The current message: “12 MATCHES LEFT AT RFK STADIUM”.

The number refers to the regular season only and will expire Oct. 22 against the New York Red Bulls. If United plans to extend its stay into the MLS playoffs, it’s going to need to start making better use of the old building.

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D.C. (3-4-2) will enter Saturday’s match against the Philadelphia Union (1-4-4) with seven of a possible 15 points at home (2-2-1), four goals scored and three scoreless performances.

The skid began last fall with a 4-2 defeat to the visiting Montreal Impact in a first-round playoff and, after a slow start and then promising turn this spring, United regressed last weekend in a 1-0 home defeat to Montreal.

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“We’ve got to get better at home,” defender Bobby Boswell said. “No excuses.”

Leaving RFK on a season-long sour note after a wealth of special moments over 21 years would leave a bad taste. Sentimentality aside, though, so would missing the playoffs because of missed opportunities at home.

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“I’m a romantic, but not that romantic,” Coach Ben Olsen said Friday. “We need to win games at home. We’ve been fortunate enough to take a few points away from home to hang in there. Hopefully, our home performances will change.”

Soccer’s formula is straightforward: Win at home and collect points here and there on the road. United has begun showing life away from RFK, drawing at New England at winning at Atlanta. The home campaign, though, has fallen flat: a 0-0 draw with Sporting Kansas City, shutout defeats to the Columbus Crew and Montreal, and victories over Philadelphia and New York City FC.

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Saturday’s match falls in the middle of a three-game homestand. Afterward, D.C. will play seven of nine on the road.

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Last year, United finished the regular season on a 6-0-3 run with 25 goals at RFK, including 16 over the last four matches.

“I’m not too alarmed,” Olsen said. “It hasn’t been a great start at home, but we’ve gone through stretches like this before. Turning our minds back to being the aggressors in every facet of the game in this building will help change things.”

At times last week, especially after falling behind in the 13th minute, United lacked ambition. Second-half adjustments and improvements failed to yield the equalizer.

Olsen expects to welcome back two regulars Saturday. Goalkeeper Bill Hamid trained all out this week after skipping one game as a precaution against aggravating a strained groin. Defender Steve Birnbaum passed concussion protocol after missing three matches and engaged in full workouts.

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Also, striker Patrick Mullins might start for the first time since returning from injuring a hamstring in mid-March. He was a second-half sub the past two weeks. Sebastien Le Toux started three consecutive matches and scored twice.

Philadelphia will arrive after its first victory of the season, a 3-0 decision over the New York Red Bulls last weekend. Manassas native C.J. Sapong, a former Forest Park High School and James Madison University standout, recorded an 11-minute hat trick late in the match to raise his season total to seven, tying last year’s haul over 31 appearances.

He scored as a substitute against United last month, posting five shots in 31 minutes, and has started ever since.

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“He’s an absolute handful. You’ve got to be ready to rumble,” Olsen said. “He’s strong and he’s relentless, but we’ve got some guys who can rumble too.”

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United notes: Midfielder-defender Nick DeLeon underwent hernia surgery this week and will miss at least another month. He has already missed three games. … Defender Chris Korb is slated to return to the game-day roster for the first time since a knee injury in August 2015. … Midfielder Chris Durkin returned to training this week, but after a long stretch with the U.S. under-17 national team, he was given the weekend off and will not suit up for United or the second-division Richmond Kickers. … Referee: Chris Penso. … Game-time weather: 54 degrees, overcast, 11-mph wind.

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D.C. United vs. Philadelphia Union

Where: RFK Stadium.

When: Saturday at 7 p.m.

TV: NewsChannel 8.

Records: United 3-4-2, 11 points; Union 1-4-4, seven points.

D.C. probable starters: GK Bill Hamid; Ds Sean Franklin, Steve Birnbaum, Bobby Boswell, Taylor Kemp; MFs Lloyd Sam, Jared Jeffrey, Ian Harkes, Luciano Acosta, Lamar Neagle; F Patrick Mullins.