Photo courtesy Philadelphia Union Communications
A Union team that jumped to a very early lead play failed to deliver the knockout punch–and the win–and will have to settle for a draw at home. Toronto FC never seemed to give up hope, even as the Union were the stronger team. Toronto scored the equalizer in the 91st minute. The Union, undefeated in its last 11 games and atop the MLS standings coming into the game surrendered a number of chances in front of goal, tying 12th place Toronto. The games saw the respective team’s new signings–Toronto’s Djordje Mihailovic started, and the Union’s Milan Iloski came off the bench in the second half.
First half
The Union started the game with intensity and energy. Strong, well-placed passing and combination play bypassed Toronto’s own defensive pressure for the first goal when Wagner on the left found Tai Baribo who beat his man and switched play to the right, finding an onrushing Indiana Vassilev, who opened the scoring in the 4th minute. The Union remained on the front foot throughout much of the half.
With about 25 minutes gone, Toronto seemed to alter their tactics, switching to four defenders at the back, which slowed down the Union playing through the lines. And Toronto grew into the game. In the 39th minute, their own incisive buildup and excellent passing brought about Toronto’s first shot on goal, which Blake parried.
Second half
In the second half, the Union continued to have the better play early on, but Toronto also continued to grow into the game, gaining confidence as minutes ticked by, and only down one goal. They started to find dangerous inroads down the righthand side through Theo Corbeanu’s pace. Quinn Sullivan found his edge, too, and he looked dangerous whenever he had the ball, with smart and productive passes and excellent crosses. But the final product wasn’t there.
The game turned twice for the visitors during the second half, first when a bravely headed ball from Tai Baribo was chalked off for offsides, and again, after a long, VAR-reviewed skirmish after Makhanya received a yellow card for kicking a ball after the whistle had gone, at the Toronto goalkeeper. Yellow cards were handed out during the shoving and fighting
Toronto FC equalized in the 91st minute, through Deandre Kerr, much like the never-say-die belief the Union had away to Toronto at the end of May.
Three points:
- Quinn Sullivan: Had an excellent game, and really seemed to come alive in the second half. He took on opponents, and his crossing was smart, aware and accurate.
- Emotional Context/Play: In his press conference after the game, Bradley Carnell talked about “chasing the game” and the “emotional context” of the players. Toronto is a physical team, and once again key Union players got yellow cards for fouls because they were angry, or because–perhaps–they wanted to send a message. Emotion is crucial, but it sounded like Carnell was admitting that the Union got frustrated, let Toronto into their heads.
- Wasteful in front of goal: Vassilev took his goal beautifully. He was in, with just the goalkeeper to beat, picked his spot and slotted the ball home. It was a beautiful–and beautifully worked–goal, from Wagner to Baribo, to Vassilev. Danley Jean Jacques’s strike, from a Quinn Sullivan cross, might have equalled it.
GOALS/ASSISTS
Indiana Vassilev, 4′
Deandre Kerr, 90’
Well that was a letdown. Looked really disconnected against an inferior team. With less than 10 matches left I hope they get their mojo back fast.
I am generally magnanimous with this first team these days but not tonight. Got jobbed on the 2nd gol but that team needed to be buried.
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Oh btw… it is also okay to put your damn foot on the ball… stick a needle in it and slow the game down in the 80th with a 1-0 lead.
I detest it. It’s wrong and will never be convinced otherwise. You bring in a 50 year old and a 15 year old… then play the 5 finger fillet knife game.
Good grief. May have lost the shield with that result.
Agreed!
I’m generally on board with Carnell’s tactics.
But I don’t understand the second half offensive substitutions… with three backliners on cards… nor overly aggressive strategy given their 1 goal lead.
It is time to be concerned about the Union’s susceptibility to giving up late goals: especially of off opponent’s counterattacks.
BTW, Union backliners are taking too many cheap yellows. Defenders must be conscious of saving their yellow for important defensive plays. As it was, they were fortunate not to have become a man down during the match.
Their overly aggressive strategy especially late, given their 1 goal lead and three defenders on cards… and so left with no professional defensive fouls… was dubious.
Sometimes… especially in the case of this match… hunkering down defensively and playing for a strategic counterattack is most legitimate.
A clean sheet gives us a victory and three points.
Kind of ironic that a team who’s entire offense is crosses into the box by an outside back can’t defend one when it counts.
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Can someone explain the disallowed goal? Danny H on the broadcast said Baribo was off on the initial ball in from Wagner which forced the TFC player to make a play on the free kick, and that all the pinball after was void at that point? I know this is called if a player is in front of the goalkeeper blocking him but how does Baribo being where he was make the TFC defender play the ball?
Just looking for a clear explanation
Makes no sense to me. Baribo didn’t play the ball. A retreating defender is always going to try to play it whether Tai is there or not.
I think it’s certainly open to interpretation which makes me annoyed as that deviates from the clear and obvious standard for VAR in the first place
So the broadcast was a bit confusing, but the application is correct if you agree with the officials on the alleged facts.
Baribo was offside when the initial ball was played in and influenced the actions of the defenders on that play — specifically causing the defender to play the ball with that outstretched foot. At that point it is a delayed offsides which was correctly called.
If he didn’t cause the defender to play that ball, because the defender had no idea he was there but was just reaching to defend — my view of the facts — than he didn’t influence that play and was onside on the subsequent touch by Damiani and the goal was good.
