Winless Union fall to NYC FC, 2-0

CHESTER >> After a week of speculation as to his job status and dissection of his methods, Jim Curtin responded Friday night.

He fielded an attack-minded lineup on home turf. He opted for a true No. 10 in Roland Alberg, dropped Alejandro Bedoya to his more natural No. 8 role and shuffled the defensive deck just for good measure.

And the results … they didn’t seem to get the message.

Second-half goals by Jack Harrison and a wonder chip by David Villa did in the Philadelphia Union again, extending an interminable winless streak with a 2-0 decision at the hands of New York City FC.

The Union (0-4-2, 2 points) extended its franchise-long winless streak to 14 games, including the playoffs. They are winless in the first six games of a season for the first time in franchise history. It’s been 230 days since the Union’s last win Aug. 27 of last year, or if you’d prefer, since the Obama Administration.

At least the embattled Curtin showed himself amenable to change after nine players started each of the first five winless matches. Out went Oguchi Onyewu from a defense that allowed nine goals in five matches for Jack Elliott. In came Alberg as the No. 10, allowing the Union a more attacking posture at home. And Bedoya, his man bun and long locks shorn, was restored to his preferred, deeper-lying position in the formation.

The result yielded the superior team in the first half, but that attacking venom and success in the high press waned. The Union managed just two shots on target, all in the first half, and flailed going forward even when Curtin pressed for attacking subs in the second 45.

“Could we have been a little sharper when we turned them over in the first half? Yeah,” Curtin said. “We were actually able to pressure them and turn them over about 8 times in the first half, fairly close to their goal but couldn’t connect a final ball. We came up a little bit short there.”

The dagger came from a telltale defensive let-up in the 55th minute. Elliott and Keegan Rosenberry were caught ball-watching as Ronald Matarrita recovered possession on the wing and turned inside to split the center backs with a delightful ball right into the path of Harrison’s incisive run. The Englishman Harrison made no mistake on his second goal of the season.

Villa then provided a magnificent chip from 53 yards out in the 90th minute, volleying over a helpless Andre Blake in traffic for a spectacular, back-breaking goal.

“I didn’t see the keeper but I expected that he was out of the box,” Villa said. “I tried to score and you try all the time and today was perfect. … It was funny because I tried the last game against Philadelphia against this amazing keeper too. I put the ball against the crossbar. It was very difficult for me because it was a great shot. Today finally I got it.”

Moments later, a serenade of boos accompanied the final whistle.

The Union remain mired in their winless run despite some helpful signs. Bedoya was more dangerous with time and space deeper in midfield. Alberg provided a little spark, though he still looked rusty, and Blake had his strongest game in a while.

But the messaging remains largely unchanged. Curtin reasserted his belief in his group Friday, and the team is reciprocating. Curtin’s post-match press conference was less combative than resigned to the fact that the Union lack the incisive final element at either end of the field to pick up results.

“I think we still have a very strong group of guys,” Curtin said. “I think we have a great team. I believe in the group. I think we believe in the work we do each and every week. It’s going to take us sticking together and getting the results before any of the negativity around the team will stop. I think the guys recognize that. The only way we can get out of it is with a win.”

“I believe in everybody here in this group as well,” Bedoya said. “We have a talented group of guys, there’s no doubt about that. The situation we’re in, it sucks. We’re in a rut, things aren’t going our way, small margins.”

Sporting director Earnie Stewart, in an interview with ESPN FC Friday, publicly backed Curtin to remain in his job. The company line is that the only way to bail out of this nosedive is to keep the belief. Curtin doesn’t appear to have lost the locker room, and with the vote of confidence from above, it appears he’ll be given the time and space to escape this tailspin.

“I’m a big believer in that the important people in my life and in the organization still believe me,” Curtin said. “That’s where it starts. I’m happy to have that. I’m a guy who recognizes and is pretty self-aware of how tough the situation is. I don’t run or hide. I think I’ve always been up front and honest with everybody here.

“I know that it’s a tough time but I also know it’s a good team.”