This is part two of our mini-series compiling “final third entries” from the first three Philadelphia Union games.

The first installment of the series explains everything you need to know about the statistic, and you can read that by clicking here.

In part two, we take a look at the Union’s road draw against RSL.

Real Salt Lake 3-3 Philadelphia Union

Short pass – 10
Medium pass – 6
Long pass –  13
Dribble – 8
Header – 7
Throw – 5
Total – 49

First half final third entries

1’ – Long pass from Vitoria, Wenger flicks with head into final third, cleared away

3’ – Williams throw for Maidana in right channel won by RSL

5’ – Mbolhi free kick sails into final third, played out by RSL

7’ – Failed RSL clearance, Nogueira heads into final third, ball won by Aristeguieta

8’ – Maurice Edu short pass, cycled wide and played in for Le Toux, who shoots high (scoring chance)

9’ – short pass – Mbolhi quick distribution to Le Toux, plays for Aristeguieta, then into the right channel for Maidana, counter turns into shot attempt

9’ – short pass from Nogueira to Gaddis, inside to Wenger, leads to saved shot and corner kick

15’ – throw from Williams down the right side is headed back by RSL

16’ – throw from Williams down right side, Le Toux loses ball out of bounds

18’ – short pass attempt from Nogueira, left by Aristeguieta as he came from an offside position

19’ – short pass from Aristeguieta finds Williams in the right channel for a cross attempt

20’ – Maidana dribble, picks out Aristeguieta inside the zone for a shot attempt that leads to a corner

21’ – Gaddis dribble, receives a Nogueira pass, skips around a defender to get into the zone

23’ – short, looped pass from Aristeguieta fails to clear RSL backline

24’ – Williams dribble, takes a square ball from Nogueira and charges into the area

31’ – long pass, kept on the ground from from Nogueira to spring Aristeguieta, but Rimando clears

32’ – long pass, diagonal from Edu to Wenger is too far and goes out for a throw

33’ – long pass, diagonal from Nogueira to Wenger is too far, also out for a throw

34’ – long ball, Le Toux tries one over the top that Olave wins

34’ – GOAL – Maidana dribble, picks up RSL turnover, plays deflected cross that Aristeguieta heads home

36’ – throw – Williams looks up quickly to find Maidana in the final third

Cristian Maidana’s passing chart against RSL. He played a role in all three goals and was credited with four key passes, which are shown in yellow.

36’ – medium pass from Vitoria to the feet of Aristeguieta

37’ – series of flicked headers, Maidana’s attempt into the area is cleared

38’ – GOAL – quick throw from Maidana is deflected to Aristeguieta, who scores

40’ – medium one-touch pass from Williams to Maidana in the right channel

41’ – medium pass from Williams inside to Aristeguieta, one touch pass inside for an offside Le Toux

46’ – Williams throw into the right corner for Aristeguieta

47’ – short pass from Maidana to an offside Edu

Second half final third entries

47′ – long pass from Edu cleaned up by Rimando

48′ – medium pass from Wenger too far for Aristeguieta

50′ – free kick – long pass punched out by Rimando

56′ – long ball into corner for Aristeguieta (video cut off, unclear who played the pass)

57′ – long diagonal from Wenger played over Le Toux’s head

58′ – OWN GOAL – medium range pass from Vitoria to Maidana on edge of final third, he beats a defender on the dribble then plays in a cross that’s deflected into the RSL net

61′ – headed flick-on from Aristeguieta won by RSL

61′ – White clears defensively with a long ball that falls to Rimando

63′ – headed flick from Aristeguieta, Maidana runs onto ball and fires a shot high and wide

66′ – Nogueira long ball looking for Maidana, cleaned up by RSL

67′ – short pass from Maidana finds Wenger inside the area

68′ – Vitoria heads a defensive clearance back into the area

69′ – Mbolhi takes a back pass, plays a long ball up the right side, won by RSL

75′ – medium pass, Le Toux tries to flick on a loose ball with the outside of his boot, won by RSL

75′ – Wenger wins the ball at midfield then dribbles into the area, passes back for Gaddis

75′ – short pass, Gaddis plays the ball back into the final third for Wenger

78′ – (Zach Pfeffer on for Andrew Wenger, Mike Lahoud on for Cristian Maidana)

On the road, Vincent Nogueira had fewer, but more meaningful touches. His passing chart shows more activity around the attacking third.

80′ – Aristeguieta heads on a goalkick, no one behind him

80′ – Nogueira dribbles hard down the right flank, loses the ball to Jamison Olave

82′ – short pass, Aristeguieta brings down a Mbolhi punt, RSL loses ball on edge of area then recovers

87 – (Conor Casey on for Fernando Aristeguieta)

90′ – free kick – Vitoria plays long for Casey, won by RSL

90′ – Le Toux wins a poor clearance and dribbles into the final third

93′ – medium pass from Gaddis to the right side after winning a defensive clearance

94′ – Nogueira dribble into the zone, misses Pfeffer with a diagonal through ball

Observations

This game was on the road against a better team, and there was no red card to disrupt the balance of play. That’s probably the main reason why total entries were down  about 30 percent from 70 to 49 in week two.

Cristian Maidana started this game, and Philadelphia continued with the 4-2-3-1 that was deployed in the second half of the Colorado game.

There were fewer long ball attempts in this game, just 13 compared to the 31 attempts in week one. Philadelphia was much more content to play in the quick moving, counterattacking style that was successful in 2014. You didn’t see as much booting the ball out of the back from Ethan White, and Vincent Nogueira looked more comfortable on the ball with Maidana as an outlet in front of him.

“Chaco” was the catalyst for all three goals, and set up the first with a dribble off an opponent turnover. The second goal was created by his quick throw into the attacking area. The third goal was a combination medium pass/dribble that originated from center back Steven Vitoria.