Philadelphia Union

So, on Saturday the Union faced a New England team that was on a five-game winless streak that began with a 1-0 loss at PPL Park and during which they conceded six goals (four of which were scored by New York at Red Bull Arena) while scoring one. In fact, they had managed to score but two goals since the start of the season. The Union were on a three game unbeaten streak and in search of their first back-to-back road wins ever after defeating DC United on the road the week before, a first in league play. That unbeaten streak coincided with a three-game scoring streak from Jack McInerney, who suddenly found himself the talk of the league after his two goal effort against DC.

After 90 minutes of often hapless and impotent play, during which this Union fan was reduced to an expletive-sputtering, head-shaking (and headaching) angry wreck, the Union were 2-0 losers. It was the Union’s first loss to New England in franchise history and the first time this season the Union had failed to get on the scoreboard. And it was ugly.

John Hackworth said after the loss,

Well I thought New England was the better team tonight…With that said, that was not reflective of the kind of game we’re capable of playing at all: probably our worst performance on the year so far. In a lot of ways just frustrating that we’ve been playing so consistent and at least the way we try to play and tonight wasn’t the same.

I just think we’re a team that has to do things on both sides of the ball collectively. We didn’t do that tonight. We were fortunate to not be down a goal in the first half. Yet we had chances too and we didn’t take them well…We had good numbers forward on both goals and I just watched them and there were little details and guys just stopped playing. That is not reflective of our team usually…

You have games where you are not your best. Certainly on the road if you don’t rise to the occasion, especially on an emotional night like tonight for New England and this community. It doesn’t help that we struggle a little bit with the turf. All those things said, it wasn’t our best.

We just need to go back and review this game. Look at the game film, come up with a plan, just try to hammer home the things we’ve been doing well. Know that tonight on a lot of levels, this is not acceptable for this team.

Brian Carroll said,

Disappointing. We didn’t really play like we’re capable of. Part of that was due to them, part of that was, who knows why.

I thought there were a lot of things that we could’ve done better. It just wasn’t our night, for whatever reason, offensively, defensively, possession of the ball making plays that we normally make. It just wasn’t there tonight. They were the better team on the night.

Jeff Parke cut to the chase,

Disappointing. They’re a decent team, but we made them look a lot better than they were. Gave them chances, and they punished us. It’s a game that we felt like we should have come up here and at least gotten a result, and now we go home with zero points. It’s disappointing…

We didn’t do enough tonight and we didn’t create enough chances. I felt like we had a couple, but on the day, they had the better of the game.

I just think they were a more hungry team. We didn’t come out and play our game and they took the game to us.

Match reports and recaps from PSP, PhiladelphiaUnion.com, MLSsoccer.com (1), MLSsoccer.com (2), MLSsoccer.com (3), Philly Soccer News, Brotherly Game, Union Dues, RevolutionSoccer.net, The Boston Globe, The Boston Herald, CSN New England, Examiner.com, New England Soccer Today, The Bent Musket, SBI, Soccer Newsday, Sports Mole, Goal.com, The Sports Network, and the AP.

At the Union website, Andy Jasner reminds everyone that, over the course of a long season, there will be games like this. And you know what, knowing that doesn’t lessen the sting.

In the first power rankings of the week, the Union drop two spots to No. 8 at Soccer America.

A report at ChicagoNow.com last week described how an offer from the Union to trade Bakary Soumare to Chicago Fire was turned down because the Union’s asking price “is apparently too rich at the moment.” Soumare responded on Twitter to speculation that a deal was nevertheless in the works:

https://twitter.com/BakySoumare/status/328160977356996609

At the New York Times, Brian Sciaretta on “The New New Thing in MLS”: Jack McInerney. McInerney says of the talk of a possible USMNT call-up for the Gold Cup, “Right now I can’t say it’s on my mind too much. I’ve never been in the U.S national team mix. The U20 team was a little tough. But I finally have my chance now and I’m trying to make the most of it and get back on the radar.”

You will recall from the interview PSP did with Nick Sakiewicz back in March, and reports last week from Philadelphia Business Journal and CBS Philly, that PPL Park expansion movement is afoot. ProSoccerTalk and Union Dues have some thoughts on the subject.

Nick Sakiewicz tells Philadelphia Business Journal that the Union plan to continue to honor important teams from Philly soccer history every two years with a new third kit. Sakiewicz includes Philadelphia Spartans, Ukrainian Nationals and Philadelphia Atoms. It must be said that there are plenty of more storied, and successful, Philadelphia teams than the Spartans, who folded after one season.