In my view, they botched the fact. But once they make that factual determination, the call is correct.
Any defender knows he’s got runners on the other side and will be trying to clear. Makes no difference if the runner is offside or not. There is more than one attacker.
Counter argument proves the point… if Tai isn’t there does the defender do something else??? No. He still tries to clear.
Except when Bruno plays the balls (heads it towards goal) Tai is in an ONSIDE position….. Tai’s positioning had no bearing on Bruno playing the ball, not the defenders trying to defend Bruno’s header.
I didn’t fully appreciate what a bad call this was in real time. Baribo was in an offside position when Wagner struck the ball. The defender had his back to Baribo. He was facing Wagner and was between Baribo and the ball when he kicked it. He had no idea who was behind him nor whether those offensive players were onside or offside. After the defender nicked the ball (and I agree that the kick was not “intentional”), it went to Damiani, who was onside. At the point that Damiani touched the ball, the ball was ahead of Baribo, making him onside. Here is the ultimate question: If Damiani had scored, would the goal have been called back? The answer is no, and therefore, Baribo’s goal should have counted.
Lines(wo)man never raised her flag I believe so I don’t think you can call it a delayed red. As she was running up an down the sideline during the VAR she kept raising her hands and shrugging as if she didn’t know why it was overturned either.
Also, isn’t Jakob now out next game for red card accumulation?
Every reason to be mad about the ref. The offside call is ridiculous. The Glesnes yellow is not even a foul. And there were multiple potential red cards in the fracas. But the Union just didn’t find enough verve. It really felt like they took their foot off the gas after the goal. Where was the press?
Really disappointed in the result last night. How is it that Danley, a DMF, can get shots on goal from outside the box, and Damiani can consistently miss the entire goal…from point blank range? His playing is just wasting minutes, at this point. Until they can move him, keep him in reserve for injuries. Also, Quinn hasn’t been the same since that USMNT stint. I don’t know if the coaching there messed him up, or if his confidence took a hit with their lack of recognizing his talent. Let’s bounce back from this one and sweep those Bulks next week!
This isn’t as bad as the Daniel Rios game, but it is quite close.
I know the ref wasn’t great but the boys really need to do better late in a game. Glesnes got beat to the goal side on the goal. That guy had no pressure on him to make a good header. That was a tough loss to take! Maybe Cincy can choke tonight
In fairness it was very clever movement. Tucked behind and then shooting forward to meet the ball. There needed to be some pressure on the crosser first and foremost.
Very true. Neither defender was switched on. The movement was clever as you say. I haven’t played footy for about 30 years. But that won’t stop me from grumbling about the team when they don’t play well!
And for no reason at all, Union still gain ground in the shield race after FCC and Nashville hot chickens both lose outright. Only San Diego won.
^^^^
The other teams are trying to win too, but winning ain’t easy.
Updating the remaining schedules: With most teams having 8 games remaining, I’m still basing on the top 5 with 10 games remaining even though Orlando has moved up to 3rd, Columbus and Miami have games in hand. The Union and Nashville are both still alive in the Open Cup. Miami is still in the Leagues Cup with 1 or 3 games remaining there.
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The Union have 2 games on the road against top 5 teams, 1 in each conference.
They have 4 games against teams in positions 6-10, 2 at home and 2 on the road.
They have 2 games against bottom 5 teams, 1 at home and 1 on the road.
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Cincinnati has 2 games against top 5 teams, both at home.
They have 4 games against middle 2 teams, 3 at home and 2 on the road.
They have 2 games against bottom 5 teams, 1 at home and 1 on the road.
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Nashville has 2 games against top 5 teams, 1 at home and 1 on the road.
They have 3 games against middle 5 teams, 1 at home and 2 on the road.
They have 3 games against bottom 5 teams, 2 at home and 1 on the road.
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Columbus has no games against top 5 teams.
They have 5 games against middle 5 teams, 1 at home and 4 on the road.
They have 4 games against bottom 5 teams, 2 at home and 2 on the road.
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Messi has 2 games against top 5 teams, 1 at home and 1 on the road.
He has 3 games against middle 5 teams, 1 at home and 2 on the road.
He has 6 games against bottom 5 teams, 4 at home and 2 on the road.
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The Union missed a chance to open up a 4 point lead when they gave up their 9th stoppage time goal this season (including both halves of games) and this one against a bottom 5 team. The good news is that Cincinnati lost at home, Nashville lost to another bottom 5 team and Miami got blown out. While Miami has 3 games in hand, that also means they have a very congested schedule (especially if they win their quarterfinal Leagues Cup match next week). And the Union luck out with the timing of their midweek game since there opponent Saturday will have the exact same amount of rest and travel.
Can you add San Diego to your weekly summary? They are possibly our main competitor for the Supporters Shield right now.
I’ll have to say what kind of time I have next week. This was easy since it was just subtracting this week’s games from the previous tally (which is the other reason I didn’t add Orlando). Toughest part is Sunday games. Next week Nashville plays at 5pm which I should be able to pick up Sunday, but San Diego plays at 7pm which means that it will end around the time I’m heading to bed…
I cannot believe mls instant replay had nothing to say about anything in this game. Common andrew wiebe really? Maybe because they already eviscerated penso when it was poor miami under her call and he was told to back off…
Saw that and had the same thought, can’t criticize her two weeks in a row.