Andre Blake saves day, Union win 4-3 on penalty kicks to advance to Leagues Cup semifinal
Courtesy of Philadelphia Union
The Philadelphia Union returned home to the banks of the Delaware River, fresh off their action-packed 4-2 win in Cincinnati, for the quarterfinals of Leagues Cup action Saturday night. The first time, and unexpected, foe visiting Subaru Park was sporting the crest of Liga MX squad Mazatlan FC. Mazatlan FC was a surprise foe for a few reasons, one of which was they advanced by defeating Liga MX powerhouse Cruz Azul 3-1 on penalties Tuesday night. The second reason is that they currently sit 17th out of 18 teams in Liga MX through four games of the first half of this season. To elaborate, Liga MX is broken down into two parts, the Torneo Apertura (July-Dec) and the Torneo Clausura (Jan-May), of which Mazatlan finished 10th & 14th last season.
Meanwhile, the Union have been red-hot at 5-0-1 since the return of goalkeeper Andre Blake from injury. Blake’s injury, as well as other factors, led to the squad from Philadelphia being winless in the ten games before his return.
Both visiting Victor Manuel Vucetich and Jim Curtin‘s squads are comfortable playing without the ball, so the Apple+ announcers made a point to tell us in the beginning that the first goal could be extremely crucial and both teams came out seeking it early.
Quinn Sullivan carried over his threatening ways from the last game when he jumped on a loose clearance on the right side and fired into the side netting for the opening chance for Philadelphia. The MX side got their first slight chance just a few minutes later off a quick throw-in when the ball found its way to Edgar Barcenas outside the eighteen on the left side. He caught the ball 3/4 of the way down off the bounce but pushed his shot a few feet wide of the post to Blake’s right. Both teams continued to press forward, though they were unable to hit the target until the 30th minute.
That is when Blake made his first shot-stopping contribution and he would make a few in quick succession after that. Left-back Alonso Escoboza picked the ball up at midfield before making a run all the way down the left-hand side. He was able to get just inside the edge of the 18 before firing low. Blake dropped down and used a strong left hand to push the ball to the top of the box where Leon Flach was there to clear away. Minutes later, Roberto Meraz fired from long distance straight into the Jamaican keeper’s arms, him controlling comfortably. Just moments after that, Facundo Almada found himself central at the top of the box but his low, left-foot shot was also straight at Andre Blake.
This game was surprisingly chippy, for a contest featuring two teams having never played before, even considering the squad from Mexico was leading the Leagues Cup in yellow cards with sixteen. In my opinion, a rather innocuous-looking play in the 31st minute changed the way the rest of this fixture played out. Fortunately, maybe not the result for Philadelphia.
Kai Wagner had the ball on the left in his defensive half when Bryan Colula closed him down. He played the ball around Colula and tried to run by him, plenty of players and 3/4 of the field to go in front of him. Colula grabbed him and took him down, giving the Union a free kick. Referee Selvin Brown went into his pocket and showed the first yellow card of the night and, in my opinion, setting off a string of rash decisions.
In the 39th minute, Mikkel Uhre tried to get to the end line on the right and won the Union a corner from the far side. Tai Baribo was being wrapped the whole time by Meraz as that resulting corner was cleared out for another corner, the next one set to come from the near side. Referee Brown had a talk with both Baribo and Meraz then, before Wagner could take the next corner, the whistle was blown and Baribo was shown a yellow card as Meraz went down. Replays show there was minimal contact between the two and the reason I mentioned thinking the 31st minute yellow changed things. In my opinion, the ref thought he needed to issue a card to the Union to try and get control of the game but it forced his hand just seconds later.
The clock got to halfway through the 41st minute as Wagner delivered the next corner in with his patented left foot. Tai Baribo tried to make a run across the six and ran into a player, I believe Meraz. It was headed out behind goal from the near post and the whistle went again. This time Selvin Brown showed a straight red to Baribo. After VAR interjected, Brown eventually rescinded the red card but, with the precedent having already been set, showed a second yellow to Baribo, resulting in a sending-off anyway. The hottest striker in MLS was now off for a full half and potentially out for the semifinals if the Union advanced. Strangely, for the third straight game, Mazatlan had an opponent sent off.
Down to ten men, the Union showed the resilience they have possessed lately and were able to find that all-important first goal in the form of Mikkel Uhre.
Facundo Almada made a poor pass in the attacking half that was picked off by Kai Wagner. He played off wide to Jack McGlynn on the left touchline. McGlynn played a fantastic ball down the line, a sprinting Uhre gathering and charging in on goal. He got about 2 yards from the end line and right at the edge of the six-yard box before cheekily chipping over an out-rushing Ricardo Gutierrez. The ball sweetly kissed the inside of the far post and 10-men Philadelphia had a one-nil lead going into the half.
