Short-handed Union look to extend their unbeaten streak against Red Bull

Following an abysmal midweek performance against bottom-of-the-table Toronto FC, the Philadelphia Union looks to bounce back against the New York Red Bulls tonight.

The Red Bulls take the trip to Chester for the second time in a month, falling to the Union in penalties at Subaru Park in the Leagues Cup Round of 16. After dropping four of their last five matches, the Red Bulls will be desperate for a win, sitting three points behind the playoff line in the Eastern Conference.

While every game is important down the stretch for the U, three points tonight is essential. Returning home empty-handed from Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat saw the Union dropping from second to fourth in the East, with the Columbus Crew and Atlanta United hot on their tail. In fact, the Union left a few things behind on their road trip, with the most important being all three of their defensive midfielders.

With Leon Flach’s potential season-ending injury and suspensions for the U’s pair of Venezuelan midfielders, Jose Martinez and Jesus Bueno, the Boys in Blue will look to their depth to pull together three points this weekend.

If you catch the Union match on national television, or your holiday weekend plans include a trip to Subaru Park, here are a few players to look out for in the Zolo’s squad.

First, keep an eye out for the homegrowns. Particularly Jack McGlynn, who continues to battle for minutes in a crowded midfield. This match will be a great chance for him to get quality minutes and a start for the club. McGlynn’s calming presence on the pitch is exemplified by his ability to control the game with the ball at his feet, and his distributive abilities are second to none for a player his age. Watch for long balls pinged to the wide positions where the wingbacks will reside or driven services from the wide areas into Daniel Gazdag, Mikael Uhre, and Julian Carranza.

Additionally, look out for 22-year-old Nathan Harriel on the back line. Although he trades minutes with Olivier Mbaizo, he is the more defensive of the two. With a lack of defensive support in the midfield, he will likely find his way into Curtin’s 11. However, do not let his defensive ability fool you. Harriel scored against Red Bull in the U’s last match, leaping above the back line on a corner to head away the Union’s only goal. While he has not always been perfect, he continues to grow in the game and mature into a quality piece in the Union backline, and he will most likely be involved in Sunday’s match.

Aside from the homegrowns, Alejandro Bedoya continues to build fitness and will be crucial to the match against Red Bull. Scoring twice in his first two matches returning from injury, he has continuously made an impact for the Boys in Blue when he is healthy, and the team rallies behind his leadership on the pitch. His fitness will prove decisive in the midfield, having to cover a lot of ground with the potential of a 3-5-2 in response to the lack of players available at the six.

However, a response to that could be Jack Elliott. Watch for the centerback to potentially shift to the midfield diamond to maintain the 4-4-2 formation. Elliott is no stranger to this position, playing the six before for the squad. Poised with the ball at his feet, Elliott would look more like a Haris Medunjanin, playing deep at the bottom of the diamond, but could secure things enough to stop the Red Bull attack and distribute to the forwards.

Finally, the Union faithful remain on Tai Baribo watch. The Israeli forward played for a few seconds (literally) in the U’s match against Monterrey in the Leagues Cup. Curtin explained that the healthy players on the squad are mostly fit, but Baribo’s entrance onto the pitch has been delayed to give him time to rest from his previous season. Hopefully, Baribo can cash in some solid minutes for the Boys in Blue this weekend against Red Bull.

The Union are 11 consecutive matches unbeaten against Red Bull and look to continue this trend on Sunday. Curtin even lit fuel under the metaphorical bonfire, saying after the Union’s last match against Red Bull, “Be a little humble. When you’re the little brother, and you get beat up a lot, know how to act.”

This was in response to Curtin’s frustrations with the actions and trash talk of the Red Bull’s side in their Leagues Cup match. This would undoubtedly motivate any team against a rival, so the Philadelphia Union must be at their best to come out on top and continue their streak against their “little brother.”

Kickoff is at 7:55 p.m. and you can watch at Subaru Park or on FS1, as this is a nationally televised match. The match will also be on Apple TV for free.