Union look to slow down Ibrahimovic, Galaxy

CHESTER » The first question for Jim Curtin Friday morning after the Philadelphia Union’s training session unsurprisingly centered on two syllables that have struck fear in the hearts of soccer players the world over: Zlatan.

While the Union boss was quick to point out that the L.A. Galaxy pose a greater threat than just the 6-foot-4, 11-time league champion, Swedish talisman, it’s doubtful most of the sellout crowd will be there primarily to see anyone other than Ibrahimovic. And why not reach for a little hyperbole in describing a man who, in welcoming LeBron James to the Lakers this month, tweeted that Los Angeles now had a king to complement its presiding God?

“There’s no other guy you can kind of compare him to,” was how Curtin put it.

The conversation starts at Ibrahimovic, who has matched his superhuman presence with some pretty tidy soccer this season, scoring 11 times in 14 games. But it doesn’t end there. He’s complemented by Frenchman Romain Alessandrini and his constant threat bombing the wings, plus the Mexican World Cup duo of Giovani and Jonathan dos Santos. And with Ibrahimovic resting out West (to the dismay of 36,573 who trekked to Foxborough last week), former Union man Chris Pontius completed a brace in stoppage time to send the Galaxy past New England, 3-2.

So there’s more to measure up than just the only player