Game Thread: Full Time Philadelphia Union 0 F.C. Cincinnati 1

FT: That’ll do it from Cincinnati. Union lose their fourth game of MLS play, and they’ll move onto CCL action on Wednesday.

90′ + 6′ No good on the corner, and that’s game.

90′ + 5′ Union corner kick

90′ + 3′ Santos looked a little too excited to score there, but the flag is up anyway.

90′ +2′ Elliott gives away a poor free kick by the corner flag.

90′ Five more minutes.

90′ Barreal coming off for Alvas Powell here in the dying moments.

88′ I don’t know what part of Gazdag’s foot that shot came off of, but it wasn’t the right part.

88′ I’ll be furious if Pat Noonan wins an MLS Cup before Jim Curtin

85′ Bedoya shoots through a crowd, but Celentano gets down just in time.

82′ Harriel rips a screamer at Celentano, but the former Indiana keeper is right in the path of the shot. Anywhere else, and that ball is tearing through the net into the supporters’ section.

78′ Jack McGlynn coming on for Olivier Mbaizo as the Union pushes offensively.

73′ Carranza can’t get to that ball as Sergio Santos and Ray Gaddis are sent in for cleanup.

70′ Julian Carranza is on for Martinez.

69′ Goal pt. 2. Acosta finishes the shot from the mark.

68′ Ok so it’s a penalty to Cincinnati? Maybe Unkel blew the whistle before the goal?

67′ VAR?

66′ There’s the goal for FCC. Vazquez nets that one after several rebounds.

62′ Cincinnati making some chances: Malik Pinto on for Marco Angulo

60′ Donovan off for Uhre, Sullivan off for Gazdag, and Bueno off for Bedoya

60′ Broadcast saying that Mikael Uhre, Daniel Gazdag, and Ale Bedoya are coming on.

59′ Cincinnati is really pushing here…

58′ Barreal’s strike is powerful but off-target.

58′ Miazga continues to complain as Glesnes gives up a free kick from just outside the area.

57′ Mbaizo plays hero there, clearing a very dangerous ball from a crowded box. Surely a SOG if he isn’t there.

55′ Andre Blake goal kick alert!!! (He rolled the ball to Elliott)

53′ Jesus Bueno almost scored there, but he needed to keep that one a little lower.

52′ Remember that hand thing that LAFC fans did at MLS Cup? Cincy fans are doing that, but worse.

51′ Non-contact for Martinez there. Looks like he could’ve tugged his groin stretching for the ball.

50′ Martinez is down on the ground as the camera cuts to Miazga sharing some choice words with the fourth official.

49′ Sullivan catches Miazga with his boot, but it looks like no discipline for the homegrown. Personally, that’s not a foul; Miazga drove his head into Sillivan’s cleat.

48′ That’s a yellow card to Mosquera, who I hadn’t heard of before tonight but have typed his name many, many times since.

46′ Hearing reports that there’s more soccer. Like, 45 minutes more.

Another halftime update: I’m still bad at MLS Fantasy.

Some halftime stats here: PHI-CIN

Shots: 3-3; SOG: 2-0; Possession: 26%-74%; Passes: 122-366

HT: That’s halftime from Cincinnati. 0-0 for the good guys. Despite the Union’s rotation, they have yet to allow a shot on goal to the hosts, and frankly, look good.

45′ + 2′ Brenner had a chance to take a massive lead there, but he can’t catch up to the ball.

45′ Jose Martinez: Dawg. The midfielder just stopped a counterattack by himself and then tried to chip Celentano.

44′ Mosquera just fired that ball out of his area into the crowd. Philly corner in the dying moments of regulation

42′ Celentano looks like he wants Donovan to score from a mistake

41′ Strong header from Elliott to clear the danger. Kick was briefly held up for a shoving match between Martinez and Matt Miazga.

39′ Elliott clears that one out of danger, but FCC is putting up some offensive effort right now. Foul a few seconds later for the Queen City 10 yards outside the penalty area.

37′ The press has looked great from Sullivan tonight, but he gives up a foul to FCC. Acosta looks ready to place this in the box.

35′ Celentano barely shakes Donovan in front of the goal, that could have been a massive mistake for FCC

31′ Flach just went down like he’d been shot in the back in a RomCom, but draws the foul anyway.

27′ Mosquera gets his free kick, back in Cincinnati’s defensive third. Philly’s looked good the last few minutes (knock on wood).

25′ It didn’t look like Mbaizo’s header from that corner was too close to net, but it forced a reaction from Roman Celentano.

24′ Quinn Sullivan earns a corner for the Union, he’s been active tonight.

21′ Mbaizo was just given a yellow card for his scuffle with Acosta.

21′ Olivier Mbaizo and Acosta are getting into it as Jesus Bueno is down behind the play. Drop ball for the Union coming out of the defensive end.

19′ Nothing came of the Cincinnati free kick, but Donovan just blitzed the FCC defense by himself. Nothing came of that either.

16′ Luciana Acosta just won a foul off of Jose Martinez just outside the penalty area…

14′ Nice defense there from Leon Flach, getting the ball out of the box and winning a throw.

12′ The broadcast just noted that the Union were controlling less than 30% of possession. They’ve never been a team with a heavy interest in possession, but still…

12′ Chris Donovan took a rip that certainly was deflected, but Unkel sides against the Union this time and gives a goal kick.

10′ Christian Mosquera is arguing that he was tripped up outside the box, but Ted Unkel is unconvinced.

6′ That’s Jack Elliott taking goal kicks as Andre Blake recovers from his injury.

5′ Cincinnati sends a ball down the left flank, but Brandon Vazquez can’t get there before the ball rolls out.

1′ And we’re off from TQL Stadium!

Lineups:

The Union debuted a three-center back formation for the first time in recent memory, as several reserve players made appearances in the Starting XI ahead of the team’s matchup against Atlas F.C.

Making some changes for tonight ⚡️

📝 https://t.co/RyIUS5j5wF#DOOP | #CINvPHI pic.twitter.com/Ei5f5mvp68

— PhilaUnion (@PhilaUnion) April 8, 2023

On the other side of the field, Cincinnati placed no former Union players in their starting formation.

Taking the pitch for #CINvPHI. pic.twitter.com/asNpczuSmf

— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) April 8, 2023

How To Watch:

Where: TQL Stadium; Cincinnati, Ohio

When: 7:37 p.m. on Saturday, April 8

Where to watch: MLS Season Pass

Officials:

Referee: Ted Unkel; AR1: Cory Richardson; AR2: Corey Rockwell; Fourth Official: Luis Arroyo; VAR: John Freemon; AVAR: Jozef Blatko