Bedoya’s second-half goal lifts Union to victory over NYCFC
Alejandro Bedoya scored in the 63rd minute and the Philadelphia Union defeated NYCFC 1-0 on Thursday in the MLS is Back tournament.
NYCFC goalkeeper Sean Johnson dove and got a hand on the ball but couldn’t keep Bedoya’s leftfooted strike out of the net after a scoreless first half.
The teams met on the second day of the monthlong tournament played without fans in attendance at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
Goalkeeper Andre Blake preserved Philadelphia’s first win of the season in the 86th minute when he dove to push away Brazilian forward Heber’s shot from the left side of the box.
Teams are divided into six groups for the opening stage of the World Cupstyle tournament, with results counting toward the regular season. FC Dallas was forced to withdraw after 10 players and a coach tested positive for COVID-19.
NYCFC finished atop the Eastern Conference last season. The team returned much of its roster, including midfielder Maxi Moralez, who led the league in assists last season with 20. Heber had 15 goals in 22 appearances with the team last season.
NYCFC lost both of its games played before the season was shut down on March 12. The team has yet to score a goal this season.
The Union, which had a loss and a draw to start the season, finished third in the East last year. Forward Kacper Przybylko, who led the Union with 15 goals last season, started.
Players for the Union wore jerseys with the names of people killed by police. Ray Gaddis wore the name Taylor for Breonna Taylor, a Black emergency medical technician who died after being shot eight times by Louisville, Kentucky, officers serving a narcotics search warrant in her apartment. Goalkeeper Blake wore Floyd, for George Floyd, a handcuffed Black man who died after a white Minneapolis police officer pressed his knee against Floyd’s neck for nearly eight minutes.
The group stage features early morning games to avoid the heat and humidity in Florida. The gametime temperature was 82 degrees with 88% humidity.
REVOLUTION 1, IMPACT 0 >> Gustavo Bou scored in the 56th minute to give New England the victory over Montreal in the MLS is Back tournament
Bou maneuvered atop the penalty area before a blast that goalkeeper Clement Diop couldn’t stop in the match played without fans at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World.
Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner preserved the victory in stoppage time with a big save on Ballou Tabla’s curling shot from distance.
Impact coach Thierry Henry, wearing a Black
Lives Matter T-shirt, kneeled for the first 8 minutes and 46 seconds of the game in honor of George Floyd.
NASHVILLE OUT OF MLS TOURNEY AFTER 9 PLAYERS TEST POSITIVE >> Nashville SC has withdrawn from Major League Soccer’s MLS is Back tournament after nine players tested positive for the coronavirus, the league announced.
Nashville is the second team to withdraw from the tournament. FC Dallas had to pull out after 10 players and a coach tested positive for COVID-19.
The World Cup-style tournament is being played at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports complex at Walt Disney World. Teams are sequestered in two resorts and subject to rigorous virus testing.
The group stage of the tournament, which opened Wednesday night with Orlando City’s 2-1 victory over Inter Miami, runs 16 consecutive days. The results of the preliminary round count toward the regular season.