Photo: Paul Rudderow

Union

The Union are still playing coy about whether or not Faryd Mondragon left the game because of a broken finger.

Reaction to the Union’s dispiriting loss on Saturday to Real Salt Lake from MLSsoccer.com, the Inquirer, the Salt Lake Tribune, RSL Soapbox, SB Nation, the Brotherly Game, the IllegitimateS, Buzz on Broad, SBI.

Somehow, Peter Nowak was able to say after Saturday’s game, “overall I think it was a good performance.” Perhaps he was talking about RSL?

Nowak said, “We’ve got to be smart and don’t look back…Everything is in front of us and we can control what we can control. We can control our destiny. How the games in front of us will be played.”

Sebastien Le Toux’s prescription for ending the Union’s slump? “It’s simple, we just have to win games. We have two games coming at home, one Wednesday and one Saturday—we just need wins. With every game that comes, we need to make the most of it.”

The Press of Atlantic City says “Nowak’s built-in conservatism is starting to show, and its manifestation couldn’t have come at a worse time for the team.”

Local

Harrisburg City Islanders lost to Orlando City on penalty kicks in Saturday night’s USL PRO championship. It was a crazy game. This City Islanders blogger reflects on the season.

With the 2–0 win over La Salle on Friday, University of Pennsylvania head coach Rudy Fuller recorded his 100th victory at the school.

Jenna Lindsay’s 20th minute goal in Drexel’s 4–1 win over Temple on Friday, her 21st for the team, set a new career goals school record for women’s soccer.

MLS

The holiday weekend was supposed to be an off-week, what with it being a FIFA international week, and the only reason RSL and the Union played was because the Union agreed to postpone the originally scheduled match when RSL was gunning for the CONCACAF Champions League title in April. How did RSL repay the Union’s generosity? By getting permission from US Soccer to delay Kyle Beckerman’s call-up for the USMNT to remain with RSL for the game. Jerks.

This guy at ESPN says that, on the whole, MLS is better than the SPL. He’s probably right.

An article at FIFA.com notes that MLS is becoming increasingly attractive to international stars.

Queens Park Rangers want to sign David Beckham after the end of the MLS season.

US

Jurgen Klinsmann wants more “nastiness” from the USMNT when they play Belgium on Tuesday.

Apparently the USMNT is “still a work in progress.” What’s the problem, two games aren’t enough time?

Brek Shea says, “I just don’t like normal haircuts.”