Crew sloppy in taking first loss
Union 3, Crew SC 0
Crew SC was content playing to 1-0 results with the way its defense had been playing the first three games. The back line proved it was as formidable as any in Major League Soccer, rarely allowing a good ball into a dangerous area.
On Saturday night, the Philadelphia Union exposed an area in the Crew defense that the club will put an emphasis on in training this week.
The Crew was vulnerable in transition and the Union attacked it well enough to send it home with its first loss of the season, 3-0 at Talen Energy Stadium in Chester, Pennsylvania.
Turnovers had been a struggle for the Crew through the first three games, which had led to chances on the other end. But those chances had largely been harmless in creating quality shots on goal. The Union bucked that trend by moving out quickly in transition when the Crew couldn’t possess the ball.
“It’s something we knew they’d do,” coach Caleb Porter said. “Obviously, it starts with taking care of the ball and it ends with being better in defensive transition.”
It was a forgettable first start with his new club for goalkeeper Joe Bendik, but the defense in front of him didn’t give him much help.
The Union put strong pressure on the ball in all areas of the field in the first half to create its lead. It created turnovers and quickly got the ball into space to counter with numbers and speed.
In the 31st minute, Crew midfielder Federico Higuain flicked the ball behind him up the field to Patrick Mullins, who was well marked. The ball was sprung loose and the Union took off running.
It took three touches before the ball was at Fafa Picault’s feet, then played ahead to Accam, who beat Crew center back Jonathan Mensah down the field. Accam finished it off his left foot with a kiss off the right post for a 1-0 lead.
Just 10 minutes later, Accam gathered possession after he won the ball against center back Gaston Sauro, took a touch closer to the goal and fired it near post past Bendik for his second first-half goal.
By halftime, the Crew had more unsuccessful passes than it did the entire game against FC Dallas the previous week.
“When I look at the first four games, this is a tough pill to swallow,” Porter said. “We took one on the chin. But, you know, we’re going to stay processoriented and I’m not going to get emotional about it even though it doesn’t feel good.”
So far this game was an outlier for a team that has been about as solid as any in MLS. The Crew next plays Atlanta United on Saturday at Mapfre Stadium.
“We’re not happy about it, we’re not accepting it,” Porter said. “But I’m confident that we’ll go back to the training ground, we’ll correct the mistakes we made and we’ll be ready for Atlanta.”
jmyers@dispatch.com @Jacob_myers_25