Peachy Draw: Union Snatches a Sweet Share against Atlanta
A come from behind draw with a side of controversy keep the Union away from a victory.
Hello from Lincoln, Nebraska. I wasn't expecting to be writing this here, but it turns out that covering the game midday while two children under five are awake is pretty tough. Additionally, leaving for a work trip wasn't great timing.
So, long story short, apologies for the delay in writing this. But hey, it was cool to watch the Union, against all odds, find a way to claw back away from home.
Is it time to just get used to this feeling?
It seems like this Philadelphia team will be able to add "never counting them out" as part of their utility belt.
Ahead of the game, The Athletic reported on the upcoming mid-season changes to the roster, allowing teams to add more U-22 designation players due to them no longer being coupled with the Designated Player mechanism. When I asked Jim about this mid-season change and how he and the Union view it, he shared:
"The league has been really strategic and calculated in not going too much too fast, but also finding ways to improve the quality that is on the field. Increasing the spending, whatever you think, brings about a better league. I think you will see some changes for sure. Is it unique to do that in the middle of the season? Of course. You have to adapt and adjust; some plans have to shift and change. There will be some flexibility on how designations of players are tweaked a little bit. There are buyout options now, and there is a possibility of more Under-22 players.
How do you use them? Are we, maybe as a club - and this is just thinking out loud - a club that utilizes them on young American players as a strategy for us to secure them for a little while, and they just hit your cap at a much friendlier number for the length of that contract?
Strategically, a lot of internal discussions are going on... Our country has an opportunity to build towards a World Cup in 2026. You have Lionel Messi here, so you have a lot of eyes here. Let's maximize it. Teams are going to improve drastically, and they are going to improve quickly."
Potentially changes to come for many teams, though it's unlikely that the Union are one of them. I think it would be fair to say that people would like to be proven wrong.
Final thought before I dive into the game: I continue to be impressed with just how predictable the Union are and how opponents know this, yet still find it difficult to play against them.
Pineda also commented on the difficulties of playing against a physical Philadelphia side that is not afraid to play without too much possession:
"Philadelphia has shown, especially this year, that they don't need a lot of possession or a lot of chances. At any moment, a long throw or a second ball, and they can put the ball in the back of the net. A set piece, and they can score a goal. It is difficult; it is one of those games where we have to be really good on the ball. Managing the ball from side to side, through the middle, through the flanks, and moving it quickly so they can't control it for long periods of time."
Recognizable style of play but still difficult to engage and defeat.
Let’s get this rolling.
Here is how both teams lined up for the match in Atlanta:
The game went the way most Union games go: absorbing a ton of pressure, with some chances appearing that unfortunately are not put away.
The half unfortunately brought about an injury that, at this point, feels like it has never properly healed, with Andre injuring his quad/groin once again.
It did not seem obvious at first, but after taking this goal kick, it was quite obvious that the Jamaican International.
Fret not, but early signing of the season candidate, Oliver Semmle, was ready for the occasion, with the team going into the half with a scoreless draw, something that Jim Curtin would be very happy about, considering that the last time the Union won at the Mercedes-Benz stadium was 2021.
However, the second half was nowhere near as quiet.
The game became lopsided, with Atlanta drawing first blood through his goal in the 55th minute, after Glesnes and Lowe lost track of Daniel Rios.
Things got worse when Caleb Willey, an Olympic hopeful, took a shot from 25 yards plus away while also leveraging the wet artificial turf to skip the ball past Semmle.
Fortunately, or unfortunately if you are an Atlanta fan (what the hell are you doing reading this?), the Union capitalized on an unlikely mistake by the Georgia side.
Uhre, who is often criticized and rarely praised, went ahead and finished the ball that was gifted to him. Credit has to be given to Carranza, who kept the play alive on the other side of the field.
Here is where some of the controversy kicks in. At face value, this goal seems to not have a lot to it.
A throw-in, bounced around the 18-yard box, and then a tidy finish by Wagner. However, when you freeze the frame during the throw-in, is any part of that foot on the line? You be the judge.
Actually, your and my opinion don’t matter, so apologies for the pointless exercise of thinking about it.
The bigger controversy was yet to come, with a goal that was disallowed for offside, when, by all accounts of the angles, should have stood.
Oh no, it did not end there. With seconds left in the match, the Union had possession in their offensive third, but Jon Freemon had other ideas of how the match should end, blowing the whistle ahead of one last Union attack.
I had the opportunity to ask Curtin about this:
"They thought we were going to the corner and run the clock out, but a ball gets cut back and now our 10 (Gazdag) is at the top of the box with a couple of options to play. It is a mistake; the whistle should not have been blown."
Regardless of how it ended, it must be said, this Union team feels different from years past, where you can never truly count them out.
The team heads into a bye week, perfect timing considering Andre Blake and having just played on the artificial surface, something that Curtin and staff have been on record for its effect, taking more out of the players when they play on it.
Bonus:
Diego Rocio - Representing Mexico at the U-18 Level
After an impressive Generation Adidas Cup, Diego Rocio has been called up to represent Mexico at the U-18 level later this month.
During this window, the group will face off against Club Artesanos.
Congratulations, Diego.
CONCACAF Champions Cup Semifinal Schedule
CONCACAF has unveiled the Semifinals matchups for the Champions Cup. Monterrey is set to clash with the Columbus Crew on the following dates and times:
Monterrey at Columbus - April 24 - 8:15 P.M.
Columbus at Monterrey - May 1 - 10:15 P.M.
Once again, if Monterrey clinches the Champions Cup, the Philadelphia Union would punch their ticket to the Club World Cup and rake in a hefty sum of cash.
VAMOS RAYADOS!
Jay Sugarman to invest on bid for Aalborg of Denmark?
Per the financial publication Bloomberg, the Philadelphia Union are considering backing a bid for Danish Club Aalborg.
The Union are one of several potential backers of a potential transaction that is being put together by SSE22, a German-based company. As of today, SSE22 has a 20 percent stake in Aalborg with plans to increase that to 50.5%.
A Union spokesperson shared the following with Bloomberg: “We are always evaluating international opportunities and possible partnerships to expand our sporting bandwidth and expertise."
Currently, Richard Odada is on loan at Aalborg.
Video Courtesy: APPLE/MLS