When United meet the Philadelphia Union for the 19th time in history on Saturday night, the I-95 foes will log another chapter in their storied rivalry. Here are the top moments from the rivalry’s eight-year history.
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August 22, 2010: United Earn Win in First Meeting at RFK
United were dominant against the Union in the rivals’ first matchup at RFK. A misclearance by the Philadelphia defense in the 22nd minute allowed D.C. forward Danny Allsopp to bury an easy chance in the box and put the Black-and-Red up 1-0. The striker added a second goal in the 67th minute after a Union turnover at midfield, giving United a 2-0 victory and giving then-interim head coach Ben Olsen his first win.
April 6, 2011: United beat Philadelphia in U.S. Open Cup
Ninety minutes was not enough time to settle the rivals’ back-and-forth affair in their U.S. Open Cup matchup at the nearby Maryland SoccerPlex. The Black-and-Red were able to pull ahead in the second period of overtime off of a Daniel Woolard goal, but Philadelphia’s Brian Carroll netted a brace of his own just seven minutes later to even the score at 2-2 and send the match into penalties. D.C. prevailed 4-2 in the shootout, though, after Bill Hamid forced a huge save against Roger Torres and Branko Boskovic buried the game winner.
August 19, 2012: Rivals Battle to a Contentious Draw
A fiery string of events in the final minutes of the match led to a dramatic 1-1 draw at RFK in August of 2012. With a chance to put the Black-and-Red up 2-1 and potentially secure a win for the home team, Dwayne De Rosario converted an 87th minute penalty, but the kick was called back for encroachment. The second kick was delayed due to some tussling in the box, which eventually resulted in a red card for D.C.’s Branko Boskovic. De Rosario missed the follow-up kick, and two more players—United’s Emiliano Dudar and Philadelphia’s Seanon Williams—received reds before the final whistle.
September 20, 2012: United Secure Crucial Road Win
With time running out to push for a place in the 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs, United secured three points in a hard-fought 1-0 win over the Union at PPL Park. Creative playmaker Chris Pontius set up ex-Union member Lionard Pajoy for the brace, and the win propelled the Black-and-Red into 4th place in the Eastern Conference.
May and December 2014: Fans Unite to Remember
In a heartwarming act of support off the pitch, United and Union fans came together twice in a seven-month period to honor the lives of two devoted fans. Following the sudden death of longtime Philadelphia fan Eric Shertz, fan groups of both sides united to pay their respects before the teams’ match on May 10. That December, D.C. and Philadelphia fans rallied together again to support United fan Kenneth Gremmell, who tragically lost three of his family members when a plane crashed into his Gaithersburg home.
August 6, 2016: United Salvage Point with Last-Second Goal
It appeared Philadelphia was going to earn another win over the Black-and-Red in the rivals’ third meeting of the season after Tranquillo Barnetta and Chris Pontius goals put the Union up 2-1 for most of the second half. United refused to quit fighting, though, and their relentless effort paid off in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Patrick Nyarko’s long ball into the box connected with defender Steve Birnbaum, who headed it home to equalize the score at 2-2 just moments before the match’s final whistle. Birnbaum’s first goal of the season helped United save a point against their I-95 foes.