Local

Jimmy McLaughlin scored the opening goal in Harrisburg City Islander’s Tenth Anniversary home opener on Saturday, a 5-1 win over Rochester Rhinos. Don Anding—like McLaughlin, Cristhian Hernandez, and Greg Jordan, also on loan to Harrisburg from the Union—assisted on the City Islanders third goal. Yann Ekra and Sainey Tourey also scored for Harrisburg and Lucky Mkosana had a brace. Rochester’s lone goal came from Bilal Duckett, who played for the City Islanders last year and is now on loan to Rochester from New England. Harrisburg is now 3-0-0 for the first time in club history.

At the Patriot-News, Michael Bullock has a match report and more from the win, the 100th in the club’s history.

City Islander’s coach Bill Becher said, “The win is a testament to the great players we have had here throughout the years.”

At PennLive.com, Derrek Meluzio looks back over the historic night and also through Harrisburg’s ten-year history at some of the players who have made the biggest impact on the club.

MLS

In the Eastern Conference, Montreal are back in first place with a 2-0 win over eighth place Chicago. New York move into second place with a 2-1 win over now ninth place Toronto, thanks to a Tim Cahill brace. Houston are in third place following a come-from-behind 1-1 draw with Colorado. Kansas City falls to fourth place place after a 2-3 home loss to Portland. After first putting out the fire that started in their scoreboard, Columbus Crew lit up last place DC for a 3-0 win to move into fifth place. The Union drop to sixth place with their 2-0 road loss to New England, who move to seventh place.

The New York Times reports, “Sheik Mansour bin Zayed al-Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family, whose private investment group owns Manchester City in England’s Premier League, has entered final negotiations to purchase a franchise of Major League Soccer to be situated in Queens, according to two people with knowledge of the negotiations.”

Many MLS fans have had reason to disagree with Don Garber at some point. The MLS chief handed everyone another reason when he said last week, “There’s way too much soccer on television. I think all of us got to figure out a way to narrow that window so you can get a situation like the NFL has, a couple of days a week, short schedule, something that’s very compelling and very targeted.”

At Simply Futbol, PSP contributor Earl Reed responds to Garber’s comments.

Before Saturday’s game against the Union, New England goalkeeper Matt Reis spoke about the injury his father-in-law received during the Boston Marathon bombing.

Tim Cahill tells the BBC that he couldn’t be happier at New York Red Bulls.

Kei Kamara, on loan to Norwich from Sporting Kansas City, is keeping his options open as the loan comes to a close.

Former Union man Shea Salinas had a great game in San Jose’s 2-2 draw with Chivas USA.

LA Galaxy is deep. Very deep.

Tim Lieweke, former president and CEO of Anshutz Entertainment Group , owners of LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo, among other sport franchises, has been named head of Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment, owners of Toronto FC, among other sport franchises. He describes his plans for Toronto.

The Orlando Sentinel reports, “If a new professional soccer stadium is in Orlando’s future, a lot of moving pieces have to come together—from land that will cost taxpayers millions to convincing politicians here and in Tallahassee.”

At US Soccer Players, Jason Davis rounds up some more expansion news.

NWSL

Portland remain undefeated and in first place with a 2-0 road win over seventh place Chicago. Second place Sky Blue defeated fifth place Washington Spirit 2-1 on the road. Kansas City are in third place with a 2-1 win at home over last place Seattle, with local lass and former Philadelphia Independence midfielder Sinead Farrelly opening the scoring for the home team. Boston Breakers are in fourth place after defeating sixth place Western New York Flash 2-1 on the road.

US

At Goal.com, Seth Vertelney writes that Jurgen Klinsmann and Landon Donovan “need to work through a number of issues if they are to form a positive working relationship.”

Jozy Altidore scored twice in AZ Alkmaar’s 4-0 win over Heerenveen to bring his goal total to 30.

Elsewhere

The Guardian reports, “Research indicates officials unwittingly favor home teams and are particularly swayed by large crowds.”

Raphael Honigstein looks at the Bundesliga and writes, “there will be relief, rather than triumphalism, that football ‘made in Germany’ has once again become an attractive proposition beyond the folkloristic fun of beer, sausages and terraces in the grounds—and that it has made it to Wembley without any shortcuts via Russia or Abu Dhabi.”

A lunging tackle from David Beckham resulted in a straight red and a mass brawl in Paris Saint-Germain’s 1-0 win over Evian.