Draw with Toronto ‘good point,’ Curtin says
The draw in soccer can be either inadequate or perfectly encapsulating. It can convey a game where nothing of importance happened, or one in which so very much occurred in opposing directions that the events sum to zero.
The Philadelphia Union’s trip to Toronto Saturday and the 1-1 tie it yielded aligned most closely to the second category, in a number of departments.
That’s how manager Jim Curtin ascended the podium at BMO Field simultaneously praising his team’s play in the first half and at least a little grateful that referee Ismail Elfath didn’t whistle a foul in the box in second-half stoppage time that easily could’ve awarded Toronto a penalty kick.
It’s how the Union can tout the chances they created while lamenting the opportunities they didn’t finish. And it’s how appreciation for gleaning a point from the home of one of the Eastern Conference’s top teams and disappointment at failure to gain the full three can fully mesh.
“All in all, a good point for us and a point that will go a long way in terms of pushing towards the playoffs,” Curtin said. “But still always disappointed to not take all three, once you have a lead.”
The Union (11-11-9, 42 points) overwhelmed the hosts in the first half, outshooting them 6-0 at the break and holding Toronto without a shot for the first 47 minutes. They capitalized in the 25th minute on Alejandro Bedoya’s first goal with the Union, an audacious chip with goalie Clint Irwin off his line.
Bedoya, playing in the No. 10 role for the first time with the Union as Tranquillo Barnetta’s knee precluded him traveling, was one of the Union’s brighter sparks, deservedly being rewarded with a scoreboard payoff.
“It was just one of the goals where, hey, I even surprised myself,” Bedoya said. “Fabian (Herbers) got the ball in the middle, he was able to turn and I was able to just say onside on the shoulder of the center back. When I got the ball, I was able to take a good touch, turn and I looked up and it was one of those where the angle wasn’t the best angle for me to just shoot straight, so I just went to the chip. It didn’t go to the back post in the corner, but it went it. It was a beauty.”
Herbers was credited with the assist, the rookie’s seventh of the season despite Saturday being only his 10th start. Herbers also accounted for half of the Union’s shots on goal with two, forcing superb saves from Irwin in the 7th and 45th minutes.
Toronto (13-8-9, 48 points) responded after the break, attacking in waves and finally equalizing through defender Justin Morrow in the 70th on a tight-angle shot that Andre Blake probably should’ve done better to keep out.
Then came the gamedefining moment in stoppage time — where, depending on your perspective, either CJ Sapong took out Jozy Altidore from behind or Altidore impeded and tripped Sapong in the area as they jousted for the ball.
Altidore’s position was clear, as he booted the ball high into the air, earning a yellow card for dissent and sharing his displeasure with Elfath. Curtin’s opinion was less concrete.
“I saw it one way,” Curtin said. “I actually thought CJ was in a position and (my coaching staff) all said I was crazy so they said it was a PK. I said, ‘They didn’t call it, so it wasn’t a PK.’ … But it doesn’t matter what I think on the last one because he didn’t call it, so we get a point out of it.”
“I just tried to get to the ball first, turn and shoot,” said Altidore, who rang a shot off the post in the 87th minute. “Sometimes in our league we have different calls that sometimes we don’t agree with.”
Fuzzy perspectives are apropos for a conference that features three teams tied atop the standings at 48 points each. Toronto, which clinched a playoff spot along with the two New York sides, holds the slight edge, having played one fewer game.
The Union, meanwhile, see the gap to the East’s seventh place team trimmed to six points, pending New England’s game with Columbus late Sunday. But they open their lead on Montreal, which lost to the Red Bulls, to four points for the fourth spot and the honor of hosting a playoff game (though the Impact have a game in hand Wednesday against San Jose).
“I thought overall it was a very strong performance from my guys,” Curtin said. “We are at the stage of the season where I rather win with a crappy performance than (tie with) a good one. But at the same time, a hard fought point, two very good teams going at it.”