Photo: Earl Gardner
Note: I got married over the weekend. While my mind is elsewhere, nevertheless, my apologies for no Union-NYRB postgame post, roundup, or transcript of Jim Curtin’s Union-TFC playoff preview press conference on Monday (video) and for today’s roundup being less thorough than it would normally be.
Philadelphia Union
The Union face Toronto on the road on Wednesday in only their second-ever playoff appearance and their first since 2011 (7:30 pm, ESPN2). While this notable accomplishment should be cause for celebration, the mood among Union fans is instead one of disappointment.
After all, it’s difficult to be excited when the team has lost its last three games and is winless since August 27, going 0-5-2 over that stretch, allowing 14 goals while scoring only 5. And, of course, the odds of winning Wednesday’s game are squarely against the Union, just as they are for every team traveling for the league’s knockout games on Wednesday and Thursday. ESPN gives Toronto a 66 percent chance of defeating Philadelphia.
Sunday’s 2-0 loss to NYRB in the regular season home finale was just the latest in a string of disappointments. And the weekend’s bad news didn’t only come on Sunday. On Saturday, word came out that Maurice Edu was injured in the open training session for season ticket holders, an injury that was later revealed to be a broken left fibula. Just when Edu’s recovery from a stress fracture might be complete has been one of the season’s great mysteries, the hope being that he would be able to contribute late in the season and in the playoffs. It’s a heartbreaking setback and now fans are left with a video that, given the circumstances, hits the wrong note, and are wondering when he might be ready to play next year.
It’s true, as John Smallwood writes at Philly.com, that anything can happen on Wednesday. At Union Tally, Matthew De George notes that, going back to 2004, while none of the eleven teams entering the playoffs with a winless streak of five games or more has won the MLS Cup, five of those eleven have won a playoff tie, although the only team to win a knockout game was Seattle playing at home in 2013. So, it would be a lie to say that confidence abounds going into the game. This is not a case of Negadelphia, this is simply being realistic based on current form. Long gone is the exuberance before the Copa America break when the team was first in the East.
So when Union fans gather together on Wednesday to watch the game, they can be forgiven if they steel themselves with low expectations against more disappointment. Hope will be present. But for many fans, it may already be directed to next year.
Recaps and reports from Sunday’s loss at PSP, Philadelphia Union (recap, postgame, social), Philly.com, Delco Times, CSN Philly, Philly Voice, Philadelphia Magazine, Philly Soccer News (recap, report), Brotherly Game, Pattison Ave, Prost Amerika, Vavel, Philadelphia Sports Nation, MLSsoccer.com (recap, Union, NYRB), NYRB (recap, notes, takeaways), SBI, Big Apple Soccer, Empire of Soccer, and Once a Metro.
More on Maurice Edu’s injury at Delco Times, CSN Philly, Philly Soccer News, MLSsoccer.com, ESPN, and Section 215.
At Delco Times, Brian Carroll talks about returning to the playoffs.
FourFourTwo has a report on the “work in progress” that is Philadelphia Union.
Local
Junior Lone Star defeated New Jersey’s Brick Lions FC 3-2 on Saturday in the second round of US Open Cup Open Division qualifiers on Saturday. West Chester United was defeated 1-0 on the road by Maryland’s Christos FC on Oct. 16.
In related news, US Soccer has announced the third round of Open Division Local Qualifying for the 2017 US Open Cup has been rescheduled. “Originally set to be played on Nov. 19-20, 2016, the third qualifying round will take place on March 11-12, 2017, the set of dates originally set aside for the fourth qualifying round. If necessary, the fourth qualifying round will now take place on the weekend that had been previously reserved for the fifth qualifying round (April 8-9, 2017).”
At the USL website, a look back to the 2014 championship final, which saw Harrisburg City Islanders lose 2-0 to Sacramento Republic.
MLS
ESPN reports the league set a new attendance record for the third straight year with ” an average attendance of 21,692 fans per game in 2016.” The report continues, “MLS is now the sixth-best attended soccer league in the world, behind the German Bundesliga, English Premier League, Spain’s La Liga, Mexico’s Liga MX, and the Chinese Super League.”
Kansas City’s Brad Davis has announced he will retire after the end of the season to conclude a 15-year career in MLS.
Former Union man Jordan Harvey was named Vancouver Whitecaps Player of the Year.
The Guardian suggests a new format for the MLS Playoffs.
At Sacramento Bee, an update on Sacramento Republic’s efforts to join MLS.
Nashville Soccer Club, the new USL team set to begin play in 2018, has hired Court Jeske, the former vice president of international business for Soccer United Marketing, MLS’s commercial arm, as CEO.
