Union punishes D.C. United again, 6-0

Jim Curtin’s Union claimed all three points in Washington, D.C. on Saturday night, defeating Wayne Rooney’s D.C. United, 6-0. The Union return to Philadelphia still in first place in the East with eight games to go in the MLS regular season.

The last time the Union met D.C. United, the match ended in a record-setting 7-0 trouncing for the home team at Subaru Park. The Union’s efficiency and lethality has only improved since then. United tried to rectify the defeat by shifting players, alternating their lineup, and introducing Rooney, the legendary former Manchester United player, as manager. Just four players in D.C.’s starting lineup on Saturday played in Subaru Park in July. All of this was to no avail, as Philadelphia left Audi Field with a similar result.

The first 30 minutes reflected the shift in personnel and management relatively well. D.C. created multiple chances, as did the Union. United looked momentarily as dangerous. The Union’s formidable backline stymied their attack. D.C.’s frontline wore down, though, and the Union’s gained momentum.

The first Union goal came in the 37th minute. It continued a remarkable run of form and cohesion for the team’s attacking three, as all were involved in the goal — not for the first time on the evening — sent home by Mikael Uhre.

Julián Carranza carried the ball upfield initially, finding Dániel Gazdag moving into space. Gazdag sent the ball to Uhre, who knocked it home, collecting his ninth goal of the season. Eight minutes later, the Union found Goal No. 2. Gazdag sealed the lead from a penalty, ending the half, 2-0.

The Union gathered steam as the second half commenced. Carranza notched a goal nearly as soon as they came out. Again, all three Union attackers were involved. Their linkup play impeccable now, Alejandro Bedoya intercepted the ball and poked it forward to Uhre. Uhre passed to Gazdag, who collected it and found Carranza waiting at the top of the box. Carranza curled it into the top-left corner of the net. The goal was Carranza’s 10th of the season, and put the Union up, 3-0.

If D.C. had hopes of mounting a comeback, it was short lived.

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Carranza scored a second time, in the 70th minute, and then a third time in the 74th. Pressure from Cory Burke, who subbed in at the 65th minute for Uhre, led to an interception from D.C. Burke’s ensuing shot was deflected but Carranza, pouncing on the rebound in the box, sent it home.

Things still weren’t over. Burke sent home one more in the 80th minute, making it 6-0. Jack McGlynn, who started the match and was a creative force all evening in the midfield, collected the ball moving forward and placed it downfield for Burke to send home. Burke reliably did just that.

Philly is near unstoppable when its systems gel, and on Saturday, its attack, defense, and linkup play were impeccable. Despite the alternate manager and shifts in personnel, D.C. United was no match for the Union.