Photo: Ron Soliman
Who: C.F. Pachuca vs Philadelphia Union
What: CONCACAF Champions Cup – Round of 16
Where: Estadio Hildago, Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico
When: Tuesday, March 12, 8:15 p.m. Eastern
Watch: FS1, TUDN
Whistle: Bryan Lopez; Keytzel Corrales & William Chow; Selvin Brown; Tatiana Guzman & Benjamin Whitty
With Damion Lowe and Jack Elliott returning from their suspensions, Philadelphia Union have the chance to claim their spot in the CCC quaterfinals against a Pachuca team who has consistently conceded goals at home.
The Union can advance on almost any win-or-draw scenario thanks to the clean sheet last week at Subaru Park. The outlier scenario would be a 0-0 draw after extra time.
Scouting Report: C.F. Pachuca
The pressure is on for Pachuca after being unable to snag an away goal from Andre Blake at Subaru Park last week. With the aggregate still tied at zero, Pachuca must win to move on. Playing at home carries more advantage than usual, as Estadio Hidalgo’s altitude clocks in at 8,000 feet. It will be interesting to see what role altitude plays in endurance for the away side.
Keep an eye on Oussama Idrissi, who was the most dangerous player for the Tuzos in Leg 1 at Subaru Park.
Scouting Report: Philadelphia Union
Disciplinary bookings for Jack Elliott and Damion Lowe plus an injury to Julian Carranza left Philadelphia Union without three of their starting-caliber players in the first match, and Head Coach Jim Curtin had to be creative and shift positions to accomodate for those absences. With 2 of those 3 players confirmed eligible, expect the Union to be back in stride on both ends of the ball.
Player Availability: Julián Carranza (Questionable), Leon Flach (Out)
Key Matchup: Scheduling vs Mother Nature’s Interruptions
While both teams were supposed to go into this match having played on Saturday, Mother Nature had different plans for the Union. It will be interesting to see what a couple of extra days rest does for the squad against a Pachuca team who played at home (and lost 2-1) over the weekend. Is this a reward for the seemingly-constant rain cloud that’s taken up residence over Subaru Park for the last 1.5 years?
Player to Watch: Julián Carranza
More like “player to obsessively scour the lineup for”…..Carranza has been missing for the last two games, but he has been spotted doing work on the sidelines during training. After a frustrating 90 minutes of “almosts” in Subaru Park, it’s clear that the Union’s chances of finding the back of the net are exponentially better when the Argentine is in the mix.
Prediction: Philadelphia Union 1 – 0 C.F. Pachuca
Something tells me that Jim Curtin was overly cautious and kept Carranza off of the newly discovered Subaru Sea on Saturday just to ensure his readiness for this match. With Lowe and Elliott back and Carranza’s possible return, I expect the Union to be victorious in another hard-fought battle.
I believe Mbaizo is out Tuesday night for the Union having picked up yellow cards each of the last two Tuesdays.
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I did laugh out load at the line about the newly discovered Subaru Sea.
WHYYYYYYYY DO THEY DO THIS TO ME EVERY TIME!!! They need to quit it with the YCA, I can’t keep count!! I was convinced that the cards reset and he was fine??
Can’t wait to bundle my beach trips and Union games into one
Too be honest, I’m not 100% sure that he’s suspended since I’m just assuming the card policy across rounds is the same as it was in the first round.
Looks like I was wrong. Mbaizo is listed in the lineup as an available sub.
Not all ties mean a win for the Union. A 0-0 score after 90 minutes would mean extra time, since neither team would have an away goal in that scenario
that is true! so win or draw scenario that includes a goal! was just a bit wordy and the thought of a shootout still terrifies me after 2022 so I blocked it out of my mind 🙂
The Union did win two shootouts last year during the League’s Cup.
Tuesday will be a BOGO night for the Union at Esatdio Hidalgo with any number of goals >0 = to that number +1 required for Pachuca. Hopefully they can pull one or more off and then hold down the fort. If they get a counter attack going I hope they bury their chances and put things away early. At least the start time is not so late this go around.
I like this way of phrasing it.
The advancing on a win or tie scenario assumes some goals being scored right? If it just stays 0-0 it’d eventually just go to a shootout right?
Yes! much like the Deportivo Saprissa game, it’d go into extra time and then if still 0-0 I assume it would be a shootout! 0-0 would be the only scenario, however, as a 1-1 tie after ET would favor the Union since away goals are weighted more
Anna,
I believe that away goals scored in ET are NOT weighted more… away goals rule in effect until the end of regulation. In ET, a 1-1 tie goes to PKs.
See: https://prosoccerwire.usatoday.com/2024/03/04/concacaf-champions-cup-tiebreakers-away-goals/#
Yes, if it is 1-1 at end of regulation than game over. If 0-0 at full time turns into 1-1 at end of extra time, then pk’s…
C’mon the U !
Oh my god
6-0
The Union are who we thought they were. Worst loss since 2016, I bel9eve, when Didier Drogba dropped a hat trick when he was with Montreal.
Something tells me you overestimate Big Game James.
Doop? POOP.
The U are whonl we thought they were. Not much.