# D.C. United–Philadelphia Union rivalry

The D.C. United–Philadelphia Union rivalry or the Union–United rivalry (sometimes referred to as the Colonial Cup or the Shertz–Gemmell Cup) is a soccer rivalry between D.C. United and the Philadelphia Union, who both play in the Eastern Conference of Major League Soccer. One of the several I-95 derbies, the two clubs began playing against each other regularly since 2010, when Philadelphia Union entered MLS as an expansion team.
Philadelphia has an advantage over D.C. United with 23 overall victories and 20 regular season victories. D.C. United have the advantage in overall U.S. Open Cup victories with three. The two team's stadiums are separated by 120 miles (193 kilometers), allowing both clubs' fans to travel routinely to away matches .
In the early 2010s, the rivalry was primarily dominated by D.C. United, although in the late 2010s into the mid-2020s, the rivalry has been dominated by the Philadelphia Union.

## Background

Prior to MLS, there have been several sporting rivalries between Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. teams, in part due to the proximity of the cities and franchises in these cities being within the same sporting conferences. Some notable rivalries include the Capitals–Flyers rivalry in the National Hockey League, the Commanders–Eagles rivalry in the National Football League, and more recently, the Nationals–Phillies rivalry in Major League Baseball. During the days of the now-defunct North American Soccer League, there were rivalries between the Washington Diplomats and the Philadelphia Atoms and eventually the Philadelphia Fury.
Before the 1994 FIFA World Cup, the United States Soccer Federation fulfilled its promise to FIFA by aiding in the foundation of a new professional league, which would become Major League Soccer (MLS). On June 15, 1994, MLS selected Washington, D.C. out of twenty-two applicants to host one of the league's first seven franchises, with three more added before the league's launch. United would be one of the 10 charter clubs in Major League Soccer, playing their first season in 1996.
In United's early years, they quickly established themselves as one of the elite clubs in MLS winning four MLS Cup titles, four Supporters' Shield titles, two U.S. Open Cup titles, and a CONCACAF Champions Cup title, all prior to Philadelphia being awarded an expansion franchise.
While there had been talk of expanding an MLS club in Philadelphia as far back as 2001, the announcement of a formal MLS franchise in Philadelphia came in 2008 when the league announced Philadelphia as the 16th club, joining the league in 2010. The finalization of the club was the result of a $47 million package approved by Delaware County politicians and Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell that included the cost of Subaru Park and a major urban renewal project.
Ahead of the 2010 Major League Soccer season, both clubs were pitted in the Eastern Conference of MLS and played each other twice: one home and one away leg, marking the first meetings between the Union and United.

