Philadelphia Union
Rate the U: Philadelphia Union at DC United
Game 1 of the Philadelphia Union‘s MLS season is in the books and for the first time since 2020, it was a loss.
The turn around from the first game of Champions Cup in Trinidad & Tobago to Saturday at Audi Field was always going to be a tough transition in the early going of the season. Having Tai Baribo lining up on the other side of the field only made it harder as the former Union striker’s first half goal held up as the lone strike in a rare 1-0 win for DC United over the Union.
The Union suffered their first loss in DC since 2021, their first season opening loss since 2020 and failed to score a goal in their season opener for the first time since a scoreless draw in Columbus in 2021.
Ezekiel Alladoh‘s red card was one of the more pivotal plays of the game, but in true better to be down a man than up Philadelphia Union fashion they were more threatening playing with 10 than they were playing 11 v 11.
Cavan Sullivan was tied for Alladoh for the team lead in key passes in the match with two and Milan Iloski had a team-high two shots on goal and substitute Agustin Anello had one shot on target. Olwethu Makhanya had the highest xG for the Union in the match at .42 while Anello was second with .31.
Japhet Sery Larsen had a solid MLS debut, finishing with a team high 7.5 FotMob rating. Sery Larsen had an 88.1 percent pass completion and 52 pass completions (second to Makhanya’s team high 65) but he also picked up his first yellow card. Makhanya and Jesus Bueno both had 7.2 FotMob ratings. Makhanya had a team-high 7.0 WhoScored rating while Larsen and Bueno had a 6.9 rating.
You can weigh in on your own player ratings in the rating form below or at form.typeform.com/to/Ii1UCkrL
