D.C. United v Philadelphia Union: Gazdag eyes response after landmark goal overshadowed

Daniel Gazdag says the Philadelphia Union must “run through walls” against D.C. United on Saturday, after he saw a personal milestone overshadowed by back-to-back defeats for Jim Curtin’s team.

Gazdag became Philadelphia’s all-time leading scorer on Tuesday, netting his 57th goal for the club against the Seattle Sounders at Subaru Park.

However, that goal wasn’t enough to prevent the Union from sliding to a 3-2 loss, just three days after they suffered their first MLS defeat of 2024 against Real Salt Lake.

While Gazdag was pleased to seal his place in franchise history, he was frustrated it didn’t count for more and wants to make amends this weekend.

“It’s obviously a nice number. I’m happy that I’ve become the all-time leading goalscorer for the club. That’s amazing,” Gazdag said.

“When I got here three years ago, I wouldn’t have dreamed about it. I’m happy with that, I’ll be happy in the future, for sure, but it’s just annoying we played like that.

GOALZDAG MAKES UNION HISTORY!!!

With his 57th goal, Daniel Gazdag becomes the all time leading scorer in club history!#DOOP pic.twitter.com/Pw9cHuZzTK

— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) May 1, 2024

“After two games like this, we have to go out there and just run through walls to win the next game, it doesn’t matter who we’re up against.”

Philadelphia sit seventh in the Eastern Conference with 13 points from nine games, an identical tally to that accumulated by D.C. through 10 matches.

Troy Lesesne’s men beat Seattle 2-1 last Saturday to halt a three-match winless run, but he says they are yet to produce a complete performance since he took charge.

“With the ball, what we want to do is keep the tempo high,” Lesesne said.

“We want to see out a complete performance, which is still something we’re going after, and hopefully against Philadelphia we can have another go at that.”

PLAYERS TO WATCH

D.C. United – Christian Benteke

Benteke scored both of D.C.’s goals against Seattle last week, moving to eight goals in MLS this season. Only Lionel Messi, with nine, has outscored the former Liverpool man.

The Belgian has also netted 12 of his team’s last 21 MLS goals in a run dating back to late September (0.57 per cent).

These two pic.twitter.com/tKfHfqWc5L

— D.C. United (@dcunited) April 30, 2024

Philadelphia Union – Julian Carranza

Carranza scored two hat-tricks against D.C. United in the 2022 season.

The Argentine, who has four goals in MLS this term, is looking to break new ground on Saturday – no player in MLS history has scored three hat-tricks against a single opponent before.

MATCH PREDICTION – PHILADELPHIA UNION WIN

The Union have won six of their last eight regular-season away matches against D.C. (one draw, one defeat), scoring 24 goals in those matches including nine in the last two.

They are favourites to preserve their strong record at Audi Field, having gone unbeaten through their first five road games of an MLS season (two wins, three draws) for the second time (also in 2021).

Since 2015, only the 2022 New York Red Bulls have opened a season with a six-game unbeaten run on the road. Philadelphia have what it takes to replicate that feat, with D.C. not winning consecutive matches within a single season since April 2023.

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

D.C. United – 29.2%

Philadelphia Union – 42.4%

Draw – 28.4%