Daily news roundups

“Disappointing”: Recaps and reaction to Union loss, BSFC loses home opener, league results, more

Photo: Courtesy of Philadelphia Union

Philadelphia Union 

If you took a cursory look at the stat sheet from the Union’s loss on Saturday in Chicago, you’d be forgiven for not understanding why the Union didn’t win. The peppered the Chicago goal area with 17 shots, and while only three were on target, the Union also hit the woodwork three times.

As it went, the loss came down to a momentary lapse of reason on the part of Warren Creavalle who, already on a yellow card, tackled Razvan Cocis from behind and was ejected from the game. Four minutes later, Chicago scored the only goal of the game, not that the Union, playing a man down, didn’t put up the good fight until the very end.

To his credit, Creavalle said after the game, “I believe that we were the best team today. At the end, I feel we were unfortunate not to show it — in large part due to going down a man on my part.”

So, while it would have been a just result if the Union had at least gotten a point out of the game, instead they return home with nothing ahead of Friday night’s game against Orlando, now in first place in the East after handing Portland a 4-1 loss.

Jim Curtin said, “The guys worked hard, down a man for a good chunk of the game, and still we were able to compete and create chances. But, again, you leave empty-handed and that’s disappointing.”

Perhaps the quick turnaround will benefit the Union, who are no doubt eager to get back into action after Saturday’s disappointment. The team responded well after the season opening loss to Dallas, a game in which the players widely acknowledged they had been timid rather than at their best. Now, having lost after a game in which they gave it their all, fans will want to see a Union team ready on Friday to show they are still committed to making Talen Energy Stadium the fortress it ought to be.

Recaps and reports from PSP (recap, postgame quotes), Philadelphia Union, Delco Times, Philly VoicePhilly Soccer News, Brotherly Game (recap, analysis), MLSsoccer.com (recap, Union, Chicago, anaysis), Chicago Fire, Daily HeraldChicago Fire Confidential, CSN Chicago, Chicagoland Soccer News (recap, report), OTF Soccer, Hot Time in Old Town (recap, player ratings), Prost AmerikaVavel, SBIPro Soccer TalkThe Canadian Press,  and the AP. At USA Today, a photo gallery from the game.

At least we’ll forever have this moment:

Prost Amerika talks to Andre Blake. Section 215 on the importance of Blake to the Union.

Big Apple Soccer talks to Michael Lahoud, on loan this season to New York Cosmos. The Cosmos match report doesn’t include lineup info or stats but Twitter says Lahoud started in New York’s 3-0 season opening win over Ottawa on Sunday.

Bethlehem Steel FC

Bethlehem Steel lost their home opener on Sunday, falling 2-1 to FC Cincinnati. After conceding two goals in the span of ten minutes in the first half, Bethlehem Battled back and were finally rewarded with a goal in the 90th minute from Eric Ayuk. But, despite a furious finish, a second goal would not come.

Head coach Brendan Burke said, “We dug ourselves a hole today obviously going down two-nil at halftime. In a professional setting it’s a tall order to come back from that. Our response was good, we found a goal eventually, it just came a little late. We hit the bar there at the end, I think the response was there just not enough today.”

Recaps at PSP, Bethlehem Steel, Allentown Morning Call, Lehigh Valley LiveWFMZ, Unauthorized Bethlehem Steel FC BlogPhilly Soccer News, Brotherly GameUSL (recap, report), FC Cincinnati, Cincinnati Enquirer (1, 2), and WCPO.

Allentown Morning Call has a post on the East End Army.

The Morning Call also has a post about Fred joining the team as a player coach.

Philadelphia Union Academy

The Union Academy returned to US Soccer Development Academy East Conference Atlantic Division play on Sunday with two wins and a draw on the road against PA Classics.

The U13/14s defeated PA Classics, 3-0. Matthew Myers opened the scoring in the 13th minute and Nicholas Blacklock had a brace with tallies in the 21st and 64th minutes.

The U-15/16s played PA Classics to a 0-0 draw.

