Win over D.C. ratchets confidence ever higher

CHESTER » The what of the matter was resolved quickly Saturday night. But the how left plenty of room for embellishment.

It wasn’t just that the Philadelphia Union beat a depleted D.C. United; it’s that they blitzed them with three goals in 21 minutes on the way to a 4-1 decision and a relatively easy night at the office.

A team that lost three starters since its last outing and that was without a halfdozen players tapped before the season as starters, D.C. didn’t figure to present the sternest challenge. But the flourish with which the Union trounced D.C. offered a window into how well the Union have been playing.

The one criticism of the Union (4-1-3, 15 points), quibbling as it may be, is that they haven’t scored goals in abundance. Thirteen goals in 10 games entering Saturday was a decent if unspectacular return, leaving Jim Curtin’s list of postgame critiques to frequently include a lament on final-third crispness.

On paper, a D.C. team forced to field a back-up goalie and its only three healthy defenders seemed a ready-made remedy. And the Union made it with the quickest three goals to start a match in franchise history, on the way to continuing a seven-game unbeaten run in the league (4-0-3).

The Union’s defense, which has kept four clean sheets and had a 263-minute shutout streak snapped, provided the platform for the offense to find its bearings and erupt.

“We took some risks, we kind of let things fly,” Curtin said. “And I have no doubt, when this team is defending as well as we have the last couple of games, the goals are going to come. They’re going to come in bunches, they’re going to come in waves, and we have some great attacking pieces.”

The recent wrinkle has been incorporating new faces to the attack. The finishing is still primarily the province of starting forward duo Kacper Przybylko and Sergio Santos. Przybylko, who went five games without a goal in what by his standards (and arguably only his standards) constitutes a drought, scored the only goal in Tuesday’s win over the New York Red Bulls. He parlayed the momentum with two goals and an assist Saturday. Santos added the third goal against D.C., his first marker in three games. The starting duo has accounted for nine of the 17 goals this season.

But the setups have varied. Tuesday’s goal was served up on a platter by right back Ray Gaddis, in a historically rare foray forward, just his 10th assist in eight pro seasons. Providers Saturday included Jose Martinez (with a slide-rule pass from deep in midfield to find Santos in open space down the left wing) and right back Olivier Mbaizo (a line-splitting ball to find Przybylko on Brenden Aaronson’s goal).

Those top-to-bottom contributions are indicative of a teamwide confidence. Curtin is leaning on the team’s depth with games every four days. Saturday, that meant resting Mark McKenzie and Gaddis for the first time all season. With reserve outside backs Mbaizo and Matt Real (after Kai Wagner exited injured), the team didn’t miss a beat.

“You could see guys tonight finding some really good pockets and turning and playing the next ball forward and there was always movement ahead of the ball, and that’s when we’re at our best,” Curtin said. “And then actually when we do turn the ball over, our counterpress was good tonight. A lot of good things to build on.”

The Union have two losses in 11 games in all competitions, and they’ve summarily repaired the liabilities leading to each. A draw and a loss in March was due to defensive shortcomings; in nine games since, they’ve conceded just six times. The loss to Portland

in the semifinals of the MLS Is Back tournament owed to the Union’s failure to break down a bunkered-in defense. The audacious passes and timely contributions from right backs and holding midfield in the last two games are a potent weapon against teams that sit back and defend.

“I think that the confidence is really high,” Aaronson said. “It’s the same in the locker room. Everybody’s confident. We’re getting plays right in the final third and we’re creating a lot of chances and we just have to keep going. (D.C.) kind of sat back tonight and we worked through that and got an early goal and that really helped us throughout the game. I think if we keep doing that and wearing teams out and scoring goals like we have, we can beat anyone in this league.”

With the shortened season and the general uncertainty in the era of COVID-19, each game’s importance in the standings is magnified. The Union face a challenging stretch. Wednesday’s trip to Columbus is a meeting of the East’s second- and third-place teams. A journey to Red Bull Arena follows before wrapping up Phase 1 by hosting New England.

With the unbeaten streak, not just in its length but in the breadth of its execution, the Union enter this run rightfully feeling good.

“We’re confident, and it also needs to be said, we’re good,” Curtin said. “We have a good team. I’d take our 11 against anyone in the league right now. Our group is that strong. When we go to our bench and there’s an injury, we don’t drop off that much. I’m really proud of the group. I like how we play. I like how we compete. I like that we’re not even happy after a 4-1 win in the locker room, so that’s the sign of a good team. It is a confident group right now.”