Just in time to ruin your weekend. I don’t want to relive the match any more than you do, so here’s your one sentence player ratings from the Union’s loss in the Open Cup Final.
Player Ratings
Andre Blake – 2
We’re used to seeing Blake making saves he shouldn’t, but he didn’t do that in Houston.
Ray Gaddis – 2
Alberth Ellis ran past the Union’s top one on one defender all night, especially for their first goal.
Auston Trusty – 2
Steps too high on the second Houston goal, scores the third.
Jack Elliott – 2
Mauro Manotas gave him fits all night and had two goals because of it.
Keegan Rosenberry – 2
Should do better to clear the ball on Houston’s third goal, which ends with his man forcing Blake into a save before Trusty’s OG.
Haris Medunjanin – 2
Cut off from serving the long diagonals that have served the Union so well, Haris just couldn’t make his mark on the match.
Alejandro Bedoya – 2
The Union’s captain failed to bring his team back from an early call against them or from conceding one and then two goals in the first half.
Borek Dockal – 2
We’ve seen the Union #10 dominate games and on a night when the team needed him to, he didn’t.
C.J. Sapong – 2
A couple of nice moments in the second half, but not enough overall.
Fafa Picault – 3
The most lively of the Union’s attackers for much of the match, but little to show for it.
Cory Burke – 2
Failed to be involved for most of the match and pulled his best chance at goal wide when he should have hit the target, with the score still 2-0.
Subs
Jay Simpson – 3
Brought a little energy after replacing Burke and should have scored with an open header to at least make the score 3-1 at 75 minutes.
David Accam – 2
Apparently Curtin’s choice for a final bench spot was between a barely fit Ilsinho and an in form Jay Simpson, but really, why bother putting on Accam when he clearly isn’t up for anything this year?
Derrick Jones – n/a
Geiger Counter
Nima Saghafi – 5
Probably allowed Houston to be a tad too chippy, but really didn’t make a call that influenced the match too much. Him and his crew correctly ruled out Picault’s goal to start the match, perhaps the biggest call of the game.
Man of the Match – Maruo Manotas
Scored twice to lead Houston to victory.
I give an 8 for the Piazza event. Glad there were bars to shelter during the rain storm, a supermarket to buy ‘cheap’ beer and great food trucks, with the one closest to the screen the best.
gonna say the piazza was a great atmosphere and effort put on by the organization. totally undone by the torrent and gameplay, but a solid effort to embrace the Philly-bound fans.
i do miss the Sugarman helicopter but would hope they do this for the inevitable away playoff match.
I’m going to disagree with these on one general principle. I thought the effort against Montreal was significantly worse and yet most of the ratings there were much higher. Yes, on a stand alone basis, this was the more important game, but that was the one where they were well rested at home rather than having 3 games and over 7000 miles travelled in the last week and a half. Here there were twice as many shots taken by the Union than there were against Montreal and the team was fouled twice as often. OK, these are probably more accurate, but in that case the Montreal numbers need to come down significantly.
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And if Guido is giving Piazza and 8, I’ll give Jackson Street BBQ a 9.
I disagree. I thought they played better and looked better against Montreal. They pushed and worked the ball and had ideas going forward. .
Against Houston, though, they never seemed to be in the game after the 5th minute. Not enough choppiness and desire and pushing the tempo considering this was a final.
How is Ray the best one on one defender the team has? I’m trying to be unbiased here and look outside just this match, but I don’t see that, at all. He is very easy to beat one on one, and if it were not for his ludicrous recovery speed he would look even worse. He’s a good player, but there is no way he is as good as he is getting credit for here, and he’s the 3rd best outside back going forward. I will never question his work ethic or effort, though, because there is rarely a time where he’s not giving 100%.