The U-17/18s were 1-0 winners thanks to a Dawson McCartney goal in the 51st minute.

With the weekend’s results, the U-15/16s (11-3-3) are second in the Atlantic Division, 3 points behind NYRB, who have aa game in hand. The U-17/18s (11-3-4) are also second in the Atlantic division, 2 points ahead of first place NYRB, who have two games in hand.

The Union Academy teams are back in action on Saturday at home at YSC against NJCSA.

Local

Harrisburg scored in the third minute but fell 2-1 on the road to Charlotte Independence on Saturday. Recaps and reports at USL, Brotherly Game, Charlotte Independence, and The Charlotte Post.

The City Islanders announced on Saturday the signing of goalkeeper Keasel Broome.

Philadelphia Fury defeated Connecticut United FC, 2-0, on the road in their ASL season opener on Saturday. On March 26, Lancaster fell 2-1 to Long Island Express.

MLS

In Eastern Conference play, first place Orlando (8 points, 2-0-2) defeated Portland 4-1 at home. Former Union man Jack McInerney scored the lone goal for the Timbers. Second place Montreal (6 points, 2-2-0) was defeated 1-0 on the road by Seattle. Third place Philadelphia (6 points, 2-0-2) fell 1-0 on the road to sixth place Chicago (5 points, 1-1-2). Fourth place New England (6 points, 1-1-3) defeated eighth place NYRB (3 points, 1-3-0) 1-0 in a game that was not without controversy. Fifth place NYCFC (5 points, 1-1-2) had the weekend off. Seventh place Toronto (4 points, 1-2-1) lost 1-0 on the road to Colorado. Ninth place DC (3 points, 0-2-3) drew 1-1 on the road with San Jose. Last place Columbus (2 points, 0-2-2) drew 1-1 on the road with Dallas.

In the Western Conference, first place Dallas (10 points, 3-1-1) drew 1-1 with Columbus. Second place Kansas City (9 points, 3-1-0) was defeated 2-1 at home by third place Salt Lake (8 points, 2-0-2). Fourth place LAG (7 points, 2-1-1) drew 0-0 on the road with sixth place Vancouver (7 points, 2-2-1). Fifth place Colorado (7 points, 2-1-1)defeated Toronto, 1-0. Seventh place San Jose (7 points, 2-1-1) drew 1-1 with DC. Eighth place Houston (4 points, 1-2-1) had the weekend off. Ninth place Portland (4 points, 1-2-1) was defeated 4-1 on the road by Orlando. Last place Seattle (3 points, 1-3-0) defeated Montreal, 1-0.

DC has signed goalkeeper Tally Hall.

San Jose has acquired Kofie Sarkodie from Houston Dynamo in exchange for Targeted Allocation Money.

Toronto Sun opines MLS referees are “out of control.”

From the Minneapolis Post:

The debate over building a stadium in St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood for a Major League Soccer franchise cleared its first hurdles in the Legislature this week: A House committee moved forward with the yet-to-be-constructed facility’s liquor license and a Senate committee “laid over” two tax breaks — on property taxes and construction materials — for inclusion in a broader tax bill, a move that signals legislators generally support the bill and want to keep it alive.

More at MLSsoccer.com.

NWSL

The Oregonian reports the NWSL has introduced modest salary increases for the 2016 season:

Teams will operate under a salary cap of $278,000 in 2016, up from $265,000 in 2015. In the league’s inaugural season in 2013, the salary cap was $200,000.

Players in the NWSL that are not allocated by the United States and Canadian federations will make between $7,200 and $39,700 for the six-month season, up from $6,842 to $37,800 in 2015. In 2013, salaries ranged from $6,000 to $30,000.

The article notes, “Along with offering the majority of its players only modest salaries, the NWSL also relies on the support of U.S. Soccer, which pays the salaries of the U.S. Women’s National Team players that compete in the league.”

The Guardian looks at the challenges NWSL teams face in developing a fanbase.