## History

The rivalry's roots can be traced back to the Union's first-ever home match on April 10, 2010, a 3–2 victory over D.C. United in front of 35,000 fans at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. In that game, Union forward Sébastien Le Toux scored a hat-trick, etching his name in the club's history. D.C. United's Jaime Moreno also contributed with a stunning goal, which remains a highlight in the early days of the rivalry. Despite Philadelphia's first triumph, D.C. United managed to win the only other match between the two teams that season, thanks to two goals from Danny Allsopp. Tensions began to rise in 2011 when the teams met in a U.S. Open Cup play-in match. In a dramatic contest, the Union equalized despite being down a player, but D.C. United ultimately won in a penalty shootout. The emotional and heated nature of the game signaled the growing intensity between the two clubs. Later that season, the Union secured a crucial home win with a brace from Le Toux and a goal from Michael Farfan, pushing Philadelphia closer to its first playoff appearance.
By 2012, matches between D.C. United and Philadelphia Union were known for their physicality and high stakes. The rivalry escalated during another U.S. Open Cup contest, where Philadelphia triumphed after a hard-fought battle. On the league side, games between the two teams remained heated, with players from both teams being ejected during a contentious August draw at RFK Stadium. That game featured notable incidents, including a missed penalty by Dwayne De Rosario, adding to the tension between the sides. In 2013, the rivalry took on new dimensions when Philadelphia won at RFK Stadium for the first time. The Union used a quote from D.C. goalkeeper Bill Hamid guaranteeing victory as motivation, with Jack McInerney scoring twice in a 3–2 win. The rivalry continued to build as the teams clashed in both league play and the U.S. Open Cup, with each match proving highly competitive.
While the rivalry is known for its on-field intensity, there were moments of solidarity off the field. In 2014, supporters of both clubs came together for a tailgate to honor Eric Schertz, a Union fan who had passed away days prior to the matchup. The show of respect between the teams’ supporters contrasted sharply with the competitive nature of their encounters on the pitch. Despite this, the Union struggled against D.C. United that season, losing twice in 1-0 games. After a quieter 2014, the rivalry reignited in 2015 with several dramatic matches. Philadelphia secured a memorable stoppage-time victory at home, while also advancing in the U.S. Open Cup after defeating D.C. United despite being reduced to 10 men. D.C. United, however, managed to earn some key wins at home, including a come-from-behind victory in July 2015 after trailing by two goals.
By 2016, with Philadelphia showing signs of improvement and both teams fighting for playoff spots, the rivalry took on added significance. The Union's acquisition of former D.C. United player Chris Pontius further fueled the narrative, as Pontius switched sides in the rivalry. In 2016, MLSSoccer.com as part of its "Rivalry Week" promotion listed an online poll for fans to name the rivalry between the two clubs. The options were the I-95 Cup, the Capital Cup, the Freedom Cup or the Colonial Cup. The poll in general was panned by fans and met with heavy criticism from the media as an attempt to manufacture the rivalry. Instead, some journalists suggested naming the rivalry as the "Schertz–Gemmell Cup" in respect to the late Schertz as to Kenneth Gemmell, who passed away in late 2015. Ultimately, the fan poll on X, then called Twitter, resulted in the "Colonial Cup" being the winner, although the rivalry is rarely referred to as that term.
Into the late 2010s and early 2020s the rivalry intensified, marked with heavily decisive victories the Union had over United, particularly in 2022 when the Union beat United in both matches of the regular season, by an aggregate score of 13–0: winning 7–0 at home and 6–0 on the road.

