Union’s defense working with what it’s got

Philly’s 34 goals allowed 2nd most in Eastern Conference

CHESTER — The performance of the Philadelphia Union’s defense this season hasn’t exactly been a landmark success. Put in the proper context, though, it’s been somewhat remarkable.

Wednesday’s 3-1 win over New York was a fitting example. The defense didn’t attain its standard goal of posting a shutout thanks to a defensive lapse that allowed MLS scoring leader Bradley Wright-Phillips enough space to carve them open. Arguably, the Union’s back four rarely looked comfortable, relying on five saves from Zac MacMath — several of the spectacular variety — to bail them out.

But they got the job done, holding firm enough to see out the club’s first home win in four months.

Through the first half of the MLS season, that resilience has been the hallmark of the Union’s defense.

In absolute terms, they’ve been far too porous to win games consistently. The 34 goals the Union have conceded in 20 league games is the second most in the Eastern

Conference and double the total allowed by East leaders Sporting Kansas City.

Given the adversity the defense has faced this year, though, it could arguably be worse. The Union have trotted out eight different center back pairings, including eight novel twosomes in the last 11 league matches. For the last two months, injuries have prevented Austin Berry, the player brought in during the offseason under the guise of holding down a regular if not automatic role in the starting XI, from playing at all.

It’s a complete departure from last season, when the Union survived the entire season by utilizing just three center back pairings, using the same back four — that’s four defenders, not just two — for 25 of the 34 league games. (And that’s with the looming prospect of the Union successfully enticing Carlos Valdes to return to the States, with the Colombian being the star of a protracted transfer saga unfolding on two continents.)

Wednesday’s coupling of Maurice Edu and Ethan White did well enough to get a result, the defense hunkering down to ensure the club didn’t endure a repeat of Saturday’s squandering of a late two-goal lead.

The turnover in the back four has been just another obstacle to contend with.

“We’ve been interchanging all season, and for people to come in and step up and play different positions, that’s the focus,” said Ray Gaddis, who effectively muted New York’s Lloyd Sam Wednesday when shift- ed to left back. “And that’s been good. … You’ve just got to step up and play. We don’t get here by accident being a professional athlete. When your number is called upon, you have to step up and play.”

The latest contestant to step up has been Ethan White, acquired in the offseason from D.C. United. Through a combination of injuries and a permanent residence in John Hackworth’s doghouse, White only made his season debut against Colorado. Since, he’s turned in two solid outings, including 90 strong minutes against New York Wednesday.

“Ethan was a beast,” manager Jim Curitn said. “That’s two games in a row now. He has accepted the challenge, embraced it, and done extremely well.”

For White, stepping into the lineup hasn’t been much of a challenge, given how well the relationships forged on the training pitch have translated. In practice, there’s an incessant shuffling of personnel through drills and game situations that allows players to develop chemistry and iron out wrinkles in various combinations. The persistence of lineup juggling in games, then, hasn’t been much of an adjustment.

“I think the way we’ve gone about training, no matter who we put in there will do well,” White said. “I feel like we’re always a unit. You can put any pairing back there to do well, and as far as confidence, I think we believe we can beat any team. We had a rough start, but we’re putting it together. We’re scoring goals, now we just have to keep them out.”

The realities this season — of a coaching change, of a glut of injuries and suspensions plus a forced schedule crunch around a World Cup break — have forced the defense into some sub-optimal situations. But they’re coping with a shared mindset, on and off the field.

“That’s part of the game,” White said. “Players are going to come and go; players are going to get injured. But as often as we keep switching, we have a good bond on and off the field, and that transitions to games.”

“I just feel that everybody has the sense that they want to win,” Gaddis said. “Everybody’s bought in. Grind out any type of result by any means is the mindset.”

——— Union forward Zach Pfeffer continued his run of form with the United States Under-20 team, scoring Wednesday night in a 4-0 win over Bermuda in the NTC Invitational in Carson, Calif.

Pfeffer converted a penalty kick in the 39th minute and played 73 minutes for the U.S. squad in the second game of the three-game tournament. Downingtown native and Union Academy product Zack Steffen made two saves to earn the win over Bermuda.

In the opener Monday, Pfeffer came off the bench to spark a 2-1 comeback win over Chile, assisting on Andrija Novakovch’s opening goal and scoring the winner in the 73rd minute. Pfeffer and the U.S. wrap up the tournament Friday by taking on Australia.