When D.C. United take on their rivals Philadelphia Union this Saturday night (7 PM on NewsChannel 8), two pairs of excellent fullbacks will be on display as United’s Sean Franklin and Taylor Kemp battle Philadelphia’s Keegan Rosenberry and Fabinho.
Both teams rely on their wide players to get up and down the sideline, playing a role in both attack and defense. Each pairing has been effective this season at finding good positions out wide in the attacking third – both rank as the top two on their respective teams in crosses delivered.
Kemp and Franklin have been reliable presences for the Black-and-Red; they’re the only two United players to play every minute of the MLS campaign so far. Franklin, a two-time MLS All-Star and 2008 Rookie of the Year winner, scored his 8th career goal recently against New England Revolution and leads the team in crosses with 49. On the other side of the field, Kemp is a steady defender known for his accurate crossing ability and deadly left foot.
For the Union, rookie Keegan Rosenberry has established himself quickly in his first MLS season. The former Georgetown University standout was drafted third overall by the Union in the 2016 MLS Draft and is well known to soccer fans in D.C. He has played every minute of 18 MLS matches for Philadelphia this season and leads Union defenders in multiple statistical categories, including tackles, interceptions, ball recoveries, and crosses. At left back, Fabinho has been consistent for the Union each of the last four seasons. The Brazilian notched a goal and three assists during the 2015 MLS season and has become an option in the Union attack when racing up the left flank.
The two rivals played a tight game in their first meeting of the season, with Philadelphia prevailing courtesy of a last-second goal. Both sets of fullbacks will look to provide critical width and help their attackers circumvent a clogged midfield. They will also have to commit to keeping their opposite numbers at bay, and recover quickly from their occasional forays down the flanks.
