Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Union

Philadelphia Union’s trip to Columbus never really got off the ground. Conceding inside the opening minutes, The Union were immediately forced into a reactive game against one of the league’s most composed sides, and it showed. The Crew controlled tempo, stretched the Union’s shape, and capitalized on mistakes—most notably a backbreaking own goal just before halftime that doubled the deficit. The Boys in Blue offered little in response, struggling to generate meaningful chances or sustained possession, and a late red card only underscored a frustrating, disjointed night in a 2–0 defeat. This team is brutal to watch. I would not have except I was tasked with this ratings. And here they are:

Player Ratings

GK Andre Blake — 5
Made a few important saves and wasn’t at fault for either goal. Kept it from getting worse. But the days of “Brick Wall Blake” saving the Union a point or three are looking like they are in the rear-view mirror. In the past, Blake saves the first goal nine times out of ten. Maybe this was just the tenth time, or maybe it is the beginning of the end.

LB Philippe Ndinga — 3                                                                                                            A challenging night defensively, as Columbus consistently found space down the flanks and forced him into difficult decisions, as evidenced on the first Columbus goal. Ndinga had trouble containing wide play and didn’t offer much going forward. When he did have the ball, his passing was safe but didn’t help relieve pressure. Still developing at this level, and this was a tough test against a side that exposed the margins.

CB Olwethu Makhanya — 5
He showed composure at times, stepping into challenges and trying to play out of the back, but Columbus’ movement consistently pulled the defensive line out of shape. While not directly responsible for either goal, Makhanya couldn’t fully steady things, and like the rest of the back line, spent too much of the night reacting instead of controlling. A performance with some promise, but still a learning night under heavy pressure.

CB Japhet Sery Larsen — 4
A rough night that unraveled late. Larsen had moments where he stepped in well and tried to deal with Columbus’ movement, but too often he looked a step behind as the Crew pulled the back line out of shape. Passing out of the back was inconsistent, and he never quite established control in his area. Looked shaky dealing with Columbus’ movement all night. His night ended badly with a stoppage-time red card. The card itself was debatable, but Larsen has no one to blame other than himself for being caught out like he was. 

RB Nathan Harriel — 4
A night he’ll want to forget. Already under pressure defensively, Harriel’s attempted intervention just before halftime turned into a crushing own goal that effectively killed the match. Beyond that moment, he struggled to deal with Columbus’ movement and didn’t offer much going forward. Effort was there, but execution wasn’t, and the decisive mistake loomed large. He did come closest to scoring when his cross hit the post.

DM Danley Jean Jacques — 5                                                                                              Brought energy and bite in midfield, but the game often passed around him rather than through him. He broke up a few sequences and tried to close down space, though Columbus’ movement made that a difficult task. On the ball, he was safe rather than progressive. A hardworking shift, but one that didn’t tilt the balance. Lucky to escape an earlier yellow in the Columbus box.

DM Jesús Bueno — 5
A quiet and somewhat anonymous performance. Bueno struggled to get on the ball in dangerous areas and rarely advanced play with purpose. Defensively, he put in the effort, but the midfield lacked cohesion and control, and he couldn’t provide the composure needed to slow Columbus down. His night ended early with an injury at the end of the first half.

AM Jeremy Rafanello — 5
Showed flashes, particularly on set pieces, but couldn’t consistently influence the run of play. Rafanello found pockets of space at times but lacked the final ball to make those moments count. Like much of the attack, he drifted in and out without ever fully imposing himself.

AM Cavan Sullivan — 5                                                                                                      Bright in spurts and willing to take responsibility, Sullivan had a few moments where he looked capable of unlocking something. But those moments were too few and too isolated. As the game wore on and the Union chased, his influence faded, and he couldn’t find the decisive pass or shot to change momentum.

FWD Milan Iloski — 4
Starved of service for most of the night, Iloski struggled to get involved in any meaningful way. When the ball did come his way, he couldn’t turn it into a clear chance. Movement was decent, but the connection with midfield never materialized. A frustrating outing with little to show.

FWD Bruno Damiani — 3
I wrote last time: “strikers gotta strike.” Isolated and ineffective. Created very little through the middle. It is time to end this experiment. Take the Lo$$ and move on.

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Substitutes

(45’+7) DM Jovan Lukic  — 5                                                                                            Helped stabilize midfield slightly but didn’t change the game.

(46′) LB Ben Bender — 6
Added some energy and willingness to shoot after coming on. The fact that Bender is ranked higher than any starter is a sad statement. But one I stand by.

(66′) AM Agustín Anello — 6                                                                                            Brought a bit of directness off the bench, something the Union sorely lacked for long stretches. He looked willing to take defenders on and push the pace, but the final product wasn’t there, and his involvement came too late to truly influence the match. Still, his energy stood out in a flat attacking performance.

(66′) AM Indiana Vassilev — 6                                                                                          Vassilev offered a more measured presence, trying to connect play and bring some structure in possession after coming on. He kept things tidy and showed good movement between the lines, but like much of the midfield on the night, he struggled to break down a well-organized Columbus side or create anything meaningful in the final third.

(84′) FWD Ezekial Alladoh — n/a                                                                                     Limited involvement after entering late.

Geiger Counter

REF LFilip Dujic — 6

Dujic had a relatively quiet night in Columbus, letting the match flow while still stepping in when needed. The Canadian official took a balanced approach, managing physical play without being overly whistle-happy .

That approach suited Columbus, who controlled possession and tempo, but it did little to help a Union side chasing the game and looking for calls to disrupt rhythm. Dujic ultimately kept things under control, though the late red card added a flashpoint on an otherwise routine officiating performance.

Player of the Match

Max Arfsten — scored an unassisted goal in the 4th minute and tormented the Union midfield and backline all game.

What’s Next…

The Union will face Nashville SC on Saturday, May 2nd at Subaru Park (7:30 p.m. ET / Apple TV).