Down a goal yet up a man, Manuel Vucetich brought on his first substitute at halftime, midfielder David Colman for defender Lucas Merolla, showing their intent to constantly attack. In spite of the changes, it was the Union who almost struck for their second right after half. Quinn Sullivan played a great ball with the outside of his boot into the channel down the center of the pitch for Uhre, who got onto it and closed down the goalkeeper. Gutierrez was able to get just enough of a touch as Uhre went around him to throw the striker off and the sequence never resulted in him getting a shot off.
In the 59th minute, Mazatlan was able to find their equalizer and it started off a Philly corner kick. Mazatlan defended the corner well and Brian Rubio was able to break out with the ball. He had plenty of green grass straight down the middle of the pitch and it forced Jakub Glesnes to grab him and take a yellow. The ensuing free kick was executed very well as the ball was played out wide right to Ramiro Arciga. His whipped-in cross was a thing of beauty that glided right to the center of the six-yard box. Escoboza was able to come onto it and meet it cleanly, directing it into the far corner, Blake frozen in place with nothing he could do.
Five minutes later, Jim Curtin subbed off Sullivan, Uhre, and Jack McGlynn for Alejandro Bedoya, Jesus Bueno, and Damion Lowe. The Union were going to defend their backsides off and figure it out from there. For twenty minutes, it seemed to be working great. That is when Blake decided to try and one-up his save-of-the-year candidate from earlier this week against Cincinnati.
Escobosa delivered an out-swinging corner into the middle of the box. Almada charged down the box and got the right side of his head to the ball. As visions of another late goal sinking the Union flashed, so did the right hand of Andre Blake. It shot up almost out of nowhere, palming Almada’s header up and off the underside of the crossbar. The ball was not cleared right away and the Union defenders had to throw their bodies in front of at least two more shots before the ball finally made its way out of play and the Union could exhale.
The first minute of stoppage time brought about a great moment, and an important substitution turned out when Jim Curtin went against what he had said prior to the game and brought on Jose Martinez. It is believed to be his send-off after 4 seasons with the Union, and his transfer to Brazilian club Corinthians is believed to be a done deal for roughly $2 million.
The final kick of regulation was a heart-stopping moment for the home faithful, a Mazatlan cross from the left wing creeping dangerously through Blake’s goalmouth before eventually rolling out of play and the Union had survived to get to penalty kicks.
Andre Blake chose to let Mazlatan shoot first in the penalty kicks and he made himself look very smart on the first shooter. Josue Coleman’s right-footed effort was stopped as Blake dove to his left and palmed it away with two hands. Jose Martinez stepped up and, in a parting gift to the home faithful, hammered his shot into the top left corner, Gutierrez diving to his right but having no chance at the height Martinez hit it. 1-0 Philadelphia.
Both Ramiro Arciga and Jack Elliott buried their shots to the right in round 2, Arciga having Blake going wrong while Elliott placed his with perfect power and precision in the corner, rolling it under Gutierrez. 2-1 Philadelphia
The third round saw Blake, again, dive to his left to deny Alan Torres and put the Union squarely in control for Jamaican teammate Damion Lowe. After some stutter steps, Gutierrez went to his right as Lowe rolled #3 into his right and a 3-1 Union lead.
Alonso Escobosa stepped up fourth for the Mexican side and, with ice in his veins, went down the middle as Blake dove to his right, unable to keep his trail leg back enough to make the save. Late-game sub Samuel Adeniran stepped to the spot with a chance to advance the Union but he pulled his left foot shot right across his body and off the post. It was not the most confident take and now, all of a sudden, the pressure and tension were building. 3-2 Philadelphia
The fifth and (possibly) final round brought Raul Camacho to center stage as Mazatlan’s last hope and he delivered, burying an almost identical strike into almost the same spot as Jose Martinez did in round 1. In a story that only the universe can write, Martinez’s potential replacement, 25-year-old Venezuelan Jesus Bueno, walked up with the game, and a spot to the semifinals, on his foot. He seemed almost disinterested as Gutierrez jumped and clapped around in goal. He deliberately made his approach to the ball, Gutierrez eventually diving to his right. Good news Union fans, Bueno went to his right, the ball rolling into the vacated goal. The celebration was on in Chester.
The Union will now travel to Lower.com Field in Columbus, OH to play the Crew Wednesday night at 7:30 PM EST in the semifinals of the Leagues Cup. The game is available on Apple TV+.
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