Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Union
The Philadelphia Union’s home-opener did not go as planned, as the Union continued their disappointing start to the MLS season with a 2-1 loss to NYCFC. It was a heartbreaking night for the Boys in Blue, who fought their way back into the game after a rough first half, only to concede a red card and a winner in stoppage time.
It was never going to be easy to replace so many key players at once, but Bradley Carnell will now be on the clock to find solutions ahead of important games against San Jose and Club América next week.
First Half
The Union’s press seemed to create problems for City early on, but the away side grew into the game as the half progressed. NYCFC created a slew of chances starting in the 25th minute when Keaton Parks slipped a ball through to Agustin Ojeda, only for the Argentine to curl his shot off the post.
NYCFC found their breakthrough in the 36th minute, when Nicolas Fernández ran into the Union box down the left side. Although Andre Blake saved his close-range shot, he could only parry it into the path of a wide-open Hannes Wolf, who smashed the ball home from close range.
Second Half
The Union came out stronger in the second half, particularly after Ben Bender and Stas Korzeniowski entered the pitch in the 59th minute. Bender and Milan Iloski combined to flick Korzeniowski in behind in the 60th minute, only for Matt Freese to come up with a big save.
The Union had another big chance in the 66th minute when a chip from Danley bounced through some bodies to find Nathan Harriel in the box, but the defender could only sky his left-footed volley. The game was then stopped for several minutes of VAR review on a potential penalty on Jovan Lukic, but ultimately referee Chris Penso declined to award a penalty.
In the 75th minute a quick corner to Bender allowed the makeshift left-back to pick out the head of Korzeniowski, who flicked his header off the post.
The Union finally found their equalizer just before stoppage time, when Thiago Martins dragged down Korzeniowski in the box. This time Chris Penso pointed to the spot, and Indiana Vassilev calmly slotted home the penalty.
However, it wasn’t to be Philly’s night, as the Union repeatedly shot themselves in the foot during the ten minutes of stoppage time. First Olwethu Makhanya was sent off for a second yellow for dissent in the 92nd minute. Then, with just seconds left in the match, Tayvon Gray fought past his man to get his head on an Ojeda cross, firing past Blake for the match winner.
PSP’s Three Points
- More Discipline Needed. Two red cards for dissent in two weeks is a terrible look.
- Subs make a difference. There was a tangible increase in intensity after Bender and Korzeniowski entered the game in the second half. The pair were each involved in several chances for the Union, and could be important options off of Bradley Carnell’s depleted bench.
- Tunnel vision. There were several instances throughout the game where the Union attackers missed a chance to switch play to a wide-open player streaking down the opposite side.
Lineups
Philadelphia Union (4-2-2-2) Andre Blake; Nathan Harriel, Olwethu Makhanya, Japhet Sery, Frankie Westfield (Ben Bender – 59’); Jovan Lukic, Danley Jean Jacques; Indiana Vassilev (Geiner Martinez – 94’), Augustin Anello (Stas Korzeniowski – 59’); Milan Iloski (Cavan Sullivan – 83’), Bruno Damiani (Sal Olivas – 83’)
Unused Substitutes: Andrew Rick, Jeremy Rafanello, Jesus Bueno, Alejandro Bedoya
NYCFC (4-3-3): Matthew Freese; Raul Gustavo, Thiago Martins, Kevin O’Toole, Tayvon Gray; Keaton Parks, Aiden O’Neill (Kai Trewin – 83’), Maxi Morález (Seymour Reid – 74’); Agustin Ojeda, Hannes Wolf (Andrew Baiera – 83’), Nicolas Fernández (Talles Magno – 90’)
Unused Substitutes: Nico Cavallo, Maxi Carrizo, Strahinja Tanasijevic, Jonathan Shore, Tomas Romero
Scoring Summary:
NYCFC: Hannes Wolf – 36’
PHI: Indiana Vassilev – 89’ Pen.
NYCFC: Tayvon Gray – 90’+9’
Disciplinary Summary:
NYCFC: Tayvon Gray (Yellow – Foul) – 20’
PHI: Olwethu Makhanya (Yellow – Foul) – 23′
NYCFC: Aiden O-Neill (Yellow – Foul) – 39
PHI: Olwethu Makhanya (Second Yellow – Dissent) – 90’+2’
PHI: Japhet Sery (Yellow – Foul) – 90’+5’
Can’t imagine how empty the stadium will be when the schedule changes.
Chris Penso proves two wrongs can make a right with his penalty decisions.
Alladoh and Makhanya. Both sent off for dissent in the same week, costing their teams 6 points. A solvable problem, but a childish problem to have in the first place.
You can’t justify in any way to me sending this Anello guy out there in front of Cavan Sullivan. Vassilev too but he’s a Carnell guy with ‘work rate’ and he gets alot of touches and sometimes good shit happens (though he picked the wrong pass on a couple attacks IMO —->) but not the other guy on the other side. He brings nothing at this point for my eye. CSullivan picked the defensive lock in 90 seconds when he came on.
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Big defending trouble otherwise. I’m not even going to mention the DUNDERHEADED center back who fucked his team tonight. Many people blaming Penso on that one don’t seem to blame the player for being on a yellow already. Immature. And about that CB. Man he needs to get a whole lot better. Trots around too much for me…
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Numerical superiorities every where on the field for New York. Lukic definitely better then Bueno.
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All in all when your entire identity is based on rest defense (because you cannot possess the ball) and counter-the counter attacking counter attack transition… and the timing of that is a mess, it is ugly and mindbending. Meanwhile a 17 year old kid with 2 gols and 2 assists this week sits the bench.
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Penso gave them a PK gift after who knows what on that first VAR. Proving it to be no less subjective then not having VAR at all…man I do not favor VAR.
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Credit to Bender for injecting life into the team. What gives with people filing out so early? Cold on the river I guess.
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Finally…when two guys 5’3” tall are the best players on the field it makes me wish if only our best US athletes played soccer. I mean what we need are more Nathaniel Harriel types. Apologies. But it is true too.
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How long til an investor group relaunches USL Philadelphia Atoms?
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Can we all agree that Damiani sucks?
Stas Korzeniowski was awesome. Had an immediate impact.
Cavan had no impact whatsoever despite what el Pachyderm says!
Incorrect. Unfortunately the player (can’t remember who) fumblefucked it.
Very ugly…
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Last season, the Union were able to control the midfield battle, but in both games this year, DC and NYC were able to play through midfield or over midfield often enough to take the bite out of the Union’s press.
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It’s a hard style of soccer to find joy in watching…
The 5’3 but imagine if we had “our best athletes” thing is funny. Have you considered that their shape is an advantage and the shape of the typical NBA/NFL player would be a disadvantage in most parts of a soccer game? It’s an endurance and balance sport.
Broad St.
That is the point of the comment, yes.
Piece of shit game by a piece of shit team. You can say all you want about new faces, but 9 of the 11 starters had regular minutes last season with all but Iloski who came midseason having at least 1700 minutes and all but Blake and Iloski playing at least 25 regular season games. It’s a team that overperformed last year and appears to be sinking back to 2024 levels this year. You’re not a very good team when Ben Bender is your best field player like he was tonight.
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While Chris Penso is a horrible ref, he was not the decisive factor in this game. He should have given the Union at least 2 more yellow cards for stopping (or trying to stop) promising attacks. He also needs to learn that when a player goes down with a potential head injury, he needs to blow the whistle right away and not wait until the team with the ball turns it over.
Welcome Back ?
Rough match.
Gonna be a long season.
Need better from Damiani.
Need to teach discipline to the back line.
Onwards.