Photo: Ron Soliman
The Philadelphia Union drew 1-1 with Atlanta United on Saturday evening at Subaru Park – marking the team’s 3rd consecutive unbeaten match.
Jim Curtin opted to roll out his first choice XI in the good old Union diamond – his second consecutive game rolling out the same XI.
The Union thought they may have been off and running 18 minutes into the match, when Uhre back-heeled home a broken down set-piece. However, Daniel Gazdag was determined to be in an offside position in the lead-up to the goal.
Through a half an hour of play, Philly were in complete control – dominating possession and logging 5 shots and conceding 0. Atlanta’s press struggled to earn possession back for the side, as the Union’s center backs, especially Glesnes, were able to progress the ball with the Union successfully working the space behind Atlanta’s pressing midfield.
Much of the same continued for the remainder of the first half, with Atlanta able to register their first couple shots on target in the final fifteen minutes of the first forty-five.
Ten minutes into the second frame, the Union, again, thought they may have found the break-through. Gazdag slid another broken down set-piece into the feet of Baribo who tucked it home. But it was called back for offiside in the build-up to the play.
As the tilt remained scoreless through 55 minutes, Atlanta settled into a low block and the pressure became even more tangible for the Union to try to rally to go ahead.
Five minutes later, the Union would find twine. Wagner snuck a quick ball into Nathan Harriel at the top of the box, who smacked home home his first goal of the MLS season with an inside of the foot finish that had Guzan frozen.
Philly made their first substitutions int he 71st minute – taking off Jack McGlynn and Mikael Uhre in favor of Danley Jean-Jacques and Alejandro Bedoya. And in the first bit of action after the substitutes, the Union conceded their first goal. Saba Lobzhanidze headed home a chance to set the score level at 1-1.
The Union were a different team after Curtin made the aforementioned subs, as the team’s midfield was almost entirely and unnecessarily revamped out of the blue. This was displayed in the team’s struggles to generate many quality chances until the very dying moments of the match. Gazdag was the benefactor of the Union’s best opportunity in the dying minutes, firing a shot low and at Guzan’s feet.
Outside of a few chances that Guzan was able to handle, the Union just couldn’t find a way to adequately respond to Atlanta’s equalizer. The match would end 1-1 with a frustrated Union side stuck in 9th place in the east for the time being, level with Montreal on points, but ahead on goal differential.
With now just three regular season matches remaining, the Boys in Blue head to the Sunshine State to face 5th place Orlando City SC on Wednesday. The last time the Union defeated Orlando was in September of 2022.
Three Points
- Curtin’s lack of finger on the pulse – The Union were in virtually full control and up 1-0 in the 71st minute when Jim Curtin opted to sub off Jack McGlynn and Mikael Uhre in favor of Danley Jean-Jacque and Alehandro Bedoya. As soon as the subs entered, the Union conceded the equalizer and the subs also initiated Atlanta to begin to find their footing in a match that had them previously looking like the lesser side. This is just the most recent occasion in a long history of Curtin’s in-game adjustments that had a negative effect on his side.
- Lapses in concentration – The Union conceded the equalizer on a poor lapse in concentration, yet again. Both Nathan Harriel and Alejandro Bedoya are at fault, as there was a clear lack of communication in the box as to whose man Saba was.
- This feels familiar – The Union really could have used a win to continue their run of good form and also to make up for their poor form to begin the MLS campaign. Yes, the Union earned one point in the standings, but it’s these types of draws that exhibit the same lack of character that the team struggled with throughout the season where they threw away points like hot potatoes.
Lineups
Philadelphia Union
Andre Blake, Kai Wagner, Jakob Glesnes, Jack Elliott, Nathan Harriel, Quinn Sullivan, Leon Flach (Sam Adeniran — 77′), Jack McGlynn (Alejandro Bedoya — 71′), Daniel Gazdag, Tai Baribo, Mikael Uhre (Danley Jean-Jacques — 71′)
Unused subs: Oliver Semmle, Olivier Mbaizo, Jesus Bueno, Jeremy Rafanello, Cavan Sullivan, Chris Donovan
Atlanta United
Brad Guzan, Derrick Williams, Stian Rode Gregersen, Bartosz Slisz (Dax McCarty — 88′), Saba Lobzhanidze, Brooks Lennon, Pedro Amador, Daniel Rios (Edwin Mosquera — 81′), Tyler Wolff (Tristan Muyumba — 63′), Ajani Fortune, Aleksei Miranchuk
Unused subs: Josh Cohen, Luis Abram, Luke Brennan, Noah Cobb, Matthew Edwards, Ronald Hernandez
Scoring Summary
PHI: Nathan Harriel — 61′
ATL: Saba Lobzhanidze — 72′
Discipline Summary
ATL: Brooks Lennon — Yellow card 52′ (foul)
PHI: Mikael Uhre — Yellow card 68′ (foul)
PHI: Nathan Harriel — Yellow card 77′ (foul)
Le sigh.
