Photo: Courtesy of Philadelphia Union

Philadelphia Union

Winless in the last five games (0-3-2), and with only five wins in the 18 games since the Copa America break (5-9-4), the Union find themselves after Saturday night’s loss to NYRB in sixth place in the Eastern Conference.

Asked after Saturday’s loss what his team needs to do in the final two games of the season, Jim Curtin replied, “It’s clear what we need to do: We need to win a soccer game.”

Anything less and…I just can’t bear to think about it.

Recaps and reports at PSP (recap, postgame), Philadelphia Union (Pontius, Bedoya, Herbers, Curtin), Philly.com (recap, video), Delco Times (recap, analysis), Philly Soccer News (recap, report), SBI (recap, report), Brotherly Game, Pattison Ave, Section 215 (recap, commentary), Philadelphia Sports Nation, MLSsoccer.com (recap, Union, NYRB), New York Red Bulls (recap, analysis, postgame notes), Big Apple Soccer (recap, report), Empire of Soccer, Once a Metro (recap, analysis), New York Sports Day, Soccer America, Goal.com, Pro Soccer Talk, Last Word on Sports (recap, player ratings) and the AP. USA Today has a photo gallery.

MLSsoccer.com Armchair Analyst Matthew Doyle on the Union after Saturday’s loss:

Are the Union in danger of missing the playoffs? Maybe a little bit. They’re getting zero production from center forward C.J. Sapong, they’ve been in a rut defending set pieces, and Keegan Rosenberry has run smack into the rookie wall over the past month. It’s a bloody mess.

Nonetheless, both of Philly’s final two games are at home, and a single win will punch their ticket. The Union may not last long once the playoffs begin, but they’ll almost certainly be there for at least a little bit. For this franchise, that’s real progress.

GhanaSoccernet notes the injury to Josh Yaro.

International call ups

Alejandro Bedoya has been called up by the USMNT for the friendlies against Cuba (Oct. 7) and New Zealand (Oct. 11).

Warren Creavalle has been named to Guyana’s 22-player roster for the upcoming Caribbean Cup games against Suriname (Oct. 8) and Jamaica (Oct. 11). A final 20-player roster will be announced on Wednesday.

Andre Blake is, along with Bethlehem Steel’s Cory Burke, with the Jamaican national team for Caribbean Cup qualifiers. CONCACAF announced on Sunday that the game against Suriname scheduled for Oct. 5 “has been postponed due to safety concerns regarding Hurricane Matthew.”

Auston Trusty and Derrick Jones have been called up by the US U-20 MNT for the Four Nations Tournament in Manchester, England, Oct. 2-11. The US faces Germany on Oct. 5, Netherlands on Oct. 7, and England on Oct. 10. More on the call ups at USLsoccer.com.

New salary numbers released

The MLS Players Union released new salary information on Friday. There are a few pay rises in guaranteed compensation from the last salary numbers released in May (Tranquillo Barnetta’s guaranteed compensation went up $21,600 to $709,100, for example) but perhaps of biggest interest are the numbers for new signings. They are (with base salary listed first followed by guaranteed compensation):

Alejandro Bedoya: $1,100,004.00 / $1,166,254.00
Charlie Davies: $108,937.50 / $113,315.63
Derrick Jones: $51,504.00 / $57,404.00
Kevin Kratz: $62,508.00 / $76,758.00
Auston Trusty: $51,500.04 / $80,600.04

At Philly.com, Jonathan Tannenwald notes according to the MLSPU numbers, the Union’s salary budget comes in at $5,806,961.54 in base salary and $6,402,693.84 in guaranteed compensation.

More

Alejandro Bedoya’s goal against Toronto lost out in the final for Goal of the Week. At Philly.com, Bedoya talks about the goal.

Georgetown Voice has a profile piece on Keegan Rosenberry.

Philadelphia Union Academy

The Union Academy teams faced Continental FC Delco over the weekend. On Saturday at YSC, the U-12s were victorious 4-0 and 1-0. The U-13s won 4–1 with Asher Laackman opening the scoring in the 12th minute, and Marco Silva scoring in the 47th minute, and a pair of goals from Selmir Miscic (49′, 65′). The U-14s won 3–0, Aboubacar Camara scoring a hat trick (13′, 16′, 21′).

On Sunday at the Union training rounds, the U-15s/16s were behind by two goals before Daniel Bloyou scored in the 37th minute. THe visitors scored again to make it 3-1 a minute later. Brenden Aaronson added another goal for the Union in the 51st minute with Bloyou equalizing in the 54th minute. Carter Emack put the Union ahead in the 62nd minute before Bloyou completed his hat trick in the 71st minute and the Union finished the 5–3 winners. As of this writing, no result is recorded for the U-17/18 game on the USSDA website or the Union Academy Twitter page.

This Saturday, the U-12s host Cedar Stars Academy-Bergen while the rest of the Academy teams have the weekend off. The following weekend all of the Academy teams travel to face PDA.

Local

In Philly Soccer Six play, Temple drew 0-0 at home with Memphis on Saturday. Drexel lost 1-0 at home to UNCW. Villanova defeated DePaul, 4-2. La Salle lost 2-1 to Saint Louis. Saint Joseph’s defeated St. Bonaventure 2-0 on the road, Matt Crawford with the brace. On Sunday, Penn defeated Cornell 2-1 on the road thanks to a brace from Alec Neuman.

