Union down previously undefeated Minnesota, 2-0
Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images
The Philadelphia Union returned to a chilly Subaru Park fresh off their first MLS win of the season. Jim Curtin was finally able to put his strongest eleven back on the pitch also, the team returning to their 4-4-2 formation with Andre Blake in net.
Carrying the wave of momentum was going to be no easy task for the squad as the Union welcomed top of the Western Conference (10 points 3-1-0) Minnesota to the pitch. In a battle of undefeated teams, the Union finished the day on a high note and have now won two straight after starting 0-3-0.
The Union started strong, getting on the scoresheet first in the 16th minute. Daniel Gazdag, the man who was chatted about by his Hungarian international coach during the break, put Philadelphia ahead one nil off a set-piece delivery by Kai Wagner. The corner kick came out low yet managed to navigate through the traffic in the box like a wheelman on I76. The Hungarian number 10 found himself standing alone in the middle of the goal with the simple task of providing the final touch.
In the 41st minute, Andre Blake came up with probably his biggest of four stops, that being before he was substituted off in the 74th minute due to an apparent injury. Finnish striker Teemu Pukki received a pass inside the box along the right side. His right-footed shot was slated for the bottom left corner until Blake shot his right foot out and denied Minnesota from stealing momentum right before the halftime break.
In the 54th minute, Quinn Sullivan nearly doubled the Union lead with a strike for the highlight reel. Off another corner, the ball hopped off a foot and up into the air. Sullivan met the ball at the top of the eighteen with a right-footed side volley that took the paint off the top of the crossbar.
A diagonal switch of play in the 82nd minute brought some angst to the home supporters. The visitors finally put the ball in the back of the net after Glesnes’ tackle rolled the ball right to Oluwaseyi who chipped over Oliver Semmle. The offside flag was up before the goal celebration began and the home supporters in Chester, led by the Sons of Ben, could breathe easy soon after.
There seems to be no disputing that the Union are a different team with Julian Carranza on the pitch and in the 84th minute, the 23-year-old made his impact felt once again. Following a Minnesota substitution and a free kick restart from Semmle, Alejandro Bedoya flicked a header forward. Similar to Teemu Pukki’s attempt for Minnesota earlier, Carranza received the ball on the right side of the box. He made no mistake though as he buried his shot past Dayne St. Clair to secure three points and a second straight Union win.
The Philadelphia Union traveled to Nashville, Tennessee a week from today looking for their third straight win and second on the road. Nashville FC currently stands at 1-3-1 with six points on the year. Kickoff is at 8:30 PM EST from GEODIS Park.
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