PHILADELPHIA UNION vs COLORADO RAPIDS

PPL PARK, Chester, Pa.

March 7, 2015 (WEEK 1, MLS Game #5)

4 p.m. ET (WPVI-6abc; Altitude)

A pair of clubs hoping 2015 will mean a return to the postseason hunt meet to open the new campaign when Philadelphia Union play host to the Colorado Rapids on Saturday afternoon at PPL Park. Jim Curtin will take charge of the Union from the start of the season for the first time, trying to lead the club to a second-ever playoff berth. The Rapids are guided by Pablo Mastroeni for the second season, missing out on the postseason a year ago in the longtime club icon’s initial term in command.

REFEREE: Silviu Petrescu. AR1 (bench): Daniel Belleau; AR2 (opposite): Gianni Facchini; 4th: Jose Carlos Rivero

MLS Career: 90 games; FC/gm: 27.4; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 10; pens: 16

SUSPENDED: none

DISABLED LIST: none

INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

HEAD-TO-HEAD

ALL-TIME (7 meetings): Union 1 win, 10 goals … Rapids 3 wins, 14 goals … Ties 3

AT PHILADELPHIA (4 meetings): Union 0 wins, 6 goals … Rapids 2 wins, 8 goals … Ties 2

LAST YEAR (MLS):

7/12: PHI 3, COL 3 (Casey 16; Williams 31; Wenger 74 – Serna 18; Powers 79; Brown 86)

This is the only league meeting between the teams this season.

The teams met just once a year ago, a wild 3-3 draw on July 12 at PPL Park. Union have still never defeated Colorado on their home ground, with two draws and two losses all-time in Chester.

The home team has won just once in seven meetings all-time in the series – a 4-1 Rapids victory Aug. 29, 2010 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The road team has won three times.

Coaches record: Jim Curtin vs. COL: P1 W0 L0 D1… Pablo Mastroeni vs. PHI: P1 W0 L0 D1

PHILADELPHIA UNION

Philadelphia Union will be aiming to make a return to the MLS Cup Playoffs for a second time in club history, their postseason drought hitting three years after the 2014 season following their only MLS playoff finish. Union finished in sixth place in the Eastern Conference a year ago with 42 points; Jim Curtin returns as head coach for his first full season in charge after taking over for John Hackworth midway through last year’s term.

TEAM NEWS

Union claimed the championship of the IMG Suncoast Pro Classic in Bradenton, Fla., defeating the New York Red Bulls 3-1 in Saturday’s finale.

Fernando Aristeguieta scored for Union in the final match, his fourth goal in three games after being acquired on loan from FC Nantes of France’s Ligue 1.

“I think he fits our league,” Union manager Jim Curtin said. “He’s a forward that has good feet. ... He can really shoot from distance. He has an incredible work rate. He’s a big, strong kid and a good person too when you sit down and talk with him. ... Heading the ball in the box, he’s as good as I’ve seen. We’re going to be dangerous on set pieces. Fernando will really add to that.”

The win against the Red Bulls was the second match against MLS competition in the event for Union. They defeated Columbus Crew SC on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw to win the group stage.

Here’s the Crew starting team: Mbolhi; Gaddis, Vitoria, White, Williams; Edu; Pfeffer, Fred, Le Toux; Sapong, Aristeguieta.

Union will be without goalkeeper Andre Blake, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft, after he underwent knee surgery. Blake is expected to be out 4-6 weeks.

“I understand some of the frustrations with things and some of the personnel moves that have gone on in the past,” Curtin said. “But we’re trying to get it right. It will take a little bit of time, but I think you’re slowly starting to see a roster form that we can be proud of. Until we win, we’re going to have to deal with the negativity. That’s something we signed up for.”