Sean O’Hearn (PA Classics; Mountville, Pa.) has been called up for the US U-19 MNT training camp in Chula Vista, Oct. 3-10.

CBS 3 talks to Carli Lloyd about her new book.

MLS

In the Eastern Conference, first place NYRB (51 points, 14-9-9) came from behind to defeat sixth place Philadelphia (42 points, 11-12-9), 3-2. Second place NYCFC (51 points, 14-9-9) defeated Houston, 2-0, David Villa scoring a brace. Third place Toronto (49 points, 13-9-10) gave up the lead to fall 2-1 at home to fifth place DC (43 points, 10-9-13). Fourth place Montreal (44 points, 11-10-11) defeated ninth place Orlando (35 points, 7-11-14), 1-0, on the road, eliminating Orlando from reaching the playoffs. Seventh place New England (39 points, 10-13-9) defeated Kansas City, 3-1. Eighth place Columbus (35 points, 8-12-11) defeated last place Chicago (27 points, 6-16-9), 3-0.

In the Western Conference, first place Dallas (56 points, 16-8-8) defeated third lace LAG (48 points, 11-6-15), 1-0. Despite the loss, thanks to other results, the Galaxy clinched a playoff spot. Second place Colorado (51 points 13-5-12) defeated seventh place Portland (41 points, 11-13-8), 1-0, former Union man Sebastien Le Toux scoring the winner in the 63rd minute to clinch a playoff spot for the Rapids. Fourth place Salt Lake (45 points, 12-11-9) was defeated 2-1 by eighth place San Jose (37 points, 8-10-13). Fifth place Seattle (44 points, 13-13-5) came from behind to defeat ninth place Vancouver (35 points, 9-15-8), 2-1, eliminating the Whitecaps from playoff contention. Last place Houston (32 points, 7-12-11) was defeated 2-0 by NYCFC.

The Washington Post reports DC United’s new stadium probably won’t be ready to open until June of 2018.

New England have signed Kelyn Rowe to a contract extension.

Steven Gerrard back to the Premier League?

Bastian Schweinsteiger to FC Dallas?

30,187 people were on hand in Cincinnati to watch their home team face Charleston Battery in the USL Eastern Conference Quarterfinals on Sunday. FC Cincinnati lost, 2-1. In the other Eastern Conference games, Rochester Rhinos defeated Charlotte Independence 3-1. NYRB II thumped Orlando City B, 4-0. Louisville City topped ten-men Richmond Kickers 2-0 in extra time, former Union man Chandler Hoffman scoring the second goal. NYRB II host Rochester in the first Eastern Conference semifinal on Friday, Louisville hosts Charleston in the second semifinal on Saturday.

In the Western Conference, Swope Park Rangers swept past ten-men LA Galaxy II with a 3-0 road win. Vancouver Whitecaps 2 topped Colorado Springs Switchbacks, 2-1. Oklahoma City Energy defeated Rio Grande Valley, 3-2, second-half sub Collin Bonner scoring a stoppage time brace for the win. Orange County Blues defeated Sacramento Republic 5-4 on penalty kicks after the teams finished scoreless following extra time. Vancouver hosts Oklahoma City in the first Western Conference semifinal on Saturday, Swope Park Rangers hosts Orange County in the other semifinal on Sunday.

NWSL

The NWSL semifinals were played over the weekend with both games going into extra time. On Friday, Washington defeated Chicago 2-1. Ali Krieger opened the scoring for Washington in the 36th minute before Christen Press equalized in the 81st minute. Francisca Ordega scored the game winner in the111st minute.

On Sunday, Western New York defeated Portland 4-3 on the road. Samantha Mewis opened the scoring for Western New York in the 16th minute and Makenzy Doniak made it 2-0 in the 38th before Christine Sinclair halved the scoreline in the 39th. Emily Sonnett then equalized in the 78th minute. Lynn Williams then scored a brace for the visitors in extra time with goals in the 98th and 104th minutes. Lindsey Horan got a goal back for Portland in the 106th minute but Western New York finished the 4-3 winners.

The NWSL championship game will be played in Houston on Sunday, Oct. 9 (5 pm, FS1).

US

At US Soccer, Jurgen Klinsmann on the roster for the Cuba friendly. More on the roster at Soccer America and Goal.com.

At the U-17 Women’s World Cup in Jordan, the US opened group play with a 6-1 win over Paraguay, Civana Kuhlmann scoring a hat trick. Sydney Zandi (Penn Fusion; West Chester, Penn.) was an unused sub for the game. The team faces Ghana on Tuesday (9 am, FS2, Fox Sports Go, Fox Soccer 2Go.)

From the AP: “Defender Whitney Engen says she has been released by the U.S. women’s national team.”

Elsewhere

Bob Bradley has been named manager of Premier League side Swansea, making him the first American to manage a club in one of Europe’s top four leagues. SI’s Grant Wahl reports, “Bradley won the job ahead of former Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs and former Villarreal manager Marcelino, who were both interviewed by Swansea as well…Bradley’s contract with Swansea will run through the end of the 2018-19 season.” More on the news at The Guardian.