Photo: Courtesy of Philadelphia Union
Philadelphia Union
A mark of just how different this year’s Union is from past editions can be found in the postgame comments of Jim Curtin and players following Wednesday night’s 2-2 draw with LA Galaxy.
While praising his team’s performance, Curtin said, “We don’t believe in moral victories…It’s still two points dropped. That’s the hard part that I’m having a tough time getting over, and all the guys too, they’re still disappointed.”
Keegan Rosenberry, fresh off of scoring his first professional goal and the Union’s equalizer, said, “To be honest, the way the game flowed and the way we performed, it feels like two lost, just like last week.”
Coming from behind to draw after giving up an early lead against a team littered with star players probably would have been celebrated in recent years. But things are different now.
The Union are not satisfied.
And that’s a good thing.
Recaps and reports from PSP (recap, postgame video and quotes), Philadelphia Union (report, Rosenberry), Philly.com (recap, report), Delco Times (report, opinion), CSN Philly, Lancaster Online, Philly Soccer News, Brotherly Game (recap, gamechangers), Pattison Ave, Vavel, Prost Amerika, MLSsoccer.com (recap, Union, LA), LA Galaxy (three things learned, Gerrard, dos Santos), Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Daily News, NBC Los Angeles, LAG Confidential (recap, analysis), Goal.com, SBI (recap, Rosenberry), Pro Soccer Talk, US National Soccer Players, Daily Mail, and the AP. Delaware Online and USA Today has a photo gallery.
Ives Galarcep writes at Goal.com, “the draw was an impressive result for the Union. It was a performance that sent a message to the rest of MLS that the Union’s strong start to the 2016 season is no fluke.”
From Soccer America: “The Philadelphia Union showed it will be a serious contender in MLS when it recovered from going down to the LA Galaxy on great goals by Robbie Rogers and Mike Magee and grabbed a 2-2 tie thanks to Keegan Rosenberry’s first MLS goal. The right back out of Georgetown is making a case for MLS Rookie of the Year with his play out of the back and as a doorstop for the Union defense.”
Armchair Analyst Matthew Doyle predicts Andre Blake is the most likely breakout MLS player of the Copa America Centenario.
The Union have confirmed to MLSsoccer.com their interest 19-year-old Colombian forward Mateo Casierra, which was first reported by Kevin Kinkead at Philly Voice. The team said in a statement, “It’s our duty as a club to constantly evaluate players that may be available. Mateo is a talented, young prospect and any team would be interested in acquiring his services.”
US Open Cup
West Chester United and Reading United were both victorious in first round US Open Cup play on Wednesday.
West Chester was winning 1-0 after Joe Sales scored what head coach Blaise Santangelo described as “a 25 yard cracker off the far post” assisted by Ben Miller (Downingtown West HS connection). Fredericksburg FC equalized from the penalty spot in the 86th minute. The scoreline remained level at 1-1 after extra time before West Chester prevailed 8-7 on penalty kicks.
The PK’s by West Chester went like this: Ben Miller, Joe Sales, Julien Aoyama, Matt Poole, Jeremy Payne, Mark Fetrow, Jordan LeBlanc, King (saved), Tommy Ryan. Santangelo told PSP, “Charlie Sales had a spectacular save to win it for us played an amazing game in the net!”
The team now hosts Harrisburg City Islanders on Wednesday, May 18 at 7:30 pm.
Reading United had an easier time of it, defeating Atlanta Silverbacks 2-0.(If you were at the Union game and missed it, you can see the game here.) Reading is on the road for the second round to face Chattanooga FC on Wednesday.
Reports at US Soccer, uslpdl.com, Brotherly Game, and Penn 97.
US Soccer has announced the entry phase for the Open Division local qualifying is now underway.
Bethlehem Steel FC
Unauthorized Bethlehem Steel FC Blog has an update on Corey Burke.
Philadelphia Union Academy
Rayshaun McGann has been called up by the US U-17 BNT for the named a 23-player roster for the AIFF Youth Cup in Goa, India, May 11-26.
