Photo: Paul Rudderow

In the 73rd minute, down a man and 2 goals on the road against Seattle Sounders, Warren Creavalle looked up from about five yards on the Union side of the midfield stripe to see Fabinho wide open on the wing. Fabinho received Creavalle’s pass and advanced down the line to deliver an inch-perfect cross to CJ Sapong about ten yards in front of goal. Sapong expertly knocked down the cross to Sebastien Le Toux, who, wearing the captain’s armband for the first time in his Union career, was unmarked and lurking at the top of the box to strike an impeccable one-time volley that bounced once just outside the six-yard box before beating Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei to nestle in the far corner of the net.

It was as pretty a team goal as you could hope to see.

It was also Le Toux’s 50th goal for the Union, and his second of the 2016 season.

That his milestone goal came against the club that made him available for the Union to select in the 2009 Expansion Draft was somehow fitting; indeed, he had a goal and an assist against his former team when the Union played its first game at PPL Park on June 27, 2010.

The Union ultimately fell short on Saturday night, with Le Toux being subbed out with a cramp immediately following the goal, but it was Le Toux’s second strong performance in a row as a starter after beginning the young season with four straight appearances as a sub.

Speaking after the game, Le Toux said of the goal, “It was a good goal but it didn’t really help us to get anything. So, disappointing.”

And understandably so. But Le Toux’s comments about wearing the captain’s armband may be more important in the end: “It was good to try to be a leader a bit more, talk, and more leading by example during the game, that’s what I tried to do. Always when you wear the armband, you try to give a bit more and help the young guys who are with you.”

Le Toux has been a Union fan favorite since his arrival at the club (as he had been at Seattle) and his unceremonious sending away in January, 2012 was an early indication that a tone deaf Peter Nowak had just boarded the crazy train.

Since his return at the end of 2012, the Union have struggled to climb out of the hole Nowak dug and while three long and disappointing seasons have passed, things are finally beginning to look on the ups.

Just where Le Toux will ultimately fit in the revamped Union is surely an evolving proposition, just like the team itself. But so far, Le Toux has shown he will do what is asked of him, be it as a starter or a sub. Going forward, his leadership in the locker room will be as needed as his tireless workrate, be it for young rookies or international players learning to adjust to a new country, just as Le Toux himself once did.

And make no mistake, also important will be his goals, be they pretty — if ultimately disappointing — goals like his milestone tally on Saturday, or whatever.

May we enjoy many more.

Honorable mention to Eric Ayuk, who had a goal and an assist in Bethlehem Steel’s first ever home win, a 2-1 victory over Richmond Kickers, on Sunday. Ayuk now has two goals at Goodman Stadium.