D.C. United had a chance on Sunday night to put to bed a run of poor form in recent weeks. Instead, in hosting the Philadelphia Union at Audi Field, in Washington, D.C., the Black-and-Red were second-best throughout, falling 5-1 to their Eastern Conference rivals. Alejandro Bedoya scored in the third minute, with Marco Fabian doubling the lead in first-half stoppage time after Junior Moreno got sent off for the hosts.

Kacper Przybylko made it three in the 52nd minute before Frederic Brillant handed United a faint lifeline two minutes later. However, shortly after Paul Arriola went off injured, Fabian added his second of the game, making it three games in a row without a win for United. Substitute Fafa Picault rounded out the scoring in the 89th minute, capping off a miserable night for United.

Chris Durkin, starting in place of the injured Russell Canouse, also went out injured in the first half, suffering what appeared to be an injury to his right foot. Durkin had been the only change in the starting lineup from last week's draw against the Chicago Fire, with Ben Olsen opting to keep the three center back formation.

But United were in trouble early on Sunday night, when Bedoya struck in the third minute of the game. Andrew Wooten won possession near the sideline, and then picked out Fabian in the box, who laid off the ball to Bedoya. Bedoya's shot skipped through Donovan Pines' legs and snuck in past Bill Hamid.

A couple of saves from Hamid kept United in the game in the first half, as the hosts were outshot 16-1 in the opening frame. The night got worse for D.C. though in the 37th minute when Moreno was given a red card after a video review.

The Union had already been awarded a penalty by referee Armando Villarreal, who initially showed Moreno a yellow card for dragging down Przybylko in front of goal. However, after taking a second look at the play, Moreno's card was changed to a red, even as Przybylko let United off the hook by smashing his penalty over the goal.

There was still time in first half stoppage for Fabian to get on the scoresheet, with a cutback from Kai Wagner finding the Mexican playmaker in the box for a first-timed finish. 

Just minutes into the second half, Przybylko made up for his penalty miss by notching his 10th goal of the season. Midfielder Warren Creavallle took advantage of a turnover in United's half and found the Polish striker in the box, wide open due to the numerical advantage. All it took was a simple finish from Przybylko to put the Union up 3-0 in the 52nd minute.

Brillant's first goal of the season gave United a glimmer of hope when the center back scored in the 54th minute. Steven Birnbaum forced a save out of Andre Blake on a Wayne Rooney free kick, allowing Brillant to get his foot on the rebound for the goal.

Arriola then had two chances to make the game even more interesting, both coming from long balls against a suddenly off-beat Union defense. The first effort was lobbed over Blake but bounced just wide of the post. Then in the 64th minute, a goal kick from Hamid found Luciano Acosta, who played out wide to Arriola.

The winger cut back in towards the middle, getting around Blake, but the left-footed shot sailed over the goal. And in the process, Arriola injured himself, having to be replaced by Ulises Segura. 

Five minutes after that miss, Fabian put any hopes of a comeback to bed with his sixth goal of the season. Collecting a pass from Haris Medunjanin, Fabian cut back in the box and then fired a shot that deflected off of Birnbaum, taking it past Hamid for the 4-1 lead.

There were a couple of scoring opportunities for United, who couldn't take advantage. Picault was able to make the most of his lone scoring chance in the 90th minute, however, when he collected a pass from Ilsinho in the box and fired home for the four-goal win.

United, who have 36 points from 25 games while sitting in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, are back in action next Sunday, when they host the LA Galaxy at Audi Field.