Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Union

The Union dictated nearly every phase—dominating possession, territory, and shot volume—but couldn’t find the finishing touch to turn superiority into goals. Early signs suggested a breakthrough was coming, with a near miss off the post and sustained pressure down the flanks, but the final ball and composure in front of goal consistently fell short. Defensively, the Boys in Blue had one of their easiest nights of the season, limiting D.C. United to virtually nothing going forward and cruising to a clean sheet. But that comfort came with a tradeoff: the lack of urgency and cutting edge in attack allowed the game to drift. In the end, it’s a frustrating result for the Union—two points dropped rather than one earned—from a match they controlled but never truly seized. Here are the ratings.

Player Ratings

GK Andre Blake — 7
A clean sheet without much drama—but that’s the job. Commanded his area and handled everything comfortably. The bigger takeaway is his organization of a defense that allowed no shots on target.

LB Frankie Westfield — 7

One of the most influential players on the field. Constantly involved on both sides of the ball, providing width and energy while also defending cleanly.  The Union live and die by wide play— and Westfield was the engine of that.

CB Olwethu Makhanya — 7
Makhanya delivered a calm, assured performance at the back, rarely putting a foot wrong in a match where D.C. United offered little attacking threat. He read the game well, stepped into the right spaces to break up play, and was clean in his distribution, helping the Union maintain their territorial dominance. While he wasn’t heavily tested, he stayed sharp and organized, doing exactly what was required to preserve the clean sheet.

CB Japhet Sery Larsen — 7
Sery Larsen turned in a composed, defensively sound performance. He handled his responsibilities cleanly—strong in positioning, tidy in possession, and rarely put under real stress. Like the rest of the back line, he benefited from the overall control Philly had, but he still did his job well: no mistakes, no panic, and efficient distribution out of the back.

RB Nathan Harriel — 7
Rock-solid defensively. D.C. didn’t register a single shot on target, and Harriel was a big reason why. Strong in duels and positioning, rarely put under real pressure. What stood out was his positioning—always a step ahead, cutting out potential danger before it developed. On a night where the back line had to stay focused despite long stretches without pressure, Harriel set the tone with a composed, no-nonsense performance that helped secure a routine clean sheet.

DM Jovan Lukić — 7

Lukić put in a steady, workmanlike shift in midfield, helping the Union control tempo and recycle possession during long spells of dominance. He was clean on the ball and positioned himself well to connect defense to attack, keeping things ticking without forcing risky passes. While he didn’t provide a decisive moment in the final third, his discipline and awareness were key to sustaining pressure and preventing transitions the other way.

DM Jesús Bueno — 7
Arguably the closest Union player to scoring—Bueno hit the post and was active defensively. He covered ground well, disrupted play defensively, and helped drive the team forward in transition. On a night where chances were at a premium, he looked the most likely to make something happen from midfield—but like the rest of the attack, he couldn’t quite find the finishing touch. Strong two-way performance, but that missed chance looms large.

AM Indiana Vassilev — 6
Vassilev put in a shift, but it lacked real impact where it mattered most. He kept possession moving and worked hard defensively, yet too often his involvement in the final third felt safe and predictable. In a match where the Union dominated but couldn’t break through, you needed more creativity and risk-taking from wide areas—something Vassilev didn’t consistently provide.

AM Milan Iloski — 6
Iloski was involved and showed flashes of intent, but his night ultimately summed up the Union’s attacking frustration. He found pockets of space and got into decent areas, yet his final decision-making let him down—whether it was a rushed shot or a pass that didn’t quite come off. There were moments where he looked capable of unlocking the game, but they were too inconsistent to truly trouble D.C. United. A lively but ineffective performance when more end product was needed.

FWD Ezekiel Alladoh — 6
Alladoh worked hard and stayed active up top, but the quality just wasn’t there when it mattered. His movement helped stretch the back line at times, yet he struggled to turn that into clear chances or meaningful touches in dangerous areas. Too often, promising moments broke down at his feet, whether through a heavy touch or a lack of sharp decision-making. In a match crying out for a decisive attacking contribution, his performance felt energetic but ultimately ineffective.

FWD Bruno Damiani — 5
Strikers have to strike. Got into scoring positions (team-high xG per match data) but couldn’t convert. His movement was good; his finishing was not—symbolic of the night.

Substitutes

(64′) AM Cavan Sullivan — 6
Sullivan brought some energy and willingness to take the ball in tight spaces after coming on, but the end product never quite followed. He showed flashes of creativity and wasn’t afraid to try things, yet too many sequences fizzled out before becoming real chances. In a match where the Union needed a spark, he hinted at it without ever fully providing it—an encouraging but still raw cameo.

(76′) DM Danley Jean Jacques — 6

Jean Jacques came on to help see out control, and that’s largely what he did—kept things simple, recycled possession, and added some defensive cover. But with the Union chasing a winner, his conservative approach didn’t move the needle. He rarely progressed play in a meaningful way and didn’t inject the urgency the moment called for. Was steady in a game that called for more ambition.

Geiger Counter

REF Lorenzo Hernandez — 6

Hernandez had a relatively quiet night, which fit the tone of the match. He kept the game moving and avoided making himself the story, allowing play to flow during long stretches of Union possession. There were a few moments where physical challenges—especially in midfield—could’ve drawn stricter whistles, but his leniency was consistent for both sides.

Player of the Match

Sean Johnson – single-handedly kept the Boys in Blue from a victory and three points.

What’s Next…

The Union travel to BMO Field on Wednesday, April 22nd to face Toronto FC (7:30 p.m. ET / Apple TV).