Philadelphia Union sink to new low with loss in Atlanta

In a battle of 0-3 teams where something had to give it was the Philadelphia Union defense that folded, conceding three goals to a previously mostly dormant Atlanta United attack on the recently installed natural grass at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

The 3-1 loss on Saturday put the Philadelphia Union in territory not even the teams of the early 2010s encountered, an 0-4 start that is the worst in team history.

The first 15 minutes looked like the pendulum might be swinging the other way as the Union forced a number of mistakes and had a few good looks in the early going. Atlanta’s big money men had looks of their own but the slippery pitch and the shaky defense of the hosts tilted in the visitors’ favor. Until it didn’t.

Emmanuel Latte Lath scored his first MLS goal since last July on a perfectly weighted through ball from Miguel Almirón and Atlanta was off and running. With the momentum shifted to the hosts they created multiple chances to stretch the lead but a silly foul from Elías Báez, who may have deserved more than a yellow for his punch to the back of Bruno Damiani’s head, gave the Union a lifeline in the 40th minute.

Milan Iloski stepped to the spot with the equalizer at his foot and was denied by the left post. An ample amount of stoppage time after a long video review of a Frankie Westfield shirt tug that was not ruled a penalty was still not enough for the Union to find an equalizer. The 1-0 lead was fortunate for the Union but it didn’t last long in the second half. Two minutes in Almiron carved apart the Union defense again with a pass to Tomás Jacob at the back post for the easy finish.

The Union finally started to see a way back into the game with the introduction of Alejandro Bedoya, Ezekiel Alladoh and Agustin Anello just before the hour mark but it was Lath and Almirón combining again on the counter and Alexey Miranchuk finishing off Almirón’s third assist of the match in the 68th minute.

The final 20 minutes of the match was a chance for the Union to get the proverbial monkey off their back of no goals from open play to start the season and it was Bedoya’s cross and Westfield’s header to Anello that created the long-awaited breakthrough. It was a bright moment in an otherwise frustrating game to watch, especially for an afternoon nationally televised contest on FOX.

The challenge will be greater still when the boys in blue travel to Mexico City ahead of the second leg of their Round of 16 Concacaf Champions League match-up with Club America on Wednesday night before a return home for another Saturday afternoon game. America only leads 1-0 so there’s plenty to play for in Mexico, if nothing else to prove a fanbase jaded by the early season returns that there are good reasons to continue tuning in.

Matthew Ralph

Matthew Ralph is the managing editor of Philadelphia Soccer Now. He's covered soccer at all levels for a decade in the Philadelphia region and has also written for TheCup.us, NPSL, PrepSoccer and other publications. He lives with his wife and two young children in Broomall, Pa., but grew up in South Jersey and is originally from Kansas.

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