1-0, at the Portland Timbers on Wednesday.
Outlook: Forward Chris Rolfe shares the goal-scoring lead for D.C. with forward Jairo Arrieta at three goals apiece, and he leads the team with three assists. Rolfe rested against Portland. . . . Injuries continue to plague the Union, with forwards Fabian Espindola and Luis Silva, and midfielders Michael Farfan and Nick DeLeon still out. . . . Goalkeeper Bill Hamid has made 44 saves and has a 0.82 GAA on the season and started in the net for the last six of D.C.'s games. . . . After a call-back to the Carolina Railhawks on Wednesday, Union goalkeeper Brian Sylvestre is poised to make his fourth start for the Union. Sylvestre enters the game with two consecutive shutouts. . . . Union centerback Maurice Edu will return after missing last Sunday's game against the New York Red Bulls because of yellow card accumulation. . . . Defender Raymon Gaddis' injured ankle has improved, but don't expect him to start. Forward Conor Casey and defender Steven Vitoria are out with leg injuries.
- Laine Higgins
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