Union Battle to 1-1 Draw in Houston

The Philadelphia Union went to Shell Energy Stadium with a mixed lineup and a clear goal: make things tough for Houston and try to sneak out with a point or a win. The game was messy, physical, and full of stoppages, but the Union managed to hold on for a 1-1 draw after over 100 minutes of action.

The Union got on the board first in the 15th minute. Jakob Glesnes sent a long cross to the back post, putting Houston’s Griffin Dorsey in an awkward spot. He tried to chest the ball back to his goalie, but it fell short. Alejandro Bedoya was in the right spot to clean it up and score.

Right before halftime, in the 10th minute of added time, Jack McGlynn took a free kick that hit Jesús Bueno’s arm in the box. The ref gave a penalty, and McGlynn scored it against his old team to tie the game.

The game had a lot of back-and-forth moments, and both teams had chances. There were several fouls, video reviews, and even long delays that added over 10 minutes of extra time in both halves. It was hard for either team to keep a true rhythm.

Both teams had penalty shouts. In the first half, Houston thought they earned one after Rafanello challenged a Dynamo attacker in the box. The ref called it a foul, but after reviewing it, VAR showed Rafanello won the ball cleanly, so the call was reversed. In the second half, the Union thought they had won a penalty after Bruno Damiani was fouled in the box. The referee pointed to the spot, but after going to the monitor, he took it back. He said there was a foul by Nathan Harriel earlier in the play, claiming Harriel’s flailing arms made contact with a defender during a jumping motion. It was a soft and confusing call that even had the commentators questioning the decision.

Houston came very close to winning the match, hitting the post twice in the second half. The first chance came from a Griffin Dorsey header from a cross, and the other was a long shot from Junior Urso. The Union also lost Frankie Westfield late in the match after he got a red card for a head-nudge in a heated moment.

Players like Damiani and Bueno took a beating all night, and with this being the Union’s third match in a week, the team looked drained by the end. Even with a limited squad in the final stretches of the match, they stuck to their usual road strategy: defend hard, make it ugly, and steal a result.

Now with a week off, the Union can rest up and get ready for the next stretch. In their next match on Saturday, July 26th, the Union will host the Colorado Rapids. The match is an excellent opportunity for Philly to keep their unbeaten streak alive and bag a few goals against an inconsistent Rapids squad. It is also an opportunity for former Union fullback Keegan Rosenberry to make his return to Subaru Park, where he played 90 matches for the boys in blue. 

Key Stats

Houston had much more of the ball, holding 61% possession, while also boasting a slightly higher expected goals tally (1.70) compared to the Union’s (1.55). Both teams took about the same number of shots, with Houston taking 11 and the Union taking 12. However, Houston had three shots on target, while the Union only had two. Each team had big chances, but both sides missed multiple opportunities that could’ve changed the game. Houston’s two shots that hit the post were also key moments. Overall, in an even match, Houston edged the stats, but the scores remained level at 1-1.