Ocean City Nor’easters
Ocean City have announced goalkeeper signings for the 2016 season.
MLS
In Eastern Conference midweek play, the Philadelphia (14 points, 4-3-2) is now tied with Toronto for second place after drawing 2-2 with LAG. Last Place Chicago (7 points, 1-3-4) lost 2-1 on the road to Vancouver.
In the Western Conference, First place Colorado (23 points, 7-2-2) defeated seventh place Kansas City (14 points, 4-6-2), 1-0. Second place Dallas (20 points, 6-4-2) defeated ninth place Portland (12 points, 3-5-3), 2-1. Third place LAG (19 points, 5-1-4) drew 2-2 on the road with Philadelphia. Fourth place San Jose (18 points, 5-3-3) defeated last place Houston (8 points, 2-6-2), 3-1. Sixth place Vancouver (17 points, 5-5-2) defeated Chicago, 2-1.
New England have acquired Kei Kamara from Columbus “in exchange for General Allocation Money, Targeted Allocation Money, New England’s highest First Round MLS SuperDraft pick in 2017, New England’s highest Second Round MLS SuperDraft pick in 2018, and one of New England’s international roster spots for the 2016 season. Additionally, Crew SC will retain a percentage of any future transfer fee for Kamara should he be transferred to a club outside of MLS. Kamara will occupy a Designated Player slot on the Revolution’s roster.”
DC United have signed Sierra Leone international Alhaji Kamara.
From Yahoo Sports: “Major League Soccer seems to have quietly made one of its biggest ever player moves in recent weeks. It appears all 20 teams passed on signing longtime Chelsea and England defender John Terry to a Designated Player contract, figuring he simply wasn’t worth the outlay. So now it’s looking like the star center back will leverage his household name for top dollar in China or the Middle East instead.”
Soccer America on the midweek game conundrum.
I think it starts with the Mexican league is better than our league now, and we have to acknowledge that and that’s OK. You always have to have someone within your sights in business and life and sport as your target to say they are the ones that we want to get [to].
There are lot of things in Liga MX that we admire. They spend more money, better training, they have been at it a longer period of time, better development…
I think both leagues are looking to have as many connections to each other’s country [as possible]. But we do need more Mexican players because it shows our country — both the Anglo market and the Hispanic market — that our league is on the rise and that we can attract Italian players and Spanish players and Mexican players like [Dos Santos]
Finance & Commerce reports, “A property tax break for the Major League Soccer stadium planned in St. Paul won approval from the Senate on Wednesday, providing a much-needed boost for the project as the clock ticks down on this legislative session.” More on the vote, and what lies ahead, from St. Paul Pioneer Press.
From the Atlanta Business Chronicle: “Marietta officials approved a $7.7 million budget for the Franklin Gateway Soccer Complex, which the city is required to build as part of the deal that landed the headquarters and training facility for Atlanta’s new Major League Soccer team.”
A Miami Herald poll shows 57 percent Miami-Dade voters support David Beckham’s plan to build a stadium in the Overtown neighborhood of Miami.
The Louisville Courier-Journal on former Union man Chandler Hoffman’s impressive play with USL-side Louisville City.
US
SI reports, “U.S. women’s national team’s Kelley O’Hara says an Olympic boycott is a ‘last alternative’ in the team’s quest to achieve equal pay.”
US Soccer has announced Jaime Frias as the new head coach of the US U-16 GNT and as U.S. Soccer Development Coach for the Youth Women’s and Girls’ National Teams.
Inside World Football notes sponsorship spots for the Copa America Centenario have sold out, “an impressive achievement seeing the starting point and short timescale sale agency Soccer United Marketing had to put the sales together.” More at Soccer America.
Elsewhere
CONCACAF will elect a new president today. Reports at ESPN, Soccer America, and the AP.
FIFA has announced: “For the first time in the build-up to a FIFA World Cup™, a monitoring system is being implemented to ensure decent working conditions in the stadiums being built or renovated for the event.” The announcement says the new monitoring system is being put in place in Russia. No mention of Qatar in the announcement.