US

The Wall Street Journal wonders if the USWNT will strike in the quest for equitable pay:

Once the Olympics are over, the women won’t hold a hammer again until 2019, when the next World Cup rolls around. So are they willing to give up one of two chances they get every four years to play in the spotlight? The old adage in negotiations is don’t show a gun unless you are willing to fire it. The women aren’t flaunting a weapon yet. To get what they want, they may very well have to.

Forbes says legal precedents might mean an uphill battle for the USWNT’s wage discrimination suit. Former Equal Employment Opportunity Commission chief Ida Castro says US Soccer will have a difficult time winning the wage discrimination suit.

At the Washington Post, Steven Goff on how US Soccer has been good to the women’s game but can still do better.

Abby Wambach was arrested on drunk driving charges in Portland, Oregon early on Sunday. She apologized on Facebook on Sunday afternoon, writing,

Those that know me, know that I have always demanded excellence from myself. I have let myself and others down.

I take full responsibility for my actions. This is all on me. I promise that I will do whatever it takes to ensure that my horrible mistake is never repeated.

Following Wambach’s example of poor judgement, Alejandro Bedoya and Jozy Altidore showed some poor judgement of their own in the following Twitter exchange:

Bedoya-Altidore

More at Washington Post.

ASN wonders if US Soccer and MLS need to see eye-to-eye in order for soccer to progress in the US.

Los Angeles Times on how the US has been consistently inconsistent under Jurgen Klinsmann.

Pulisic! Jurgen Klinsmann to ESPN on Hershey, Pa.’s Christian Pulisic:

He’s a very promising talent, there is no doubt about it. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have made that appearance in the senior national team program. We won’t overshoot him with expectations because he’s in an environment where they [Dortmund] keep him grounded, where they keep him developing.

They keep balancing him between the first team and the under-19 team, like what happened two or three weeks ago: He played for the under-19 team in a big game against Schalke in their derby. So this is good to know because now that there is this hype a little bit around him, it’s not going to happen in Dortmund because are loaded with big players and they can keep him grounded and keep him covered.

Matt Miazga started in Chelsea’s 4-0 win over Aston Villa on Saturday.

The U-15 BNT is in Argentina to participate in the 2016 International Festival tournament. Play begins today against San Lorenzo, followed by Newell’s Old Boys on April 6, and Uruguay on — well, I don’t know, the post at US Soccer doesn’t have a date for the Uruguay game.

At Philly.com, Jonathan Tannenwald asks a Nike spokesperson various questions about the USWNT jerseys the sportswear company is currently selling and gets a bunch of weak answers.

Elsewhere

The AP reports, “A FIFA judge who helped ban Sepp Blatter for financial misconduct is now under investigation by his ethics committee colleagues after being named in an international probe of offshore accounts.”

The news follows the release of what is being called the “Panama Papers,” which, The Guardian explains, is “part of a huge data leak from the law firm Mossack Fonseca, which helps clients set up companies in offshore tax regimes,” and “show links between Juan Pedro Damiani, a Uruguayan lawyer and long-serving member of the ethics committee, and Eugenio Figueredo, a former senior Fifa vice-president recently accused of corruption, are far more extensive than previously known.”  More at Goal.comVice Sports, and Reuters.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino talks about the US.

27 Comments

  1. Is it me or has the the MLS East been a bigger dumpster fire than usual this year?

  2. As far as the Crevalle situation goes, I think the question needs to be asked if Curtin gave him the hairdryer treatment or not…preferably at halftime. That first tackle was totally unnecessary. As a coach, you have to know that D-mids are at high risk for getting another. Was there any discussion about that at halftime, or about subbing him out? I’d like to know.

    • old soccer coach says:

      the alternative via sub would have been Nogueira, and clearly Curtin did not want to risk that with the hindsight of his actions. He telegraphed that in his new conference, and in his defense, you want a guy recovering from an ankle to play on a pitch that was definitely wet and possible snow-slick? He’s also got to discover the degree to which Creavalle can exercise judgment.

