Philadelphia Union lost 2-0 to Kansas City on Thursday night in the final match of a long road stretch that saw the expansion club play nine of their first 11 games away from home.
Center back Michael Orozco was sent off in the 42nd minute with his second yellow card on a tackle from behind, and that essentially sealed the fate of the Union, who were already down 2-0 at that point.
The Union came in with a very different starting lineup than usual. Right back Cristian Arrieta got benched, and center midfielder Kyle Nakazawa sat out as well. In their places, rookies Danny Mwanga and Amobi Okugo started. The tinkering didn’t work though. Mwanga went to the bench after Orozco’s ejection in favor of Arrieta, while Okugo gave way to Roger Torres in the 60th minute.
Overall, a rough game for the Union, but they now get a long break before hosting Seattle in the first match ever at PPL Park in Chester. Reading United will pay a visit on June 23, but other than that, it’s training and relaxing and readying for a real live series of home games.
(Photo: Philadelphia Union)
What a horror show.
It would be so easy to talk about the absolutely atrocious officiating in this game, particularly the clear penalty kick that should have been awarded when Moreno was mugged in the box. But doing so would be too easy.
Why not talk about how shite-like the Union looks defending counter attacks and set pieces – just like the US. I’m so used to the right side of the defense looking vulnerable that it was a shock to see two goals scored from the left. (The first one was undeniably a beauty, though.)
I was hoping to go into the World Cup break on a positive note but the Union, despite controlling possession for long periods of the match, seem unwilling to shoot when given half a chance.
“Join or Die” it says in Latin. What’s the Latin for “Win or Lose?”