Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Pre-shutdown game in L.A. stirring memories for Curtin and Co.
Jim Curtin’s pitch for a 30-for-30 on the Union’s last trip to Los Angeles probably won’t get him a meeting any time soon. But it’s compelling nonetheless, at least for a niche audience.
It was March 8, 2020 when the Union last visited Banc of California Stadium. A Sunday night game kicking off at 11 p.m. Eastern on national television, the game brought all the attendant zaniness that MLS’ late-night TV windows tend to supply.
Three times the Union went ahead. Three times, LAFC, which had won the Supporters’ Shield in 2019, equalized.
Great names in Union history contributed. Jakob Glesnes scored a howitzer off a free kick from 40 yards, a highlight that would ricochet around the hollow space of the sports world that shut down just days later due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Brenden Aaronson delivered a star turn. Jose Martinez made his first appearance, with a busted lip after catching a stray cleat.
And the Union picked up their first point on the way to their first trophy, the 2020 Supporters’ Shield.
“I still love talking about this game,” Curtin said Wednesday, ahead of his
club’s Saturday night return engagement in the City of Angels. “It was a crazy game for a lot of reasons. It was really entertaining, it was national TV, it was a great LAFC team. But selfishly for us, we were newish and we still had a lot of unknowns.”
Two years later, the Union (5-1-3, 18 points) are atop the Eastern Conference. LAFC (7-1-1, 22 points) leads the West. If the last collision flew under the radar, this one is a meeting of powers. Curtin is fond of tracing much of that to that evening, magnified by the four-month wait for soccer afterward.
“It was certainly a big moment for us in our club’s history,” Curtin said. “Those little moments lead to bigger
moments, and I think we’re still a growing club, one that does things a little differently, one that a lot of people talk about now and that’s something we’re proud of. But you can go to that game and a lot of big things happened that night.”
Things have changed in both places, for sure. Bob Bradley is no longer at the helm of LAFC, replaced by former U.S. national team defender Steve Cherundolo. Carlos Vela remains in Los Angeles, though some of the designated players around him have been refreshed.
LAFC is still deadly with the ball. But as Curtin relayed this week, it’s also one of the best counter-attacking sides around. Last week’s 2-0 win over Minnesota was an example, LAFC simply swamping the Loons in possession and heading off to the races. Their m.o. has become to generate a bucketful of mostly low- to medium-quality chances in transition (23 shots, six on target last week) and count on their high-priced talent to bridge the gulf.
Saturday’s game is part of a difficult May stretch, beginning with a draw in Nashville. After LAFC, they fly directly to Orlando City for a midweek U.S. Open Cup clash. The Lions sit third in the Eastern Conference; second is New York Red Bulls, which visit Subaru Park next Saturday.
There’s no let up afterward, with a midweek date with Inter Miami in Chester, then a voyage to Portland and a visit to New England.
“It’s a busy schedule,” Curtin said. “It’s the fun part of the year where you’re basically playing, recovering and going again. It’s a good test for us early in the season. We won’t use it as an excuse. We’ll use it as a challenge.
“This is the first challenge that comes so far this year. In the past, we’ve done pretty well in these Wednesday games. It’s a challenge our squad has embraced, and when we do make a couple of chances, usually those guys step up in a big way.”