Wooten’s late save shows Union’s selflessness

The modifiers that Jim Curtin chose Wednesday spoke volumes. By turns, he referred to the Philadelphia Union’s 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire as “chaotic,” “strange,” “an ugly game” and, in a more diplomatic moment, “unique.”

The array of descriptors still doesn’t capture the full picture, nor do they diminish the pride Curtin expressed in his team.

In one area, though, his word choice was unequivocal: No one anticipated at the beginning of the day that Curtin would reserve prime placement for praising Andrew Wooten’s defense.

That’s Wooten, the striker signed last June who in 23 MLS games (eight starts) doesn’t have a league goal. He did score in a MLS Is Back semifinal game, but otherwise has only five assists.

But on a set piece in stoppage time, with Joe Bendik freshly on the field for his team debut in place of the injured Andre Blake and the Union scrambling to hold off the desperate Fire, Wooten made the most impressive play of his Union tenure. His back to the field of play and his boot raised to shoulder height, with a pair of Fire players hovering, Wooten was all that stood between the Fire and an equalizer.

In a diabolic sequence that escapes the boxscore entirely – no shot recorded, no save – Wooten hooked the ball over his head and out of trouble inches from the line, saving two points at the most critical juncture of the season.

On a day where there was little to praise from a soccer sense, Wooten inspired exuberant plaudits from Curtin.

“I thought that Andrew coming into the game, almost the 86th, 87th minute, a striker can come into that kind of game with the wrong mindset and the wrong mentality and be frustrated that he wasn’t picked to play more minutes or wasn’t picked to start,” Curtin said. “But to Andrew’s credit, he’s worked very hard in every training session, in every game the he’s been called upon, whether it’s for a couple minutes or to start, (and) he gives everything. He’s exemplary of the group that no one’s bigger than the team, no one’s bigger than the badge. And for him to make the plays he does in the scramble there, wins us two points, to be honest.

“It was a crazy moment, but to be alert, to lay his body on the line like he did ... really proud of Andrew. He’s as much of an MVP on the night as anybody. A big play that won’t show up in the scorebook, but I’m really proud of his commitment to the group and his willingness to do anything.”

The Union (13-3-5, 44 points) are three points up on Toronto for the Supporters’ Shield with two matches to play. Given uneven scheduling, six teams remain alive for the Shield: Toronto with 41 points and two games left; Sporting Kansas City (36 points, 3 games); Seattle (35 points, 4 games); and Columbus and Portland (each with 35 points and three games left).

The Union control their destiny. One win in the last two games — a trip to Columbus Sunday, a home date with New England Nov. 8 — will clinch the Shield. At 2.1 points per game, the Union are well ahead of the teams in the West impacted by a raft of Colorado Rapids games that likely won’t be rescheduled, with MLS announcing Thursday a continency to use points per game, if all teams don’t complete a full 23 games.

The big-picture view is only possible thanks to contributions like Wooten’s, whose effort epitomizes the all-for-one approach.

“It shows that everyone’s ready to do what they need to do for the team to win,” Jack Elliott said. “It was a great goal-line clearance. … It shows that everyone is ready and willing to do whatever to get the three points. That’s what you need, for everyone to give their full effort in that.”

Elliott’s commentary is fitting, given Wednesday’s adjustments. When the Union learned late Tuesday that Jose Martinez had tested positive for COVID-19, Elliott was drafted into midfield for just the second time in his professional career.

The winning goal was scored by Cory Burke, who came on for an ineffective Sergio Santos and picked a fine time to re-open his account in his third game after 18 months away due to visa issues. The goal was set up by Olivier Mbaizo, a halftime sub when Ray Gaddis picked up a quad/hip knock.

“When I was coming into the game, the coach told me whenever the ball is on the far side, always try to be on the back post so when the ball is delivered, I could try to be there and score,” Burke said. “And that’s exactly what I did.”

Those top-to-bottom contributions are precisely what the Supporters’ Shield recognizes, rewarding the team with the most points in the multi-month slog of an MLS season. The 2020 season has been unlike any other. For someone like Wooten, from the dregs of the depth chart, to provide a play so out of his normal job description yet so pivotal to the team, there’s a certain beauty to it.

“Everyone’s contributing, and it’s a true team in the sense of the word that all 11 guys are selfless, are playing for each other, are playing for the badge,” Curtin said. “We don’t have any superstar that thinks they’re bigger than the team.”