Daily news roundups

“We deserve this”: Reaction to Union’s commanding win, HCI wins, OC wins, RU draws, more news

Photo: Michael Long

Philadelphia Union

Thank you, Philadelphia Union, for a much needed reminder that it’s fun to watch our team play at PPL Park.

In the span of six minutes, the Union stormed to a 3-0 win over a Columbus Crew side that rarely looked to be a significant threat.

Brian Carroll had a monster game and started of the scoring and had a brilliant flick on to set up Sheanon Williams’ spectacular goal (a Sports Center Top 10 highlight, by the way). Conor Casey’s vicious header underscored why “Casey at the near post” is a phrase dripping with glorious potential. Sebastien Le Toux’s sublime service and his usual high work rate see him once again at the top of the league’s assist list. The defense stoutly provided the team’s fourth shutout of the season.  Even Roger Torres got some minutes. It was pretty much a grand night all around.

John Hackworth said, “I am careful in trying not to make too big a deal of a game one way or another, but I think this one was the kind of game we needed.” John, we all did.

Hackworth continued, “I can’t tell you how nice it was to be in the last 15 minutes of that game and not have it be a drama show going on. It felt like, finally, we deserve this. We’ve been working so hard, and it was nice.” Hear, hear, John, hear, hear.

Brian Carroll commenced the proceedings with a blast from distance that took a deflection into goal. Carrol said, “It was open and I wanted to put something on target and it happened to find its way in.” Carroll said further, “I was happy to get us off on the right foot and happy we were the first ones to score. Deflection or not, I’ll take it.” Damn straight! Note to fellow teammates: If you see an opening, take the shot.

And as much as all of us would have loved to have seen Jack McInerney add to his league-leading collection of goals—and goodness knows he had some fine opportunities to do so—how nice was it to see the scoring burden be shared?

Carroll said, “I think it’s huge. [Jack has] drawn so much attention from the defense just through his run right now. It’s time other guys stepped up.”

McInerney said, “It’s definitely good. It gives the team a lot of confidence and takes a lot of pressure off of me. I think going into the break this is exactly what we needed.”

Sheanon Williams said, “I would have bet the house that Jack would have scored at the end. But it’s good to get some goals from some different people.”

Sebastien Le Toux said of playing out on the wing, “It’s a good spot for me right now to contribute offensively. We all knew I can play this position with the freedom I can have (to run and cross). I’m glad to know I can be free and do whatever I want (from the wing).”

Zac MacMath said, “The defense was the difference tonight. Just the compactness between all 11 players communicating and talking. We knew their main threats and we kept tabs on them the whole game and gave ourselves the best chance of getting a shutout.”

Jeff Parke said, “The whole group came together, made it compact and made it hard for the opposition to come at us…we handled them out wide and through the middle and to be honest I think they only had like one or two chances tonight.”

Roger Torres said of his eight minutes in the game, his first since the ten minutes he played in the season opener way back on March 2, “I felt so excited…it reminded me of how I felt in my first game. Everybody gave me confidence…inside, I said ‘I can do good, I just want to help the team’, and I just kept the ball for us.”

Hackworth said, “This one was the kind of game we needed. There were so many questions being asked of us—from consistency to if we’re fit. I think we answered a lot of those questions tonight. It’s nice for the guys because they deserved it. It was a well-rounded performance from everybody. I told the players at halftime, this was the best team defense we played. Everybody did their job and did it well.”

Williams concluded, “I know we’ve been going through a little bit of a tough stretch not playing the type of soccer that we know we can play. And I think tonight was a good example of when we put it all together, that’s what we can do. A lot of positives to take, especially going into this long break, we didn’t want a bad taste in our mouths.”

Match reports and recaps from PSP, Philadelphia Union.com, MLSsoccer.com, Philadelphia Inquirer, Delco Times, CSN Philly, NJ.com, Philly Soccer News, Brotherly Game, Columbus Crew.com, The Columbus Dispatch, Massive Report, SBI, Soccer America, ProSoccerTalk, Goal.com, The Sports Network, Sports Mole, and the AP.

If the Union can defeat DC United in the fourth round of the US Open Cup next Wednesday, they will host either New York or New England in the quarterfinals on June 26 at PPL Park. Jeff Crandall has another behind the scenes look at how the draw was done.

