West coast blues for the Philadelphia Union in San Jose

Welp, you can’t with them all.

It sure seemed like the Union would over the last stretch of games. For about two months no team could solve the Union in MLS league play, until late Saturday night that is. Playing on the west coast with the late 10:30 p.m. start time, the San Jose Earthquakes finally got the better of the Union, winning 2-1.

Jonathan Tannenwald of the Philadelphia Inquirer said it best after the match on Twitter.

“If you’re going to have a nine-game unbeaten run in regular-season games end, and if you’re going to lose to San Jose for the first time in a decade, lose to a golazo while playing good soccer.”

A golazo it was too from Miguel Trauco to take the lead in the 57th minute. After the two sides traded goals early on, the laser from Trauco would prove to be the difference. Blasting a shot from outside the box on the left-hand side, Andre Blake could only watch as the ball sailed past him into the right-hand corner. It was an unstoppable shot that was much better than Trauco’s previously long-shot goal against LAFC.

Miguel Trauco from wayyy out ☄️@SJEarthquakes are level in LA. pic.twitter.com/HPJNnIvfkf

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 21, 2023

Despite losing this one, it certainly was not a bad effort for the Union. They’ve had better, but they still manufactured a fair amount of chances. Unfortunately, the finishing was just not up to par tonight. For as red-hot as his current form is, the final touch was just not there for Julian Carranza tonight. There certainly are some opportunities he’d want back.

I don’t think that the loss itself should be a concern to fans. Quite frankly, it would be ridiculous to hit the panic button coming off of a nine-game unbeaten streak. The injury to Damian Lowe is definitely more of a storyline exiting this contest. His introduction to the lineup, and the subsequent switch to a 3-5-2 formation, has worked wonders for the Union.

Philadelphia was already going to have to figure it out without Lowe for a bit due to national team duties, but now you worry about extended absence due to the injury. The change to the 3-5-2 was done so out of necessity really due to the lack of midfielders, thanks to injury and national team duties. The formation provided the key difference for the squad as of late though, and breathed new, fresh life into Philadelphia soccer. Philadelphia does gain back the U-20s and hopefully Alejandro Bedoya soon.

Can they keep themselves from reverting back to the sluggish form seen earlier int he season?