Simpson’s score ensures draw with Swansea City
CHESTER » Jay Simpson apparently felt quite at home against British opposition Saturday night.
Simpson scored the only goal of the season half, earning the Philadelphia Union a 2-2 draw with English Premier League side Swansea City in an international friendly.
CJ Sapong scored in the first half, but the Swansea first unit produced goals via Jordan Ayew and Kyle Bartley to take the lead at halftime.
Simpson eradicated the deficit in the 58th minute, latching on to an Ilsinho through ball and dribbling one past the outstretched arm of goalkeeper Kristoffer Nordfeldt.
With the result, the Union are 5-6-2 alltime in in-season international friendlies. They are 1-5-2 against British opposition, drawing last summer with Crystal Palace. Their lone win against Premier League competition came against Everton in 2011.
The Union drew first blood via Sapong, who stepped to the penalty spot after Marcus Epps was felled in the area on a run set off by a smart Roland Alberg ball. Sapong continued his hot form by sending Nordfeldt the wrong way and firing home a low shot.
But the Swans responded. Moments after a pair of fine saves by Jake McGuire on a close-quarters shot by Ayew and a halfvolley from distance by Roque Mesa, Swansea broke through. The rebound to Mesa’s shot off a corner wasn’t dealt with, and hulking center back Bartley cleaned up the mess on the doorstep.
On another corner in the 40th, McGuire was indecisive coming off his line, and the ball fell to Ayew, who made no mistake, burying a shot from the middle of the area.
Charlie Davies, making his season debut, supplied the best chance of the second half outside of the goal when Nordfeldt beat away his header off an Ilsinho cross. Nordfeldt fisted away an Ilsinho drive in the 86th.
Young Scotsman Oli McBurnie posed a constant threat after halftime for Swansea, and his best chance was a roller with John McCarthy charging off his line and Josh Yaro covering the goal line that inched wide of the post on the hour mark.
The Union handed debuts to four players, including McGuire and Media native Auston Trusty. Rookie Aaron Jones took his bows with the Union off the bench, as did Academy player Anthony Fontana, who rifled an effort over goal just moments after entering. Davies and Brian Carroll each made their first appearances of the season.