Union ties up second place in group
Ilsinho scores in 1-1 tie with Orlando City; Union face Group C runner-up
There was only so much to play for Monday night for the Philadelphia Union, in a game with Orlando City where both teams’ progress at the MLS Is Back tournament was already sealed.
And, for large stretches, they played like it. But the Union escaped with a 1-1 draw, thanks to six saves from Andre Blake, in finishing second in Group A.
The Union (2-1-2, 8 points) finish the group with a 2-0-1 record. They are even with Orlando City with 7 points, but the Lions win the group with a superior goal differential. That means the Union get the runner-up in Group C (Toronto FC, New England or D.C. United) while Orlando gets a thirdplace team.
“Overall, really proud of the group in terms of obviously advancing, picking up seven league points and going unbeaten in a very strong group,” manager Jim Curtin said. “Not a perfect night for us. We would’ve loved to have won and been the top of Group A but all things aside, I thought a fair result for the way things went.”
The Union went ahead in
the 68th minute with super sub Ilsinho scoring. But the lead barely two minutes, Mauricio Pereyra equalizing in the 70th.
The rest was left to Blake, who was outstanding again. He produced a stellar double save in the 50th minute, rushing off his line to smother an effort by Jhegson Mendez, then sprawled to pluck the follow up off the boot of Chris Mueller. He also produced a stellar save off an Antonio Carlos header three minutes before Ilsinho’s goal, pawing it off the bar.
“He’s been excellent,” Curtin said. “He’s been our sharpest player from the start of the
competition. You need that in knockout-type games. You need your goalkeeper to be going and to be hot. He’s playing at a really high level.”
“Every time I’m able to go out on the pitch and able to make saves, make plays to keep my team in the game, it’s always important for me,” Blake said. “If we don’t get scored on, it’s either we’re going to win the game or we’re going to tie the game. So every time I’m able to go out there and do my job, which is a team effort, I’m always happy for that.”
Ilsinho provided the offense. He replaced Sergio Santos, who managed 58 largely pedestrian minutes despite having the best chance of the first half in the 44th minute, saved by Pedro Gallese only for Brenden Aaronson to pop
a golden rebound wide of the post. Aaronson, hobbled by taking a knee to the back in the first half, was involved in the goal again. He slid a pass centrally to Alejandro Bedoya, who took a touch to suck in the outside back and spring Ilsinho on the overlap. That sliver of space was all the Brazilian needed to lash a shot from the right channel to the far post, beating Gallese.
“It’s so easy to link up with him,” Bedoya said of Ilsinho. “You see every time he comes in on the right side, we’re alwaysdangerous,combiningtogether and moving off the ball. Soccer sees soccer, and playing with him makes everything so simple. It makes it easier. … That’s his shot. You see it every time in training, just give it to him, he takes a touch and rips it low back post”
The Union twice felt a tinge of controversy, with Bedoya believing he was fouled in the buildup to the Orlando goal, before Pereyra beat his mark to head home Nani’s superb cross in the 70th. The Union also quibbled over a possible handball in the sixth minute of stoppage time, possibly catching the hand of Ruan on a clearance out of the box, but referee Rubiel Vazquez waved it away instantly. With it, the two teams atop the group shared the points.
“Overall, I thought two really good teams getting after it, a very physical game, a game where I would say both of us weren’t their sharpest in front of goal,” Curtin said. “But overall both played very good soccer during the course of the 90 minutes, on a very hot night.”