## Results

United win  Union win  Draw
D.C. United vs. Philadelphia Union season-by-season results :
2010s (Union, 15–14–7)
NoDateVenueHomeScoreAwayCompetitionAttendanceDC scorersPHI scorersOverall recordRef
1April 10, 2010Lincoln Financial FieldUnion3–2United2010 MLS season34,870Quaranta, MorenoLe Toux (3)Union 1–0–0
2August 22, 2010RFK StadiumUnited2–0Union12,165Allsopp (2)—Tied 1–1–0
3April 6, 2011Maryland SoccerPlexUnited4–2Union2011 U.S. Open Cup2,347Wolff, Woolard, Pontius, BarklageRuiz, CarollUnited 2–1–0
4July 2, 2011RFK StadiumUnited2–2Union2011 MLS season13,365Wolff, NajarKitchen (o.g.), RuizUnited 2–1–1
5September 29, 2011PPL ParkUnion3–2United17,963De Rosario, NajarLe Toux (2), FarfanTied 2–2–1
6June 5, 2012Maryland SoccerPlexUnited1–2Union2012 U.S. Open Cup3,276WolffCarroll, HoppenotUnion 3–2–1
7June 16, 2012PPL ParkUnion0–1United2012 MLS season18,876Pontius—Tied 3–3–1
8August 19, 2012RFK StadiumUnited1–1Union12,312Okugo (o.g.)CarrollTied 3–3–2
9September 20, 2012PPL ParkUnion0–1United16,024Pajoy—United 4–3–2
10February 16, 2013Hess FieldUnion0–2United2013 WDW Pro Soccer Classic694De Rosario, Pajoy—United 5–3–2
11February 20, 2013Dewey Boster StadiumUnion1–1UnitedFriendly0PorterHoffmanUnited 5–3–3
12April 21, 2013RFK StadiumUnited2–3Union2013 MLS season12,349Kitchen, PajoyMcInerney (2), CaseyUnited 5–4–3
13June 12, 2013Maryland SoccerPlexUnited3–1Union2013 U.S. Open Cup2,325De Rosario (3)McInerneyUnited 6–4–3
14August 10, 2013PPL ParkUnion2–0United2013 MLS season18,652—CaseyUnited 6–5–3
15October 12, 2013RFK StadiumUnited1–1Union11,213DeLeonMcInerneyUnited 6–5–4
16May 10, 2014PPL ParkUnion0–1United2014 MLS season18,522Rolfe—United 7–5–4
17September 27, 2014RFK StadiumUnited1–0Union19,478Silva—United 8–5–4
18May 17, 2015PPL ParkUnion1–0United2015 MLS season16,853—PfefferUnited 8–6–4
19May 30, 2015RFK StadiumUnited2–1Union16,284Pontius, RolfeLe TouxUnited 9–6–4
20July 26, 2015RFK StadiumUnited3–2Union19,125Saborío, DeLeon, EspíndolaSapong, Le TouxUnited 10–6–4
21February 17, 2016Al Lang StadiumUnited1–1Union2016 Suncoast Invitational0EspíndolaLe TouxUnited 10–6–5
22May 20, 2016Talen Energy StadiumUnion1–0United2016 MLS season17,364—MarquezUnited 10–7–5
23July 9, 2016Talen Energy StadiumUnion3–0United18,463—Alberg, Ilsinho (2)United 10–8–5
24August 6, 2016RFK StadiumUnited2–2Union16,392Kemp, BirnbaumBarnetta, PontiusUnited 10–8–6
25February 4, 2017Al Lang StadiumUnited1–1UnionFriendly0OrtizSapongUnited 10–8–7
26February 25, 2017Al Lang StadiumUnited3–2Union2017 Suncoast Invitational1,000Nyarko, Jeffrey, MullinsOnyewu, EppsUnited 11–8–7
27April 1, 2017RFK StadiumUnited2–1Union2017 MLS season14,650Ortiz, AcostaSapongUnited 12–8–7
28May 13, 2017RFK StadiumUnited0–4Union14,576—Medunjanin, Onyewu, Picault, HerbersUnited 12–9–7
29June 24, 2017Talen Energy StadiumUnion1–0United17,656—PcaultUnited 12–10–7
30February 17, 2018Al Lang StadiumUnited2–1Union2018 Suncoast Invitational1,706Mattocks, AcostaBurkeUnited 13–10–7
31April 28, 2018Talen Energy StadiumUnion3–2United2018 MLS season16,493Stieber, MattocksIlsinho, Sapong, DočkalUnited 13–11–7
32August 29, 2018Audi FieldUnited0–2Union17,692—Sapong, PicaultUnited 13–12–7
33February 20, 2019Al Lang StadiumUnion2–1United2019 Suncoast Invitational3,405RooneyBurke, FabiánTied 13–13–7
34June 12, 2019Audi FieldUnited2–1Union2019 U.S. Open Cup7,000McCann, RooneyFontanaUnited 14–13–7
35August 4, 2019Audi FieldUnited1–5Union2019 MLS season18,697BrillantBedoya, Fabián (2), Przybyłko, PicaultTied 14–14–7
36August 24, 2019Talen Energy StadiumUnion3–1United18,781AcostaPrzybylko, Aaronson, IlsinhoUnion 15–14–7 :
2020s (Union, 8–1–4)
NoDateVenueHomeScoreAwayCompetitionAttendanceDC scorersPHI scorersOverall recordRef
37February 22, 2020Joe DiMaggio StadiumUnited3–1Union2020 Suncoast Invitational1,202Kamara (2), SeguraJamiroTied 15–15–7
38August 29, 2020Subaru ParkUnion4–1United2020 MLS season0GresselPrzybyłko (2), Santos, AaronsonUnion 16–15–7
39October 14, 2020Audi FieldUnited2–2Union0Pines, AsadFontana, McKenzieUnion 16–15–8
40March 31, 2021Subaru ParkUnion4–1UnitedFriendly0—Fontana (2)Union 17–15–8
41May 23, 2021Audi FieldUnited0–1Union2021 MLS season6,000—PrzybyłkoUnion 18–15–8
42July 17, 2021Subaru ParkUnion2–1United16,281AsadSantos, PrzybyłkoUnion 19–15–8
43July 8, 2022Subaru ParkUnion7–0United2022 MLS season19,007—Bedoya (2), Carranza (3), Uhre (2)Union 20–15–8
44August 20, 2022Audi FieldUnited0–6Union17,941—Przybyłko, Gazdag, Carranza (3), BurkeUnion 21–15–8
45May 17, 2023Subaru ParkUnion0–0United2023 MLS season18,689——Union 21–15–9
46August 3, 2023Subaru ParkUnion0–0United2023 Leagues Cup17,731——Union 21–15–10
47August 26, 2023Audi FieldUnited1–3Union2023 MLS season19,215Ku-DiPietroUhre, McGlynn, GazdagUnion 22–15–10
48May 4, 2024Audi FieldUnited2–2Union2024 MLS season17,237Dájome, MurrellBedoya, McGlynnUnion 22–15–11
49September 22, 2024Subaru ParkUnion4–0United18,823—Uhre, Gazdag, BariboUnion 23–15–11
50April 26, 2025Subaru ParkUnionUnited2025 MLS seasonUnion W–L–T
51September 27, 2025Audi FieldUnitedUnionUnion W–L–T :