      • Pretty sure the Chicago announcers said during the broadcast that Nogueira was up and about to be subbed in when the card came, and they sat him back down, so it may just be that Warren beat Curtin to it.

      • pragmatist says:

        I think this is exactly correct. Curtin had to choose which was riskier: A red card that had the potential to hurt one game, or a knee injury that could have set Noguiera back months.
        .
        It didn’t turn out well, but the potential downside to Noguiera playing was much, much worse.
        .
        Thing is, we still should have at least tied the game, even a man down, and Curtin probably saw them playing at a higher level and factored that. It just didn’t work out.

      • If Nogueira was too risky for injury reasons, couldn’t Barnetta or Alberg do a reasonable job at #8 for a half? I get that’s not either’s preferred, natural position, but with BC behind them, they wouldn’t have to get too bogged down with defensive responsibilities. At the end of the day Creavalle has to manage himself better of course. CDM is a tough spot to pick up a bad early card.

    • That red is totally on Creavalle. Both tackles were completely stupid and pointless. Neither came from the fact that he was a dmid. I have no idea what he was thinking. Sucks because he was playing well.

      • Agreed on the stupid part, which is why I want to know if Curtin gave him hell about it at halftime. Playing D mid just means he’s in a risky position, so I would hope that someone said to him, “hey don’t be stupid in the second half.”

      • We know this about Creavalle… it has happened before. He is wont to do this.

      • yes, his red card was not one of the mystery cards referred to in the Toronto Sun article. He, and any other DMF needs to stay on their feet.

  3. I watched the Orlando game last night; they are on fire. Is going to be an exciting but tough match on Friday night. Orlando is playing very fast and gave Portland absolutely no chance. If the Union win Friday night then they will definitely be playoff contenders.

    • pragmatist says:

      This season has one league-wide mark so far: Inconsistency. Yes, Orlando looked like world-beaters last night, but they are capable of implosion at any time. Shea can make himself disappear for games at a time. Kaka can be “somewhat” contained. And you just can’t let Larin get a clean look.
      .
      Yeah, it sounds tough, but you will see some very poor performances from OCSC this year, if they follow last year’s model at all.

    • Didn’t Larin suffer an injury? That might help the Union on a short turnaround for Orlando.

  4. el Pachyderm says:

    Excellent Pink Floyd reference re: Creavalle. Otherwise, I got nothing today.

    • I don’t believe you. It’s just that you were up all night. Have another espresso and you’ll think of something.

    • Andy Muenz says:

      I’d have to say it was a mediocre reference. Now if it said that Warren was welcomed to the machine and had a cigar…that would be different. (Sorry, I’m just not a big fan of the post Waters studio albums.)

      • so Creavalle was “the lunatic [is] on the grass”?
        .
        or perhaps:

        “Fearlessly the idiot faced the crowd, smiling
        Merciless, the magistrate turns ’round, frowning
        and who’s the fool who wears the crown”

      • who’s the fool who wears the crown…
        .
        you win.

      • Andy Muenz says:

        +1 (even if I wasn’t happy with You’ll Never Walk Alone this past weekend)

  5. Just Rob f/k/a Rob127 says:

    Bedoya and Altidore. Real class. D-Bags.

    • Yeah except I understand Bedoya’s frustration. She spouted what can only be described as xenophobia and white nationalism, and then commits one of the most dangerous (and underpunished) crimes in the US. And keeping in mind that he is friends with Davies, I can totally see it. Altidore is less defensible here. Not saying I would have been tweeting it, but I am not feeling pity for Wambach either.

    • Twitter is the vehicle of choice for those with Munchausen Syndrome (my recitation of medical conditions may be off, but hope you get the drift). It’s for those who want every statement they make to be on the front page of the newspaper.

      • causing harm to oneself intentionally to draw attention. Munchausen.
        .
        causing harm to another so as to draw attention to yourself. Munchausen by proxy.
        .
        like the thinking behind your comment.

  6. Lucky Striker says:

    Bayern Munchausen by Pepsi…………. makes me smile a bit….. but only just…..sadly……..

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