Philadelphia Union 3, DC United 1 | Summary of the match MLS 2019

Kacper Przybylko prompted the Philadelphia Union to lead a quick counter-attack and scored two more goals before half-time for a crucial 3-1 win over a troubled United States team at Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday night.

Brenden Aaronson and Ilsinho each added a goal before the break, which remains tied with Atlanta United in the race for first place in the Eastern Conference. Atlanta, who currently holds the first decisive game, will travel to Philadelphia next Saturday night.

On his first start in four games, Luciano Acosta scored in the second half for D.C. for his first goal or assist since June 1, on a nine-set fallow season.

While Wayne Rooney was serving a red card suspension, D.C. lost his third consecutive loss without missing an opportunity to get back on top of the New York Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference standings. They have only won three of their last 17 games in MLS.

goals

• 5 – PHI – Kacper Przybylko | WATCH
• 16 – PHI – Brenden Aaronson | WATCH
• 36 – PHI – Ilsinho | WATCH
• 56 – DC – Luciano Acosta | WATCH

Three things

• THE GREAT IMAGE: The long-running struggles of D.C. are starting to approach the territory of FC Dallas 2017, which has collapsed to the extreme after the playoffs after winning only two of its last 15 games. United is still five points above the series line for now, but another loss to the Montreal Impact next weekend would reduce that gap to 2 points. Rooney could be absent for that one too, according to the Washington PostThat's Steven Goff.
  

  Wayne Rooney is not here (red card suspension). Waiting for an official word from the MLS Discipline Committee, it seems almost certain that he will receive an extra match and miss the trip to Montreal next weekend.

  – Steven Goff (@SoccerInsider) August 24, 2019

• TIME OF THE MATCH: Ilsinho actually put the game out of reach, nine minutes before the break, with the kind of smooth finish we expected from the Brazilian. But the moment also personified how poor the DCs were defensive during a halftime they were led 8-0.

• MAN OF THE MATCH: Kacper Przybylko. The German-Polish striker scored one goal and two assists, which was a major problem for D.C. throughout the match. In any case, that night, the combination of stature and technical prowess suggested another European import of MLS now playing in southern California.

following

• IHP: Saturday, August 31 against Atlanta United (7:30 pm ET on ESPN + in the United States and DAZN in Canada)
• DC: Saturday, August 31 at the Montreal Impact (7:30 pm ET | TVAS, MLS LIVE on ESPN + in the US)