## Players and transfers
### United, then Union

| Name | Pos | D.C. United | D.C. United | D.C. United | Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Philadelphia |
| Name | Pos | Career | Apps | Goals | Career | Apps | Goals |
| Chris Albright | DF | 1999–2001 | 56 | 4 | 2012–2013 | 10 | 0 |
| Justin Mapp | DF | 2002 | 3 | 0 | 2010–2011 | 44 | 4 |
| Fred | MF | 2007–2009 | 72 | 11 | 2010 | 25 | 4 |
| Fred | MF | 2011 | 17 | 0 | 2014–2015 | 17 | 1 |
| Brian Carroll | MF | 2003–2007 | 121 | 2 | 2011–2017 | 166 | 5 |
| Freddy Adu | FW | 2004–2006 | 87 | 11 | 2011–2013 | 35 | 7 |
| Andrew Jacobson | MF | 2009 | 17 | 0 | 2010 | 25 | 0 |
| Chris Pontius | FW | 2009–2015 | 152 | 31 | 2016–2017 | 63 | 14 |
| Charlie Davies | FW | 2011 | 26 | 11 | 2016–2017 | 11 | 0 |
| Ethan White | DF | 2011–2013 | 38 | 1 | 2014–2015 | 28 | 0 |
| Danny Cruz | MF | 2012 | 16 | 1 | 2012–2015 | 70 | 7 |

### Union, then United

| Name | Pos | Philadelphia | Philadelphia | Philadelphia | D.C. United | D.C. United | D.C. United |
| Name | Pos | Career | Apps | Goals | Career | Apps | Goals |
| Fred | MF | 2010 | 25 | 4 | 2011 | 17 | 0 |
| Chris Seitz | GK | 2010 | 23 | 0 | 2019–2021 | 11 | 0 |
| Carlos Ruiz | FW | 2011 | 14 | 6 | 2013 | 13 | 0 |
| Michael Farfan | MF | 2011–2013 | 82 | 4 | 2015 | 17 | 0 |
| Lionard Pajoy | FW | 2012 | 20 | 5 | 2012–2013 | 33 | 5 |
| Jeff Parke | DF | 2013 | 31 | 0 | 2014 | 13 | 0 |

