Union fall despite 22 shots, fail to clinch Shield

Sunday afternoon in Columbus, a goalie from a CONCACAF nation stole a result in a game involving the Philadelphia Union.

That story isn’t new. But what side of the ledger the Union found themselves on was.

With Andre Blake missing his first game with a hand injury, Columbus goalie Eloy Rooms too don his head to deny the Union, helping the Crew eke out a 2- 1 decision in the penultimate game of the season.

Goals by Artur and Krisztian Nemeth cancelled out Jamiro Monteiro’s penalty kick in the 57th minute, the only way through the Union found despite 22 shots, nine on target. That was because of Room’s eight saves, the Curacao keeper turning in several sensational stops to deny the Union.

“A night where we created a lot of chances, had a lot of opportunities against a good Columbus team,” manager Jim Curtin said. “… It wasn’t our night. Their goalkeeper made a bunch of key saves. Again, proud of the effort of our players, I thought we played a really good game and a lot of positives to take the performance.”

The loss leaves the Union ( 134- 5, 44 points) waiting to clinch a first trophy. A win over Columbus ( 11- 5- 5, 38 points) would’ve all but done that. Both Toronto and Seattle are alive with games late Sunday. If the Union win next Sunday’s home date with New England, no one can catch them.

The juxtaposition of Room’s brilliance with what the Union missed was a poignant subtext. Blake will have surgery on a hand fracture Monday, Curtin said, inserting a pin in hopes it will cut his recovery time to two to three weeks, in time for the postseason.

Joe Bendik’s performance underscored Blake’s value. Artur scored his second goal of the season in the 37th, a well- placed if not spectacularly powerful shot that beat Bendik low to his right. The main culprit there was a failed clearance, then the Union’s inability to get pressure to the Brazilian at the top of the box.

Bendik certainly could’ve done more on Nemeth’s 84th- minute winner. Luis Diaz’s cross looped from the right wing into the six- yard box. Bendik stayed stapled to his line, Nemeth drifted away from Jakub Glesnes and Bendik was prone on the ground by the time Nemeth struck the first goal of his third MLS stint.

Despite the concessions, Curtin refused to point fingers. Had he, they would’ve been directed at the other end of the field.

“Joe did his job,” Curtin said. “I think he kicked the ball well. I thought he organized the backline well, made some saves. Obviously we didn’t give up a ton of chances. The chances were few and far between. I think we gave up three shots on goal. Overall, Joe did a good job for us and was solid on the night.”

“Everybody knows how good Andre is and how important he is for the team,” Monteiro said. “But the same for Joe. He’s also a very good goalkeeper. Nothing changed about it. We just did the same thing. For us, Joe is the same as Andre. We just need to finish our chances in the game and do better and we didn’t defend very good on the ball. This is nothing on Joe.”

Bendik started for the first time since July 17, 2019, when he played for the Crew. He went 0- 6- 1 that season before Room was acquired after the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Bendik was traded to Philadelphia as veteran cover. Bendik’s last MLS win was May 6, 2018 for Orlando City. He’s 0- 20- 2 in 22 starts since.

“Andre’s amazing. He’s had an unbelievable year,” Bendik said. “He’s been a backbone of the Union for as long as I can remember. Having to step in for him is big, but at the end of the day, I’m just here to help us get three points. Unfortunately, on the night, we had a lot of the chances and we couldn’t quite capitalize.”

There were more than enough chances to yield more than one goal. The goal didn’t even come from the run of play, with Jonathan Mensah clipping Sergio Santos on a clumsy though not malicious challenge, giving the Union their second penalty kick in as many games. Monteiro calmly slotted home his fourth goal of the season.

But that was it. Room was on from the start, with a loose Mensah back pass falling to Kacper Przybylko in the eighth minute and the goalie alert to sprawl and save. Olivier Mbaizo, starting at right back after Ray Gaddis’s hip passed fit but the veteran suffered back spasms, sidefooted a shot deflected off the post by Room in the 28th, the Cameroonian sneaking into the box.

Przybylko one- timed off the post in the 48th. Jack Elliott, starting again in central midfield, tested Room with a high shot in the 51st and a one- timer that Room dived for in the 58th. Sub Cory Burke had a shot snuffed in the box in the 82nd. But the capper came in the 89th, Room leaping to paw a powerful Przybylko header, off Kai Wagner’s cross, over the bar.

In isolation, the way the Union played against the East’s thirdplace team wasn’t disappointing. But at the business end of the season and the objective of a first trophy so clear, the perception can change. It doesn’t, though, inside the locker room.

“The guys were frustrated for sure,” Curtin said. “We wanted to get a result today. I thought we played well enough to get a result. I think if we play that way, we’ll win most games in this league and throughout the playoff. I’m still happy with the performance. The chances we created is a good thing, but some days, other teams’ goalkeepers make three or four or five great saves to preserve a win.”