Philadelphia Union
Union losing streak stretches to six with 2-1 loss in Charlotte
A strong second half in the pouring rain still wasn’t enough for the Philadelphia Union to find their first points of the season in their return from the international break Saturday night at Bank of America Stadium.
The Union looked like they might finally get on the scoresheet early when Indiana Vassilev played a ball in behind to Milan Iloski in the 7th minute. Iloski shot the ball past Kristijan Kahlina but the offside flag was up and the Union attack stalled through much of the rest of the first half as Charlotte put the Union back line under pressure.
Jovan Lukic came up with a big block to deny Djibril Diani a chance in the 27th minute and Olwethu Makhanya did well to initially deny Idan Toklomati a chance in the box on a great entry ball from Pep Biel but Ashley Westwood came streaking into the box to hammer in the loose ball past Andre Blake and put the hosts in front 1-0 at the half hour mark.
Charlotte should’ve doubled their lead before halftime on a counter attack started from a poor pass from Lukic on an attempt to recycle play from a clearance off a Union corner. Andre Blake was able to deny Wilfried Zaha with his first of three saves after the Cotre d’Ivoire international was played into the box all alone with a feed from Kerwin Vargas.
Union head coach Bradley Carnell didn’t make any changes to start the second half but there was a noticeable change in the Union, which had generated a meager .05 xG in the first half.
After barely touching the ball in the first half, Bruno Damiani had a chance just go over the bar in the 50th minute off a well played ball from Iloski, Makhanya had some decent looks off three consecutive corner kicks and Danley Jean Jacques was much more active after a first half where he twice inexplicably passed the ball out of bounds.
Carnell shifted the formation with the introduction of Jesus Bueno for Ezekiel Alladoh in the 64th minute and shortly after coming on Bueno sent a ball into the box that found the feet of Iloski whose chance went right at Kahlina. Damiani had a headed chance off an Iloski cross in the 69th minute and Frankie Westfield created a shot for himself near the corner of the 18 that went over the bar in the 70th minute. Damiani flicked a throw from Westfield back to Bueno for another attempt that went right at Kahlina in the 74th minute.
Carnell went to his bench again in the 77th minute, inserting Cavan Sullivan into the lineup to replace Vassilev and seconds after entering the pitch his flick off a cross from Nathan Harriel found the feet of Jean Jacques in front of goal. A similar chance to the one that fell to Iloski, Jean Jacques got his chance past Kahlina to tie the game 1-1.
The joy on the faces of the Union players celebrating Jean Jacques’ strike quickly sunk to horror as Charlotte retook the lead off the ensuing kickoff with a finish from Zaha past Blake off a curling cross into the box from Biel. Charlotte’s 2-1 lead nearly stretched to 3-1 minutes later when Liel Abada broke through the defense but Blake was able to make a big stop to deny the Iraeli international and keep alive hope of a result.
Three more subs from Carnell – Stas Korzienowski, Malik Jakupovic and Philippe Ndinga – helped push the Union toward another equalizer but the 10 minutes of regulation and 9 minutes of stoppage time after the Zaha goal wasn’t enough time to find that illusive second goal they have yet to find through their first six games of the MLS season.
With Columbus Crew beating Atlanta United earlier in the evening, the Union remain the last winless team in MLS for the season and at 0-6 are already 16 points behind the Supporters’ Shield-leading LAFC, 13 points behind conference leaders Nashville and six points from 9th place New England Revolution.
