Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Curtin says Toronto tie didn’t seem fit
For an early-season game between teams that played fairly inconsequential openers a week ago, Saturday’s matchup between the Philadelphia Union and Toronto FC seemed to have a little of everything.
There were penalties on both sides. There were injuries, controversial goals and a little testiness. And the balance of play led to a 2-2 draw that neither side was exactly pleased with. Still, with all the swings at a frigid Talen Energy Stadium in the Union’s home opener, the final ledger seemed about fair.
The Union got on the board first via Jay Simpson, his first MLS goal, then saw the English striker helped off the field minutes later with a rib contusion that sent him to the hospital.
When Toronto’s primary offensive weapon, Sebastian Giovinco, hobbled off in the 45th minute, the ensuing free kick induced a penalty call for the visitors — a borderline PK like the one that the Union couldn’t cash in minutes earlier.
Add in a quick restart goal for TFC pegged back by the Union within a matter of moments in the second half, and you had the hectic outcome that could only be summed by a point for each side.
But by halftime, with Simpson having opened his account and Alejandro Bedoya striking the crossbar on a penalty kick drawn by Fabian Herbers right on the edge of the area, the Union were rightly disappointed not to be ahead.
“I thought the first 45 minutes was some of the best soccer we’ve played in a while, maybe ever,” Curtin said. “So from that standpoint, happy with the group. Disappointing to go into halftime 1-1. It felt unjust, we’ll just call it that.”
The injustice was provided by a soft PK call by referee Mark Geiger. Jozy Alditore hit the deck under the light touch of Derrick Jones while the teams queued up on the edge of the box for Victor Vazquez’s free kick after Oguchi Onyewu left Giovinco with a leg contusion that ended his day. Curtailing the grabbing endemic on restarts is a significant area of focus for MLS officials this year, so Geiger pointed to the spot when Altidore went down.
“It’s not a penalty,” Curtin said. “It’s clear. We’ve seen the video now. Referees make mistakes. … The grabbing in the box is one where I think he seemed a little overanxious to call it. The ball is clipped to the back post. There’s no contact and Jozy goes down. I don’t think he gets touched.”
“I didn’t even see it,” Bedoya said. “But knowing (Altidore), he tends to go down easily in the box. So we’ll just leave it at that.”
Whatever Altidore’s penchant for simulation, he made no bones about the finish, sending Andre Blake the wrong way, something Bedoya failed to do on his spot-kick attempt.
The second of the “silly goals” that Curtin lamented again came off a restart, with the Union caught off guard when Michael Bradley clipped in a long free kick to the back post to wing back Justin Morrow. He collected, took an unsure touch but still slotted a shot under Blake before the defense could react, putting TFC ahead in the 71st.
“I’ll be the first to put my hand up,” Keegan Rosenberry said. “Obviously Morrow was on my side and we talk about all week being alert on set pieces and that’s something they succeed with. I’ll be the first to put my hand up and say I was to blame.”
But two minutes later, the teams were back on level terms courtesy of a delightful final pass from Fabian Herbers into the path of CJ Sapong, who collected, rounded goalkeeper Clint Irwin and coolly tapped it home. That strike capped a day where both Union strikers got on the board for the season, a significant milestone.
“It’s definitely very big,” Sapong said. “We’re a team this year (where) we have options everywhere, whether it’s on the field or on the bench. I think it’s heightened the competition in practice and personally to come in, maybe not expecting to be in the game so early . ... It’s a credit to my teammates for really keeping me in the game, and I had that one opportunity and was able to finish it.”
Overall, Curtin was happy with the process against last year’s Eastern Conference champs, but the result left him feeling unfulfilled.
“We give up a phantom penalty kick and falling asleep on a restart on the back post,” he said. “That part’s frustrating because we worked our tails off for 90 minutes and the two goals you give up, I don’t think they were great goals.” ••• Simpson’s 11thminute tally ended a string of 316 minutes since the Union’s last regular-season goal. They had gone 236 minutes since their last goal at Talen. … Simpson’s goal was assisted on by Chris Pontius and Haris Medunjanin, who played the long ball to Herbers that resulted in the PK. … Blake was tended to via the concussion protocol after a collision with Tosaint Ricketts just before the goal. Curtin was incensed afterward that only a foul was called there.