Philadelphia Union 1 – Columbus Crew 3 – The Philly Soccer Page

Philadelphia Union 1 – Columbus Crew 3 – The Philly Soccer Page

Photo courtesy of Union Communications

On a night where Jim Curtin said his team had to be “perfect” to win against an impressive Columbus Crew side, the Boys in Blue were anything but. The Union’s lax defense allowed 3 goals to be scored against Andre Blake. A classic finish from Gazdag briefly equalized, but ultimately Philadelphia fell in another semifinal. Time to look at the ratings.

Player ratings:

Andrew Blake – 5

Three goals conceded. The first and third goals would be nice to have back as they all came from a deflection after Blake saved the first ball. The downside is that the Union defenders should have been more alert to the danger. Still, they managed one or two good saves. That’s certainly not why his team performed so poorly on the night.

Kai Wagner – 5

Not as committed as in previous games this season but still created chances. The Crew seemed to attack more down the right and middle than Kai’s team. Good ball to Uhre from a corner in the 15th minute that should have been a goal. Should have passed from FK in the 57th minute as the cross went in. Big block in the box in 2nd half stoppage time but that didn’t change the result.

Jacob Glesnes – 4

Not as good as the Norwegian defender’s recent performances. He hasn’t covered himself in glory in front of the firing squad that is the Crew’s first three forwards. He was slow to react to a few loose balls in the box, especially on the third Crew goal. He still found time to get some defensive stats, but couldn’t get anything done offensively either.

Jack Elliott – 4

Much like his fellow defenders, Elliot was caught flat-footed a few times, most notably on the Crew’s second goal. He made up for it late in the game with a great interception that prevented a goal but had no overall impact on the play on either side of the ball.

Nathan Harriel – 5

The young American was more of a focus in Columbus’ attack than some of the other Union defenders. Although he held his own for the most part, he was at fault for the 3rd Crew goal when he lost a header to Cucho. His pressure, however, led to the loss of possession that caused the Union’s only goal, even if he is not credited with the assist.


Leon Flat – 4

Flach has been consistent lately and that continued on Wednesday. Again tasked with playing the 6, he kept it simple and completed the majority of his passes while regaining possession a few times. That being said, his best role is the 8. His movements seem to leave gaps in the base of the diamond. Also, his passes aren’t as far-reaching as Martinez’s, which limits the team in attack. He CAN do it, but it’s not his best position.

Jack McGlynn – 4

He struggled to make his mark on the game. He can change games but couldn’t produce moments of magic on Wednesday. Plus, his inconsistency on defense showed again when he napped at the back post on the first goal (the downside is Blake allowed a tasty rebound for Rossi). It really feels like McGlynn shouldn’t be at the 8 when Flach is at the 6… just a thought.

Alejandro Bedoya – 5

Not much to tell, although The Captain Played 90 minutes and was only substituted in injury time. Contributed well to Adeniran getting a good chance towards the end of normal time. Few ball losses, often offside.

Daniel Gazdagi 7

On a night where Union were without Baribo, they needed something from Gazdag. He delivered with a nice little ball recovery, a dribble and a finish after a Crew defender lost possession (thanks Nate!). Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough as Union gave up the lead about 10 minutes later.

Mikael Uhre – 3

Didn’t do enough. Frankly, Uhre isn’t a “target forward” as Union’s system demands. He really shouldn’t be asked to do much other than take advantage of through balls. He ended up with one shot, a header from a tight angle straight into a Crew defender in the 15th minute.

Quinn Sullivan – 5

Sullivan is so good when he’s in his preferred position in midfield, but as a forward he struggles to impact the game in the same way. While he was the team’s leading scorer with 3 shots on goal, he only forced the Columbus goalie into a save once when he deflected a long-range shot off a Crew defender. Thankfully, he should be able to return to his preferred position this Sunday.

Substitute:

Sam Adeniran – 6

Lively after coming on, used his body well and took a good shot in the 87th minute. Goal coming (I can feel it). He’s still getting along with some of his teammates. But his early work on the field has similarities to Cory Burke, making him a potential super sub. He just needs to score the first goal and the rest will come.

Danley Jean Jacques – 6

Debut for the new Union player! In his 30 minutes or so in the number 6 position, Jean Jacques showed defensive tenacity and speed. There were some rough moments though, namely when he collided with Glesnes after flicking the ball back with a sombrero. I want to see how well he does with passes. He has big shoes to fill but it’s an exciting signing in a position that is needed. Danley clearly has potential.

Jesus Good – 6

Very aggressive after coming on. Won the ball back several times. Would have loved to have bounced it up for a typical set piece goal. Only Union player to be booked, despite only being on the field for about 30 minutes.

Olivier Mbaizo – N/A

There’s not much to say about a brief appearance as a substitute. He played far forward on the right and made perfect passes in the final third. Calm and composed. Didn’t make any major mistakes.

Jeremy Rafanello – N/A

Cameo appearance after coming on as a substitute for Bedoya.


Geiger counter: Armando Villareal – 10

From the referees’ point of view, the game was coincidentally much calmer and more even for an MLS referee team (and the opposition). In total, there were 17 fouls, 10 of which were on the Union side. Both teams received only one yellow card each.

Let’s face it: The Union isn’t afraid to get physical and play by the rules. Love it or hate it, it’s part of their identity. The Union has experienced heated games in the MLS, in part due to the behavior of some of their own players.

But shockingly, if the other team is not looking to upset their opponents, dive and generally try to send someone off And The referee doesn’t engage in such acting, the game actually resembles a football match and not a Broadway play. Everyone can just enjoy the football and doesn’t have to waste time criticizing the referee. Big compliments to Armando Villareal and his referee team. Enough of the tirade.

Player of the match: Diego Rossi

2 goals on the night for the Uruguayan striker. The first was an opportunistic diving header and the second a strong finish after a quick 1-2 that left three Union players helpless. Rossi’s effectiveness was on full display. He is now tied with LAFC’s Denis Bounaga as the top scorer in the Leagues Cup, both having scored 6 goals (Tai Baribo remains in 2nd place with 5 goals and can still win the Golden Boot!).

A little about Rossi:

After two seasons in the Turkish Süper Lig, the Crew signed Rossi last summer for a transfer fee of just over $5.5 million. He played a key role in last year’s Cup win and has now made 39 appearances/14 goals/16 assists in MLS.

Keep in mind that Rossi isn’t even Columbus’ record signing, he’s just a DP. The highest transfer fee of the Union (Mikael Uhre) costs a little less than half of what the crew paid for Rossi, $2.8 million. Uhre’s fee is also the lowest ever disclosed. “Record transfer for a club” accordingly Transfer market.

The Crew has now won two MLS Cups in four years, while the Union is still trying to overcome that hurdle.

Interpret these facts as you wish.

What’s next

The Boys in Blue will be looking to regroup and win this Sunday’s third-place match against Colorado Rapids at Subaru Park. A win would secure Philadelphia a spot in the 2025 CONCACAF Champions Cup. This will be the first time the Union and Rapids have met in competition outside of MLS. The last time the teams met, there were multiple red cards in a 2-1 win for Philly last season.

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