Photo: Earl Gardner

Philadelphia Union

Jim Curtin’s weekly press conference is scheduled to start today at 12:30 pm.

Curtin said of the Union featuring a starting lineup on Saturday that included three local players — John McCarthy, Zach Pfeffer, and Andrew Wenger, “To have three guys from Philadelphia starting and contributing in a big win was special to me. They all made an impact on the game, and you could see the love they got from our amazing fans.”

Pfeffer said, “I always say this is my hometown, this is my team, this is where I’ve grown up. I love this team, I love this city and I love these fans. It’s a great moment for us and hopefully there’s going to be many more.”

Vincent Nogueira received an honorable mention in MLSsoccer.com’s Team of the Week. Once a Metro has him on their Team of the Week.

At Delco Times, Matthew De George writes that Saturday’s win “bears the elusive promise of more to come.”

At Brotherly Game, Jared Young has a quick look at stats from Saturday’s win. More analysis at Vavel.

The Union has video of Eric Ayuk and Sebastien Le Toux discussing Ayuk’s instantly legendary celebration in Saturday’s game. I think I was so focused on thinking “Don’t hurt yourself!” when watching Ayuk that I missed Le Toux’s hilarious somersault at the end: “Eric, you know, does so much flip and I can’t do that.Me, I think it was instinct ti try to celebrate the goal with him, and I don’t know what I can do more to celebrate than to do a nice somersault like this. It’s my only gift as a gymnastic guy.”

The 700 Level points to some more video highlights from Saturday’s game.

Power rankings: At ESPN, the Union move up two spots to No. 18: “Instead of falling victim to late-game magic, the Union created some of their own.” Soccer America has the Union at No. 19: “It’s just one game but for a few hours all was right at PPL Park.” SI also has the Union at No. 19: “Philadelphia avoided the inglorious label of being the last MLS team to win a game with its scrappy stoppage-time win.” Same at SBI: “It was a scrappy effort, but that’s what it takes to win in MLS, something the Union will have to prove they can do going forward.” MLSGB has the Union at No. 18.

Union Academy

Union Academy defender Rayshaun McGann has been called up by the US U-15 MNT for the Tournament Delle Nazioni in Italy, April 21-May 2. You will recall the head coach of the US U-15s is former Union head coach John Hackworth.

MLS

Kansas City’s Ike Opara suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon on Saturday. The club says further details will be released soon, but it’s the kind of injury that could see him miss the rest of the season.

At SI, Brian Straus talks to NYRB sporting director Ali Curtis about his mission to “revamp” the Red Bulls.

US

The 23-player US roster for the 2015 Women’s World Cup will be announced today at 4:55 pm on Fox Sports 1.

Perry Kitchen has replaced former Union man Michael Orozco on the US roster for Wednesday’s friendly against Mexico. Orozco’s club team, Puebla in Liga MX, is in danger of being relegated.

At SI, Liviu Bird notes there should be plenty of opportunity in Wednesday’s friendly for young players to state their case.

Mexico head coach Miguel Herrera says his team will win on Wednesday.

Soccer America looks at how USA-Mexico games can make a break a coach’s career.

US Soccer Players has a Q&A with Aron Johannsson.

At the Washington Post, Steven Goff has a breakdown of the votes cast for the 2015 class of the National Soccer Hall of Fame.

Elsewhere

ESPN reports, “French Football League (LFP) president Frederic Thiriez has made a complaint to police after receiving death threats from alleged Bastia fans.”

At Vice Sports, Brian Blickenstaff has a fascinating read on Julius Hirsch, a popular and important member of the German national team in the 1910s who  happened to be Jewish and later died when being transported to Auschwitz.

Eduardo Galeano, the Uruguayan author of Football in Sun and Shadow (among other fine books), has passed away at the age of 74. More on Galleano from Soccer America and ProSoccerTalk.