Santos, Union set for Revs again
The Philadelphia Union’s chase for the Supporters’ Shield ended in a tweet Saturday afternoon.
The decision was made public by the Supporters’ Shield Foundation, which oversees the award enshrining fans’ impact on MLS, not to award the trophy to the top finisher in the regular season standings. A logically tenuous defense cited the unprecedented nature of 2020 … though not in terms of unbalanced scheduling or travel or lack of access to Canadian markets. Instead, it highlighted “the inability for supporters to be in attendance and fill the stadiums with their passion.” Without fans, by its reasoning, the results of the season an invalid.
The decision, so late in the season, hasn’t gone over well, particularly with the top two contenders.
Greg Vanney, the coach of league-leading Toronto FC, shared his displeasure with the TSN broadcast ahead of its game with Atlanta United Sunday night.
“My players are pissed,” Vanney said. “It’s a huge sign of disrespect for the players. It has arguably been the most difficult season in the history of our league where people have put their health at risk to play and put games on television for fans. This season has required a huge commitment from all teams – people were genuinely afraid for their health. It’s a disgraceful decision that delegitimizes the whole idea of the Shield in our opinion.
“Those who made the decision are like kids in the park who take the ball away when the game isn’t going their way. It’s childish and a symbol that they don’t know how sports operates.”
Alejandro Bedoya, captain of the Philadelphia Union who are three points behind TFC in the standings, seized on the argument via twitter.
“Agree. It’s always been an unbalanced schedule and our players have put their health on the line this year,” Bedoya tweeted. “Fans are still supporting their teams and more than some random committee which no one knew existed. Perhaps it’s time MLS casts the ‘ Supporters’ Shield into the shadows.”
The Shield has been awarded annually since 1996. Since 2012, it’s been overseen by the Supporters’ Shield Foundation, an offshoot of the Independent Supporters Council, which brings together members of the league’s fan groups.
“(The) 2020 season will always have an asterisk,” Bedoya continued. “Awarding it was never going to lessen its integrity. What supporters did they actually consult with in their decision? Timing of this is terrible.”
The Union (10-3-5, 35 points) are six points behind TFC (41) with five matches to play in the season, starting with Monday’s trip to New England
(7:30 p.m., PHL17). Toronto got a late winner over Atlanta in a 1-0 result ahead of next week’s trip to Chester. Columbus’s win over New York City FC Sunday moves them to 34 points.
It’s the fourth, and somehow not the last, meeting with the Revolution (7-4-7,
28 points). The Union beat New England, 1-0, in the Round of 16 in the MLS Is Back tournament thanks to a Sergio Santos goal. The teams restarted Phase 1 of the season at Foxborough Aug. 20 with a 0-0 draw, then the Union needed a stoppage-time winner by
Anthony Fontana to finish his brace at Subaru Park Sept. 21 to beat the 10-man Revs.
There has yet to be a first-half goal scored between them this year. And the Union still face the fifth-placed Revs, who are 4-1-2 in their last seven, on Decision Day in Chester Nov. 8.
The Union enter strapped in midfield. Jose Martinez is back in the country after not playing for Venezuela on international duty but is still awaiting clearance from COVID-19 protocols. Warren Creavalle has an ankle issue that rules him out. And Bedoya is sus
pended for yellow-card accumulation.
That leaves a gaping hole in central midfield and no natural occupant. The Union could hand Matej Oravec a debut. Or they could leverage their return to health at the back — Ray Gaddis (hamstring) and Jakob Glesnes (concussion) are both back — to go with five defenders.
One aid will be Cory Burke, who has trained all week and will be available from the bench. Burke hasn’t played in MLS since April 2019 due to immigration issues, returning last week and training fully this week.