## Statistics
### All-time wins

    As of September 22, 2024
| Competitions | Matches | DC wins | DC goals | Draws | PHI wins | PHI goals |
| Major League Soccer | 36 | 8 | 36 | 8 | 20 | 75 |
| U.S. Open Cup | 4 | 3 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
| Suncoast Invitational | 5 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| WDW Pro Soccer Classic | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Other friendlies | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| Total | 49 | 15 | 61 | 11 | 23 | 94 |

### Honors

With 13 major honors, D.C. United have won more major competitions than any other Major League Soccer club, and are tied for the most of any North American soccer franchise ever. D.C. United won their first major title in 1996, winning the 1996 MLS Cup championship. Since then, they have claimed three additional MLS Cups (league championship), four Supporters' Shields (league premiership), three U.S. Open Cups (national championship) and one CONCACAF Champions Cup title (continental championship). In addition, United won the 1998 Copa Interamericana, an infrequently-held and now-defunct super cup between the champions of CONCACAF and CONMEBOL.
Philadelphia won their sole major title in 2020 when they won the Supporters Shield for having the best regular season record. They reached the U.S. Open Cup final in 2014, 2015, and 2018 and in 2022 were the runners-up in the MLS Cup final.
    Table correct as of January 22, 2023
| Honor | D.C. United | D.C. United | Philadelphia | Philadelphia |
| Honor | Titles | Last Won | Titles | Last Won |
| MLS Cup | 4 | 2004 | 0 | — |
| Supporters Shield | 4 | 2007 | 1 | 2020 |
| U.S. Open Cup | 3 | 2013 | 0 | — |
| Eastern Conference regular season | 6 | 2014 | 2 | 2022 |
| Eastern Conference post-season | 5 | 2004 | 1 | 2022 |
| CONCACAF Champions Cup | 1 | 1998 | 0 | — |
| Leagues Cup | 0 | — | 0 | — |
| Copa Interamericana | 1 | 1998 | 0 | — |
| FIFA Club World Cup | 0 | — | 0 | — |
| Total | 24 | 2014 | 4 | 2022 |

### Top goalscorers

Bold denotes player is still able to play in competition. Updated through the game played on November 8, 2020
    As of October 6, 2024, at least three goals included in table
| Scorer | Club | G |
| Sébastien Le Toux | Philadelphia Union | 8 |
| Julián Carranza | Philadelphia Union | 6 |
| Kacper Przybyłko | Philadelphia Union | 5 |
| Alejandro Bedoya | Philadelphia Union | 4 |
| Chris Pontius | D.C. United | 4 |
| Luciano Acosta | D.C. United | 3 |
| Daniel Gazdag | Philadelphia Union | 3 |
| Lionard Pajoy | D.C. United | 3 |
| Fafà Picault | Philadelphia Union | 3 |
| Mikael Uhre | Philadelphia Union | 3 |
| Josh Wolff | D.C. United | 3 |

### Eastern Conference standings finishes

D.C. United  Philadelphia Union
| P. | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| 1 | | | | | 1 | | | | | | 1 | | 1 | | |
| 2 | | | 2 | | | | | | | | | 2 | | | |
| 3 | | 3 | | | | | | | | 3 | | | | | |
| 4 | | | | | | 4 | 4 | | 4 | | | | | 4 | |
| 5 | | | | | | | | | | 5 | | | | | |
| 6 | | | | | 6 | | 6 | | 6 | | | | | | |
| 7 | 7 | 7 | | 7 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| 8 | 8 | | 8 | | | | | 8 | | | | 8 | | | |
| 9 | | | | | | 9 | | | | | | | | | |
| 10 | | | | 10 | | | | | | | | | | | 10 |
| 11 | | | | | | | | 11 | | | | | | | |
| 12 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | 12 | 12 |
| 13 | | | | | | | | | | | 13 | | | | |
| 14 | | | | | | | | | | | | | 14 | | |
| 15 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
* Total: D.C. United with 6 higher finishes, Philadelphia Union with 9 higher finishes.