Union edge Revs, reach MLS is Back quarters
Through a dour first half, through a start to the second in which they were on the back foot, the Philadelphia Union didn’t look that convincing in a cagey Round of 16 affair with the New England Revolution.
But as they have throughout the MLS Is Back tournament, the Union managed to get the job done.
Another resolute defensive performance backed by a still spectacular Andre Blake made Sergio Santos’s goal in the 63rd minute stand up as the Union advanced, 1-0.
“Overall, a very professional performance from the group,” manager Jim Curtin said. “Obviously an elimination game is something you don’t get very often; you either get in the MLS playoffs or the U.S. Open Cup. So to have an extra competition to have an elimination game is something that is important for our young players, important for our older players to experience. Overall, I think we handled it very well in terms of how we defended as a team over the course of 90
minutes.”
The win moves the Union to the quarterfinals, where they await the winner of Sporting Kansas City and Vancouver. That game is Sunday night at 11 p.m. The quarterfinal will be July 30 at 8 p.m. on ESPN.
The Union (2-1-2, 8 points) are undefeated in five games in all competitions (3-0-2). Knockoutround games in the tournament do not count for the MLS regular-season standings.
Santos’s goal came in the 63rd minute; is the fourth time in as many games that the Union have scored between the 61st and 70th minute. They also scored in the 63rd minute against New York City FC and Inter Miami.
The goal came against the run of play, but Santos made no mistake with the finish. Jamiro Monteiro popped a delightful ball over the top, with both Santos and Brendan Aaronson having unhooked the backline. Santos got onto it, took a touch down the left channel and rifled a rising shot across the face of goal that left Matt Turner no chance.
“I think we are looking for that space every minute,” Monteiro said. “Santos is a player that runs a lot and is looking for the space at the right moment. Finally, he found the moment and I gave a chip and he made a good run.”
It proved to be Santos’s final touch, replaced moments later by Ilsinho. The goal is Santos’s second of the season (including the games in March), the first Union player with multiple goals.
“Overall, really happy for him to get that goal,” Curtin said. “Maybe he was a little motivated because he saw Ilsinho up on the sidelines. He knew he probably only had one or two more runs in his legs, but really good finish on a good play and another good goal.”
It was one of only a handful of clear-cut chances for the Union. Santos spurned an arguably better chance in first half stoppage time, putting a shot wide after Monteiro’s feed beat two players. Kacper Przybylko was quiet, his best chance a header in the 22nd minute off a Monteiro corner that didn’t have much behind it and was straight at Turner to glove. Przybylko exited with cramping late, giving Andrew Wooten his tournament debut.
Most of the chances were at the other end of the pitch, the Revs holding an 18-12 edge in shots. The Union blocked five shots, and Blake repelled five. He has 21 saves in four matches. It’s his second clean sheet of the tournament after the Union had posted just two clean sheets in the previous 26 matches (playoffs included).
Blake smartly rushed off his line to get his fingertips to a Tajon Buchanan bid in the 35th, the first real chance for either side. Blake dove to paddle away a Gustavo Bou free kick in the 56th, and he made a snap save on a flashing Adam Buksa header off a Bou cross in the 72nd.
The Union needed that defensive mettle against a Revs team that has come light years in the last year under Bruce Arena. It was just 14 months ago that the Union thrashed the Revs, 6-1, at Talen Energy Stadium
May 4, leading to the firing of Brad Friedel and hiring of Arena. The Revs played without Spanish midfielder Carles Gil, the 2019 MLS Newcomer of the Year, thanks to a foot injury.
But even with that significant missing piece, the Union did enough defensive to move on.
“I think everyone’s excited for the quarterfinals,” defender Jack Elliott said. “You can see we’re playing well together and fighting for everything. I think there’s moments where we can be cleaner in these games, and obviously there’s some other factors to do with that. But at the end of the day, the fight within the team is always there, and I think at this point in the tournament, with the conditions we’re facing, that’s a pretty important factor to winning games here.”