Rosenberry had a great game overall, especially when he stuffed Keane and Dos Santos on two consecutive plays. Unfortunately, however, he was definitely at fault for the Galaxy’s second goal. At least he got one back to make up for it.
I agree about your general assessment of KR but I really think it was Robbie Keane that froze Rosenberry on the second gol by LA, if he commits to Magee late arriving then Keane is wide open through the channel too… essentially our RB was required to defend 2 players.
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I don’t fault Rosenberry at all for the second gol… sometimes the other team builds a beautiful gol…which speaks to my point in the game recap…
This was my exact thought too. He had to defend 2 players and he (correctly) took the more dangerous inside man (Keane), which left Magee open on the outside. A center midfielder needed to get back and take Keane or Le toux needed to get back and mark Magee. Neither happened and it left Keegan in a bad spot. I think he made the right decision though, just unfortunate that Magee hit a wonderful shot.
Where I sit, Rosenberry was exactly in line between me and Magee
(who scored; not Keane). It was obvious that Rosenberry committed too much to his left and gave Magee too much space to his right, enabling Magee to score too easily. But I think that was a rookie mistake and Rosenberry made up for it with his goal and overall play.
I tend to disagree just for the sake of arguing … if you clip it frame by frame…Magee comes in from quite wide, late arriving and Keane is totally uncovered…so KR elects to cover him which in a bang bang moment he had to other wise Gerrard lays it off to Keane and he goes in uncontested.
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Hard to cast blame on that gol…it was just really nice… in truth the blame can be laid on Yaro for his slow reading of the game and not stepping in to space Gerrard was entering or on Carroll cause he follows Dos Santos into the space then lays back off biting on Zardes instead which gives Dos Santos time to receive then run…. if Carroll marks Gio all the way chances are the play is broken up… by Barnetta closing out Zardes.
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But that is all way too much analysis which comes back to my original point in recap again that…it was just a really nicely executed gol by Los Angeles Galaxy.
Vision. Philosophy. Plan.
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This all starts with Earnie Stewart.
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Adam? Jerome?
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…just the sound of high tension over head wires.
Book of a New Hope- 16: 9
“And the Negahaters were cast out to the land of disregard by the Stalwart Nethermerican Stewart to live in squalor and feed on scraps of hate for the army of 76 and the diminutive Chip of Kelly.”
banish thee…. with thine Texas Americanus Footballus fans upon whom a mantle of defeat rests rendering fingers unable to dial.
Apropos of nothing, I’ve heard from Howard Eskin that cockroaches are afraid of the light.
Kei Kamara to the Revs…wow! The rumor was that he was going to Vancouver which made more sense as you never want to trade one of your best players to a team in the same conference, but the Revs gave up a lot.
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He’ll do well there, but I didn’t think that scoring goals was New England’s problem as they’ve conceded 20 in 10 games.
The Crew got a decent haul but if they aren’t using that international slot and GAM/TAM to bring in another striker this season I don’t see how they can justify shipping him out. It’s kind of amazing to me that after the Kamara/Higuain PK incident they weren’t able to just get everyone to sit down and hash it out like adults, instead they pulled the trigger just like that..
Agreed, that incident alone wasn’t reason enough to make this trade. Probably more behind the scenes stuff that we’re not aware of yet.
Berghalter, somewhere on Twitter says that it was more than the weekend. He also said in reponse to a question for more information that he would not do what he asked his players not to do, namely, talk about other players on the team publicly.
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From those two data, I infere that Kamara broke a rule that for Berghalter is a bright lined do not cross, and that think I is why Kamara is gone.
Could be a money move too. He makes a lot of money on a contract he just signed. Columbus could be thinking they don’t want to deal with this stuff for the next “insert years here”, AND they can save all the money. Cut and run I guess… but I do agree… it’s a kind of a quick trigger move… one they could regret.
I’ve tried to temper my excitement about this team for obvious reasons, but after last night’s performance I’m finally convinced: The Union are officially for real. Watching them actually string more than 4 passes together, spring quick counterattacks, continue to be aggressive after LA’s second goal and earn the equalizer…Awesome. Jim Curtin may not be satisfied with a point, but for me it’s a statement-point, if there is such a thing..