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The U are who we thought they were. Playing down to their opponent. And coming from ahead to lose 2 points.
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At least the Linc is one of the stadia for the 2025 Club World Cup. Good dry run for 2026.
Nathaniel Harriel giveth.
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Nathaniel Harriel taketh away.
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Absolutely EGREGIOUS defending from him on the goal against. I just can’t figure it. What is it with Union right backs not named Raymond Gaddis that get caught ball watching like 12 year olds. It’s just stunning indifference to task orientation.
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In other news… watching this team thump cross after cross into the box and pass the ball around The Six like he had West Nile line is unwatchable.
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Team bores me. Yawn. Just end the season please.
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Be gone, mosquitoes. Be gone.
that’s how i feel, Pachy, since 4 months ago. I’ve found little, sustained interest in this team. the quality outpacing this org is untenable. diamonds in the rough are no longer unearthed or formed under pressure.
Well Pach, that wish will be granted. With three matches left, it’s Orlando and and Columbus on the road with Cincy at home. Even if we didn’t drop two points tonight at home due to the bungle, it would have been hard.
. . .
We all know what we need for next season, but Sugarman isn’t a sugardaddy. Until he gets the barbed wire out of his pockets, we will lack silverware.
. . .
The team needed ownership with FU money who wants championship bragging rights. We need a Lurie or a Shiek Cashwadi. We have a bottom line owner. Good for him but not for us if you like silverware beyond the supper table.
This was a typical effort from a ninth place team. Not good enough.
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They could have put atlanta in the hole of despair in the first 20 minutes by scoring when they had them on the run. But no, they go 0 0 into the half.
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The entire 2nd half was a lifeless, static effort in the final third. A nice individual play by nate led to an unexpected goal, which was soon canceled by yet another chucklefuck goal allowed.
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A boring game with a completely expected result. Meh
Rest Andre for the rest of the season.
Play the kids.
Maybe next year ?
Guzan played his A game. He usually does not vs Philly at home. Otherwise we score 2 or 3 goals. Harriel got caught ball watching. Bedoya and Jean Jaques start next game. At least Bedoya can manage a game. Adeniran is kind of useless. This was a game the Union should have won. Now that I said all that the Orlando game looks like a probable loss. Union defy the odds and sense of despair Wed. and win 3 – 0
True that Guzan was MOM.
Pachy said it best! Harriel giveth..and Harriel taketh away! I hope he can learn and grow from year to year. The boys were clueless in the final 3rd, worse in the box. Just take a shot! Create some havoc! 3/4 passes to have the chance die on a clearance, multiple times,just isn’t good enough. Ok on to the next!!
Next season actually… sorry I may not have made that clear!
Here is the view from Section 105:
1) Before the match started, we four (2 grandkids, their dad and me) discussed who on the Union would score. Pre-match, granddaughter Keira, Uhre; grandson Jack, Gazdag; son Tim, Harriel; me, Quinn Sullivan with the observation that if it was he who would score, the Union would win. Tim was right, and if one of Sullivan’s right-footed rockets would have been on frame, I would have been right, as well.
2) There were moments when the Union looked like the 2022 juggernaut, particularly in the first 20 minutes. They created chances with their movement and pace.
3) When the Union possess the ball on offense in the attacking third, they are often stagnant. I agree with most of you–they need to shoot more and try to capitalize on the ensuing chaos.
4) Though I appreciate everything that Ale Bedoya has brought to this franchise, I thought that his lack of pace was exposed and exploited by Atlanta. We love you Ale, but this is the Farewell Tour.
5) Yes, this is a game that the Union should have won, but they did not. When they take their pedal off of the gas, they do not defend well and they concede. I just don’t think that they can win many matches by 1=0.
6) Harriel’s poor defense has been as consistent as his offensive contributions and his ability in the air. I am amazed that every MLS opponent does not try to exploit Harriel’s defensive deficiencies–why go anywhere else?
7) I do like to see Harriel and Sullivan take on defenders with their pace, and I thought that both of them did that effectively, but without results.
Sugarman’s Sad Sacks. Guess we’ll have to wait to see if they got the fan message this year and they get enough experienced depth to not completely lose control during the summer (like they did this year), and really seriously try to win a trophy. Pipe dream?
“As of now, that point is the difference between Philly making the playoffs and missing out, but at Orlando, at Columbus and Cincinnati to finish the season, it’s looking unlikely to matter.”. Today’s ESPN rank: 16th