Photo: Earl Gardner
Philadelphia Union
The Union beat a depleted New England side 3-0 at a sweltering Talen Energy Stadium. The Revs looked very much like a team playing without 3 of their top attacking options, while the Union’s lone absentee was far less damaging with New England unable to ever take control for any prolonged stretch. Roland Alberg’s goal was the quickest goal by a sub in a regular season MLS match since 2010. While the Union are 9th in the conference in points per game, they are 5th in goal differential, so they may have a playoff push in them yet. More from the Union, MLS, Philly.com, CSNPhilly, BrotherlyGame, Section215, and SBI.
C.J. Sapong is still trying to make his Gold Cup case.
Gooch played his best game of the season.
What’s wrong with Keegan Rosenberry?
Local
Aaron Jones scored his first professional goal as Bethlehem drew Richmond 1-1. The Steel announced this lineup, but at first kick, it was Herbers in for Nanco. Herbers came out at exactly the 30 minute mark and Carroll came out at exactly the 60 minute mark in what appear to be pre-planned substitutions. Herbers’ substitution may have been affected by a storm which required the game to be temporarily delayed.
MLS
A recap of this week’s MLS action. Of note: praise for Sapong and the Union, Mauro Diaz magic, and the immediate impact of Blerim Dzemaili. Scores and individual game recaps.
Chicago was concerned when Schweinsteiger had to exit the game with an injury, but it appears he will be okay.
Seattle signed Eredivise veteran Dutch defender Kelvin Leerdam.
An analysis of LA Galaxy’s miserable home form.
Around the globe
In their Gold Cup warmup, the U.S. beat Ghana 2-1. Bedoya was a late sub to help see the game out. An analysis of what we learned from the game.
Germany beat Chile to win the Confederations Cup. Portugal beat Mexico in the 3rd place game.
Highlights of the day
I normally don’t feature a Union goal in this space, but let’s all watch Roland Alberg’s long-range strike again.
As a bonus highlight, here’s Shea Salinas winning the game for San Jose deep into stoppage time.
Editor’s note: We love Adam’s highlights of the day so much that we want to jump in and add one. Check out this segment of Oguchi Onyewu’s very candid and entertaining postgame interview after the New England match. (Don’t worry about Medunjanin’s picture below. The video cues right up to the best stuff.)
Great win, I still think CJ should be allowed to get a few mins of rest without being injured. Fafa has been a revelation. Let’s still make sure we brung in a real #10
I was at the game yesterday and scored a set of club passes because it was my son’s birthday. (Union ticket guys have been super and I’m a lowly 5-game ticket plan customer, not at a ll a big spender). We went to the club at halftime to escape the sun and were on the deck above New England’s goal to see Alberg’s shot in all its glory. As Medunjanin rolled him that pass, I knew 100 percent that he was going to take a shot. Couldn’t believe my eyes when it went in. So much better that the force he used to smack that ball also knocked him down.
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I don’t know if there’s a more confounding player on the Union’s roster. He’s so clearly not a good fit at the #10 position, but he’s got a nose for goal that may be among the best in MLS. He’s a stone cold killer. His goal in the Open Cup, though it may very well have been offsides, was similarly masterful. I swear if we started him up top in a 4-4-2 or 4-3-2-1 he might be a Golden Boot contender. I think it’s more than just hype from a magnificent goal. That kid can shoot.
And then he can mope like a petulant teenager when he doesn’t get a call, or doesn’t get a pass from a teammate, and he usually doesn’t deign to play defense, nor is he really capable of participating in build-up play.
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I look at him as being, in a way, analogous to Chaco Maidana: he’s got one excellent skill, and it’s a skill that’s not easy to find, but unfortunately it comes with a whole host of drawbacks. Like Maidana, he displays it just often enough to tantalize you. But with Alberg, it’s even more clear than it was with Maidana that the guy simply does not fit our system, no way, no how.
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He is a second striker. Period. Trade him to a team that plays with two (not one, not three) and doesn’t need him to pass nor play defense, and the guy might score quite a few goals.
Thanks for posting Onyewu’s interview: great stuff! Starting to like him more and more. Must say FO did well seeing his potential and snatching him up.
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Some surprising results in the League this weekend. But Chicago was awesome again even though McCarty was absent and killed it on Friday night with the US team. A travesty that he does not have many more US games under his belt.
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He did kill it. Dax is that player MLS haters Pro/Rel arguers tend to crush as not being good enough and anthemic to US Soccers issues. Good player bu……
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Guess what…. he was in full control against Ghana.better than one trick Bradley too. Now defensively? That’s a bit of a problem….just as it is for MB.
http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/07/02/armchair-analyst-letting-ball-do-work-more-week-18
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“It’s time for my bi-monthly blurb on C.J. Sapong, who is not in the MVP race but is arguably as valuable as any player in the league. He got his ninth goal of the season for the Union – which equals his career high – and he continues to be the attacking terminus and creative fulcrum for a team that are… wait for it… 7-3-2 with a +10 goal differential since the end of April. That’s good for fourth best in the league, behind only Chicago, NYCFC and Toronto FC.”
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Just throwing it out there. Some pretty good form.