TRANSACTIONS IN: FW C.J. Sapong (trade from KC); FW Dzenan Catic (SuperDraft); FW Conor Casey (re-signed); MF Fred (re-signed); DF Steven Vitoria (loan from Benfica); FW Fernando Aristeguieta (loan from FC Nantes); GK John McCarthy (free)

TRANSACTIONS OUT: MF Corben Bone (option declined); FW Brian Brown (option declined); FW Cristhian Hernandez (option declined); MF Amobi Okugo (traded to Orlando City); FW Pedro Ribeiro (Expansion Draft to Orlando City); GK Zac MacMath (loaned to Colorado); MF Leo Fernandes (loaned to New York Cosmos); DF Carlos Valdes (loaned to Nacional); FW Aaron Wheeler (waived)

COLORADO RAPIDS

The Colorado Rapids are looking to return to the MLS Cup Playoffs after missing out a season ago in their first season with long-time icon Pablo Mastroeni as head coach. The Rapids finished in eighth place in the Western Conference last season, ending the campaign with 32 points.

TEAM NEWS

The Rapids fell 2-1 to Real Salt Lake in the final of the Desert Diamond Cup in Tucson, Ariz. Dillon Serna scored the lone Colorado goal.

Here’s the Rapids team: Clint Irwin, James Riley, Bobby Burling, Axel Sjoberg, Michael Harrington, Marcelo Sarvas, Lucas Pittinari, Vicente Sanchez, Gabriel Torres, Dillon Serna (Carlos Alvarez 78), Dominique Badji.

The Rapids reached draws with Sporting Kansas City (2-2) and the New England Revolution (1-1) on their path to the title match, also defeating USL hosts FC Tucson.

The Rapids also played against MLS competition when they lost 2-0 to the San Jose Earthquakes in Las Vegas on Feb. 15.

“I want to be a dynamic team going forward, I want to play north-to-south,” Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni said. “I don’t just want to labor possession just for possession’s sake. I want to be dynamic and really put pressure on teams with the ball. Defensively, I want to be the team that everyone hates to play against because we’re so hard to break down. We’re on the front foot, we’re getting around the ball as much as we can. I want to be very strong and we’ve been working on the mentality, the mindset, the tactical application of what we’re trying to do when we have the ball and when we don’t have the ball.”

Gabriel Torres netted two goals and added an assist to lead the Rapids during their preparation matches. Newcomer Dominique Badji – signed to a contract just days before the start of the season – also had a goal and an assist.

“We need Gaby to defend the right way, to be dynamic with his movements off the ball, to be dynamic when he has the ball and like any good forward, get on the score sheet,” Mastroeni said. “Forwards these days aren’t the luxury players they were of years past. They’re asked to really be an integral part of both sides of the ball.”

The Rapids are expected to run out MLS Cup champion Marcelo Sarvas (with LA Galaxy) and Argentinian newcomer Lucas Pittinari in a deep-lying defensive axis in Mastroeni’s 4-2-3-1 scheme.

“I think last year I was reliant on too many young players with very little experience to come in and make a difference,” Mastroeni said. “This year we’ve brought in a wealth of players that have competed in the league for titles, guys that have led by example, that have great resumes and most importantly just have great character. They’re imparting their knowledge, their experiences on some of the younger guys that are still with us from last year. It’s a completely different dynamic as far as the group’s concerned.”

TRANSACTIONS IN: FW Caleb Calvert (Dispersal Draft); DF Michael Harrington (trade from Portland); FW Geoffrey Castillion (trade from New England); DF Bobby Burling (Waiver Draft); GK Zac MacMath (loan from Philadelphia); DF Axel Sjöberg (SuperDraft); MF Marcelo Sarvas (trade from LA Galaxy); MF Sam Cronin (trade from San Jose); MF Lucas Pittinari (loan from Belgrano); MF Juan Ramirez (transfer from Argentinos Juniors); MF Nick LaBrocca (re-signed); MF Carlos Alvarez (re-signed)

TRANSACTIONS OUT: MF Brian Mullan (retired); DF Gale Agbossoumonde (option declined); MF Davy Armstrong (option declined); FW Edson Buddle (option declined); MF Kamani Hill (option declined); DF Thomas Piermayr (option declined); DF Grant Van De Casteele (option declined); GK Joe Nasco (traded to New England); FW Dimitry Imbongo (trade from NE, option declined); FW Geoffrey Castillion (option declined); MF Tony Cascio (Expansion Draft to Orlando City); FW Danny Mwanga (Expansion Draft to Orlando City); DF Marvell Wynne (Re-Entry Stage 2 Draft); DF Chris Klute (traded to Columbus); MF Jose Mari (mutual termination); DF Zat Knight (mutual consent)