The Sons of Ben have launched a Tickets for Troops campaign for the match at PPL Park against Portland Timbers on July 20th. To learn more and how to donate, click here and here.

Local

It was pretty much a grand night all around for the local soccer scene.

Harrisburg City Islanders got their five-game home stand off to a great start with a 2-0 win over Wilmington Hammerheads, their first win over the visitors since 2005.

City Islanders coach Bill Becher said of the team’s second place 8-3-1 record, “We’ve been near the top of the standings, but never with this good of record. Hopefully we can stay focused and keep playing. We’re getting contributions from everybody, which is key.”

At Patriot News, Michael Bullock talks to first-year midfielder/defender Andrew Ribeiro.

In PDL play, Ocean City Nor’easters defeated Jersey Express 3-1 on the road. Reading United settled for a 0-0 road draw with Long Island Rough Riders. The team may be disappointed not to have won but can take solace in the fact that the only goals they’ve conceded in seven games in all competitions are the two scored by New York Red Bulls in the third round of the US Open Cup.

MLS

The red card received by Seattle’s Obafemi Martins in last weekends game against Chivas USA has been overturned. Seattle coach Sigi Schmid said, “We’re happy that the process works.”

Reports say LA Galaxy is offering up $8 million to sign 24-year-old winger Giovani Dos Santos.

ProSoccerTalk has some possible MLS targets from among players being shed by Premiership teams in England. More transfer speculation from MLSsoccer.com. Michael Orozco Fiscal will be staying with Puebla.

NWSL

Boston Breakers had to settle for a 2-2 draw against visiting Western New York Flash after conceding a stoppage time equalizer. Former Philadelphia Independence forward Lianne Sanderson, who leads the league in assists with seven, tallied her first goal of the season.

US

ASN looks at the top five threats facing the USMNT in Friday’s World Cup qualifier in Jamaica.

At Goal.com, Seth Vertelney says Clint Dempsey is now the face of American soccer.

At MLSsoccer.com, Simon Borg says that those who are criticizing Seattle because only 34,000 tickets have been sold for the upcoming qualifier against Panama on June 11 while more than 50,000 tickets have been sold for this Saturday’s match against Vancouver need settle down. It doesn’t happen very often, but I agree with the resident blowhard.

USWNT coach Tom Sermanni has named his 23-player roster for the friendlies against South Korea on June 15 and June 20. ProSoccerTalk looks at the roster, which includes Hope Solo’s return from injury.

The USMNT U-20s fell 1-0 to South Korea in their final game in the Toulon Tournament. In their four group stage games in the tournament, they went 1-3-0 and managed only three goals. The roster for the U-20 World Cup is due to be released on Friday.

Elsewhere

At ESPN, Wright Thompson has a fascinating article on racism in Italian football. A must read.

Also at ESPN, Jeff Carlisle has a roundtable discussion with Cory Gibbs, Tony Sanneh, Edson Buddle, Djimi Traore, and Jozy Altidore about their own experiences with racism in Europe.

Reuters reports, “The Jordanian FA will seek clarification from Australian soccer’s governing body after their coach, Adnan Hamad, was detained at Melbourne Airport for more than four hours by immigration officials.” Jordan plays Australia in World Cup qualification on Tuesday.

 

10 Comments

  1. OneManWolfpack says:

    Freakin’ Union… just when I think I’m out… they pull me back in!! HA! Great game last night and it was nice to see it end 3-0 and not 3-2. Figures it comes right before a 2 week break, but still a big 3 points… especially at home.

  2. I loved hearing the crowd chant “ROGER TORRES!” I will pray to the necessary deities that he gets more minutes.

    • Great One says:

      This was one of my favorite parts of the game, it was so loud. I was mad when they went to a highlight clip bc it cut the chants out.

  3. Great One says:

    Wow look out if the Galaxy gets Dos Santos.

  4. ebradlee10 says:

    The defense was great, but Casey, Jack, Seba and Cruz were pressuring the ball up high making them punch it deep/hit n’ hope more than a few times.

  5. Can someone please explain or post a link here that explains how a team can spend $8mil on a player?

  6. Another dreadfall u20 tournament… not good that our youth teams just can not get any results.

  7. The Italian soccer article was amazing and scary at the same time. Thanks for the suggestion…

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