Philadelphia Union has just three matches remaining on their regular season schedule, and they’ll continue their pursuit for Supporters’ Shield and the top seed in the playoffs this weekend, taking on D.C. United at Audi Field.
For the second time in club history, the Boys in Blue have amassed an impressive 60 points, most recently adding three to their league-leading total with a home win against New England Revolution on Saturday afternoon. The victory extended their lead in the shield race, putting them two points above FC Cincinnati and three above San Diego FC.
"We know what we have to do. We know the job at hand, and we know that we respondedand we had a good game against New England," Carnell said.
"The clean sheet was really important, and I think that just brought a lot of belief and confidence back to the team by securing the clean sheet and, more importantly, also securing the three points."
Philly’s upcoming match will be their final head-to-head of the regular season against a team below the playoff line, and with a crowded top of the table, every point they can add at this stage will impact their odds of hoisting a trophy.
"The mood is for sure, playing for something to win and not trying to play to protect something to lose," Carnell said.
"That then creates a bit of freedom. If all of a sudden, I now change the narrative from how I started the season, and have a fearful approach and fear of failure, then, then we're all doomed to fail, right? So this is the thing for us. It's about keeping true to who we are as a team, as a squad, regardless of how many games are left, regardless is who's behind us we are. We know where we are as a group, so that's very important for us to acknowledge that and embrace that."
Near-oppositely to Philadelphia, D.C. United sits at the 14th in the conference table, above only C.F. Montreal. Each of the bottom four teams in the East only have five wins so far this year – Philadelphia have secured more than three times that number with 18.
While it has been a lackluster year for the side from the Capitol, D.C. still has notable talent for Philly to contain come Saturday, namely last year’s Golden Boot winner Christian Benteke. He’s hit the back of the net nine times so far, with Brazilian midfielder Gabriel Pirani close behind with six.
DC hasn’t won a match since May, but they did put up a fight in their latest outing against Inter Miami, finishing with a 3-2 result at Chase Stadium over the weekend by way of goals from Benteke and Jacob Murrell.
Saturday’s match will be one between the teams with the best and worst goal differentials in the conference, but unfavorably for Philadelphia, leading scorer Tai Baribo will be unable to play due to yellow card accumulation after he was shown a discipline in the 76th minute against New England. The team will also be without Frankie Westfield, who departed for the United States Youth National Team Under-20s World Cup this week. While one pair won’t make the trip, another will be welcomed back to the matchday roster in midfielder Jovan Lukic and centerback Olwethu Makhanya, who were both ineligible in the team’s recent match due to accumulation.
"There's no bad teams in the league, Carnell said."
"These teams are all the parity in the league is incredible, and when every team's firing on their all cylinders and their strengths, then teams are tough to beat. We're not entitled to anything and that's the way we approach it."
The action kicks off at 7:30pm on Saturday at Audi Field -- tune in with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV to watch!
