5 Things to Watch as Union return to league play at D.C. United

For the first time since a 2-1 home win over New York City FC on July 15th, the Philadelphia Union will play an MLS match. And for the first time since a scrappy 2-0 away win at Nashville SC on July 12th, the Union will play away from the home comforts of Subaru Park. There are always storylines aplenty when the Union faces D.C. United, and this weekend’s matchup will be no exception. Here are five things to watch for during the latest edition of this I95 battle.

Returning to the marathon of the league season

A league season is a very different kind of grind than tournament play. While many would argue that each individual game matters less, dropped points can still prove to be the difference between, for example, winning the Supporter’s Shield (and gaining the right to host the MLS Cup final should you make it that far), and missing out by virtue of a tiebreaker. And though it may feel like it in some ways after so long without it, we are not at the beginning of a brand new season with all to play for. Teams know, in a broad sense, what they’re fighting to achieve, and the business end of the season will be on us before we know it.

With so many extra miles in players’ legs because of competing and progressing far in both the CONCACAF Champions League and Leagues Cup, the Union will need to take care not to run players into the ground in the same way Alejandro Bedoya was last season. This is particularly true for the few players who do not have obvious rotation options in the squad, most notably left-back Kai Wagner. Jim Curtin may need to get creative to keep his players operating as close to maximum capacity as possible for the playoffs.

Building off moment vs shaking off the rust

There are benefits and drawbacks to playing the maximum number of games in a midseason tournament like the Leagues Cup. The Union will likely point to the positives such as the momentum they built, as well as the chance to stay sharp. The past few seasons have proven that even something as simple as two weeks off between the end of the regular season and the start of the playoffs (for the top seeds in each conference, who earned a first-round bye) is enough to throw teams off.

As already pointed out, the downside to going deep in the tournament is the extra mileage added to the players’ legs. For the game this weekend, the pros should outweigh the cons. The Union will be hoping that stays the case as the season winds down.

Drawing conclusions

The Union and D.C. United have faced each other twice this season, once in league play and once in the Leagues Cup. Both games were played at Subaru Park, and both finished in scoreless draws, with the Union advancing in the Leagues Cup on penalties. This time, they will have to travel down to the capital to face United on their own turf. After crushing United multiple times last season, it’s hard not to be disappointed with the Union’s failure to beat them this year, even though we all knew the games wouldn’t turn into the same demolitions. Perhaps the Union’s reinforcements since their last meeting will prove pivotal in tilting the outcome in their favor.

Turning seconds into minutes- Tai Baribo’s (real) debut

After waiting longer than he or the Union would have liked for his paperwork to clear, striker Tai Baribo was named to the matchday squad for the first time in the Leagues Cup third-place match. Fans were naturally excited to see the new signing in action, particularly with starter Julián Carranza unlikely to play a role due to an injury in the previous game.

The waiting, expectations building…and waited…and waited…and waited some more, until finally, FINALLY, he prepared to come on as the game entered stoppage time. The ball at last went out of play and he came running on, dashing around a defender as the final whistle blew. As our esteemed colleague Liam Jenkins (don’t tell him I said that) pointed out, Baribo became the living embodiment of the Simpsons meme where Grampa Simpson enters a bar and leaves all in one motion.

We all hope to see more from Baribo this time around. With Carranza still feeling the effects of his injury (he’s listed as “questionable” on the team’s injury report), it seems likely we get what we hope for.

There’s no place like home, but maybe an away trip won’t be so bad

By virtue of finishing top of the Eastern Conference last season, the Union maintained home-field advantage throughout their Leagues Cup journey. So far this season, they have won 4 games, drawn 2, and lost 6 when away from Philadelphia. Not a terrible record, but it doesn’t look great when compared to 8 wins, 2 draws, and 1 loss while at home. Fortunately, the team can count on a good number of Union supporters traveling down I95, and they always make their voices heard at D.C. Perhaps it will be a gentle easing back into the rigors of away days.

Conclusion and predictions

While the Leagues Cup was exciting, it feels good to be getting back to the regular season. There is much to be optimistic about when it comes to the Union, and I’m predicting they get off to a good start with a hard-fought 2-1 win. While I’m at it, I’ll toss in a prediction of a goal for Baribo. And yet another bonus prediction, this time one that’s Union-adjacent: one of the Aaronson’s will have a goal contribution this weekend in the Bundesliga. Why not try to speak into existence a great weekend for everyone connected to the Union? It’s DOOPing great to be back.