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I don’t have anything to add about Rosenberry that hasn’t been said already, so I’ll mention the other rookie defender – Josh Yaro, who while still showing his inexperience at times is really starting to show the kind of player he can be. I think at this point Ken Tribbett might have a job to do to get back into the team..
Hopefully Tribbet will get some time during the US Open Cup with the stricter rules on international players (although they would still need to find an American backup).
The Union could have won the game several times, too. What a great performance. They looked sharp. If only they could put some of Tranquillo’s service into the goal. Seems like the one thing CJ can’t do. He’s so great at holding up the ball and moving it on the attack, but in the box, he fumbles or is not quite in the right place at the right time. I think he can get there. But it’s not there yet.
Kamara to New England… bares some watching there.
I’m more concerned about the boatload of money/TAM/GAM/Int’l Spot/Draft Picks that CLB picked up.
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Those assets will not go unused, especially if they are still struggling come July.
Brandon who…?
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It appears the U draft team actually (insert mock look of shock here) DID know a little something about what they were doing when they passed over Vincent for KR.
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The final assessment can’t be made until years from now of course, but so far that unpopular decision is looking pretty like a pretty good one.
I made the point to the esteemed Mr. Farnesworth that they may break my protest and get me back into the season ticket mode. It felt like old time and here are my observations:
1. Ilsinho is the real deal. He ended the bald Jean Claude Van Damme last night so badly that JCVD faked an injury while looking for his jock strap that he lost on that play. If Ilsinho had tucked that ball in, holy shit.
1a. He then proceeded to TORCH Seba Letgett (who is another fav that should get into the USMNT for the World Cup. My call and you heard it here first) with another silky elastico. HE NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THIS TEAM AND TEACH THE PADAWANS AT THE ACADEMY.
2. I know a lot of you aren’t going to like this, but we need to upgrade Marquez in the back if he can’t stop giving the ball away under pressure. I counted 6 times he lumped the ball up the field, all the way to their goalie no less, with slight pressure. Yaro is much better at distribution and keeping his cool. A useless kick allows the other team to reload and attack, folks. Stop clapping for it (which also happened in our section…kids and adults). We are good at the back, but we could actually be great with an upgrade there.
2a. Marquez is also very quiet, and we need someone loud organizing the defense, which leads to point 3:
3. The defense gets caught ball watching because of the lack of communication, as evidenced on the second goal in particular. A little movement from the other team causes spasms on our team (and vice versa when we moved the ball at the end of the game…that was SWEET with ball and player movement).
4. BARNETTA- enuff said. That dude is FUCKING AWESOME. Respek like Ali G used to say.
5. I wanted Sapong to completely outplay the Le Toux of LA Galaxy, Gyasi Zardes (bad touch, great athlete) when he moved out wide, and he did. Nice work!
6. I will end my protest officially when we get a striker that is world class, or when the league announces Pro/Rel, whichever come first.
I’ll be the first to take issue with number 2. I would rather see Marquez send the ball downfield when he doesn’t have a safe outlet than try to force a pass, have it picked off, and turned into a scoring chance the other way. Sort of like a QB chucking it downfield under pressure on 3rd and long rather than a riskier short pass that will pick up the first down the 60% of the time it’s complete but will go for 6 the other way the 40% when it gets picked off.
Yup.
I take issue with #4. aside from his free kicks, from my seats I was not impressed with Barnetta’s ability in the hole. a lot of mis-collections, missed passes, crosses blocked – and he looked tired from early in the game. good free kicks don’t make up for any of that.
I enjoyed watching Ashley Cole making (what felt like) dozens of back passes.
I enjoyed that Zardes was a complete spectator during the whole game. Not happy with Pontius’ performance; would have been OK had the goal he scored counted but he should have scored when it counted (head ball at the end of 1st half and the shot he pushed wide). Need more speed up top; then we can become a team that can make it real far in the play-offs.
I agree. speed cuts. deadly speed cuts quicker. We need a newly autoclaved scalpel up top.