Tampa Bay Times reports an announcement could be made today on Tampa Bay Rowdies move from NASL to USL.
US
After going down a goal early, The USWNT roared back to defeat Switzerland 5-1 in a friendly in Minneapolis on Sunday. Carli Lloyd scored the equalizer before adding the go-ahead goal. Kealia Ohai scored the final goal of the game 48 seconds after making her national team debut, besting the record set by Lynn Williams only four days before when she scored 49 seconds after making her debut.
A US Air flight from Belfast to New York, whose passengers included the US U-18 WNT, was forced to make an emergency landing at Shannon Airport shortly after takeoff due to “a major mechanical problem” early on Tuesday. The U-18s were returning home from the Women’s International Cup, where they finished second.
Former USWNT star Lauren Holliday is recovering in North Carolina after successfully undergoing surgery to remove a benign brain tumor. Holiday recently gave birth to her first child.
Elsewhere
Reuters reports, “Former FIFA presidential candidate Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan is concerned about the pace of reform in world soccer’s governing body and says new president Gianni Infantino has “no time to lose” in bringing transparency to the organization.”
Congratulations on the marriage, Ed!
Congrats! And here I thought you just rage quit haha.
Congratulations, Ed! I hope your honeymoon wasn’t to Chester on Sunday…
So if Eric Wynalda is allowed to question the value of a player that has, I believe, helped his team win one game since arriving here…. am I?
.
Or should we just wait while he settles in more.
.
Needle. Needle.
.
.
Oh MLS how I wish Smaug would smite thee for thine arrogance and ignorance… I’m not as dumb as you think we are.
.
.
BTW Mr Farnsworth congrats. Smartest thing I ever did.
Congrats! Worthy reason to miss some posts.
No excuses, man. Just kidding, so happy for you guys!!! Good luck on your wonderful life together!
What bothered me most about Sunday’s loss was the comments from Curtain in the post game press conference. Blaming the boos on the Philadelphia sports environment. The fans have more than enough reason to boo the current form of the team and the hard headed moves (or lack there of) from the coaching staff. Like you expertly pointed out, 2 goals scored and 14 allowed, 7 games without a win, last win was 8/27 (2 MONTHS prior to the upcoming playoff match).
Any news on Yaro’s health? We’ll really need his speed tomorrow.
Yaro won’t be available Wed. Pretty sure I read that somewhere yesterday.
given that he suffered two concussions almost back to back, but not quite, I am glad to report he was not a participant in the Saturday practice for season ticket holders.
My son and I actually ran into Yaro at halftime (he was in a suit coming out of the team store). He came right over to us, shook my son’s hand and introduced himself. I was really impressed by him. I am certainly not a doctor,but did ask how his recovery was going. I got the vibe from his response that things are improving, but Wednesday seems unlikely.
Congrats Ed. I was worried you would be on a weeklong honeymoon and that there’d be 2,000 comments on the Red Bulls Match report by Friday. We need our soccer pundit fix!
–
I don’t think I like the idea of a soccer bowl of any kind. Playoffs definitely need to be reworked. It’s barely an accomplishment to get in. It really feels like the union got a Participation Award more than fought their way into a cup tournament. But I’m watching Wed. night with no expectations at all. This league is so fluky. Toronto is just as capable of imploding or getting unlucky. Who knows?
Talk about misplaced priorities
Congratulations Ed! The best to you both!
Congrats Ed! Best Wishes to you both!
Congratulations Ed. Best of Luck to you and the Mrs.
Congrats Ed!! At least something good happened this past weekend!
.
As for tomorrow… Go Union! I am gonna go out on a limb and say they pull it out in a shootout. Seriously. So now, it’s on record and maybe I get a get a link in the recap of the game on Thursday for my awesome prediction. HAHA!!
.
But in all honesty, I’m just gonna (try to) enjoy the game, and hope they show well.
Congratulations Ed! Best wishes to you and your wife.
Congrats on the marriage Ed.
.
I’m certainly no doctor and know almost nothing about Mo’s injury, but I broke my fibula playing soccer last December. Doctor said it was a 4 week injury and was the “best” bone you could break in your leg because it really didn’t serve much purpose.
.
Joe Ledley broke his fibula and played in Euro 2016 less than 30 days later.
.
I know it’s not good that Mo has been out the whole year with a variety of injuries, but talk of his career being over may be a bit premature. No matter what, I wish him well and a quick recovery.
Congrats Ed!
Congratulations also, Ed. I echo my colleague above who says it was the best thing he ever did.
Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Farnsworth. May you experience many happy years together, with more good times than bad; more health than sickness; and more richness than poorness! Cheers!