Philadelphia Union
Philly’s fragile defense faces severe test in Miami
With the World Cup approaching, the Philadelphia Union head to Miami to face a red-hot side. Searching for momentum, can the Union get back in the hunt before the break and keep Miami from the top of the East? Let’s break down the matchup.
Miami’s Scoring Frenzy Shows No Signs of Slowing
As a surprise to no one, Miami is on quite a scoring tear at the moment. 15 goals in five matches are highlighted with three straight wins for Angel Guillermo Hoyos’ side. Miami sits just two points behind Nashville in the Eastern Conference, and they would love to find themselves top of the table going into the World Cup break.
It’s easy to focus on Messi, leading the Golden Boot race with 12 goals, but his supporting cast is thriving too. Germán Berterame has five goals, and Luis Suárez has three, both key contributors as the team keeps scoring.
Additionally, fellow Argentine Rodrigo De Paul leads the MLS in big chances created with 12. The dangerous midfielder could cause issues for the Union, which struggles in those regions of the pitch. De Paul has three goals and four assists thus far.
On the defensive side of the ball, Miami has not been so lethal. While goals pour on up top, Inter Miami conceded 10 times in their last five matches. The addition of Dayne St. Clair from Minnesota helped with the vacancy left by Rocco Ríos Novo, but Miami has conceded the same number of goals as the Philadelphia Union this season.
On the back line, the absence of Jordi Alba poses problems, but the top-scoring team in the league remains unfazed. Each member of the most recent starting back four for Miami has a goal this season.
While the introduction to the Nu Stadium has not been a pleasant one, Miami finally found its first win there in recent weeks. Now that the struggles are over, the team will absolutely settle in and look to strike early against a struggling Union side.
Goals will not be an issue tonight. Miami leads the league in goals with 33 across all MLS matches.
Keys to Success
It is always a high-scoring affair when these two teams meet. With each team still working out defensive struggles, I believe this one will be more of the same. Miami and Philadelphia average 4.3 goals per game when they meet.
The offensive pedigree of Miami will be tough to match for Philly. This, matched with the continuous offensive struggles for the U, makes the perfect formula for Miami as they work to find form at Nu Stadium. Expect early pressure from Miami in an attempt to put this one to bed early.
Offense Improving, Results Not Following for Union
The Union continues to struggle, but they are finding improvements one painful moment at a time.
A draw against Columbus proved lackluster on the scoresheet, but this team continues to move the ball better than they were in the early stages of the season. However, the problem still lies with the results.
Chance after chance was left to the wayside, and the Boys in Blue continue to drop crucial points against teams within reaching distance in the Eastern Conference. Now, the U sit in dead last, with four points to the nearest team, and 10 points to the playoff line.
Now, enter Miami.
The Union struggled against the 305 across the board, and with Miami finding form just before the World Cup break, this tie might not prove to be any different.
Despite recent struggles, the Union scored in the last six meetings against Miami. With that, Milan Iloski continues to find form in an abysmal offense. Iloski has four goals and an assist on the season now; two of those goals came in the last two matches.
Adding to this, Cavan Sullivan picked up his first 90 minutes for the U against Columbus and looks to continue to provide for a side looking for any spark.
Defensively, Philippe Ossibadjouo returned to training this week and could provide support with Sery Larsen and Westfield out of the rotation until following the World Cup break. The Union will need all the help they can get behind the ball to try to grab some points on the road.
Keys to Success
Two factors play into Sunday night’s match. First, can the defense hold? Miami will have plenty of chances in the match, but the emphasis will be on keeping them from capitalizing. If the Union can minimize the chances and keep Miami off the board at the start, they could ease into the game enough to frustrate the side.
Second, can the Union capitalize on chances of its own? Offensively, they are looking better each match, but too many chances go to the wayside. If they can capitalize and make Miami uncomfortable, they could just sneak out of Nu Stadium with a point.
You can catch the match on FOX at 7 p.m.
