Philadelphia Union
Blake stands tall in Union clean sheet victory
The Philadelphia Union extended their unbeaten streak to eight matches on Saturday night, earning a 2-0 win over CF Montréal. The Union goals came through Danley Jean Jacques and Cavan Sullivan, but the moment of the match was a second half penalty kick save by Union captain Andre Blake.
It was a cagey first half in Chester. The Union were on the back foot for the first ten minutes but grew into the game and created multiple chances that went begging. The Union went ahead after early in the second half when Jean Jacques pounced on a loose ball from a set piece. The Union almost let it slip moments later.
Neil Pierre fouled a player in the box, and referee Chris Penso awarded a penalty kick to the visitors. Montréal striker Prince Owusu stepped up to take the penalty. Andre Blake waited to dive, and with Owusu waiting for Blake to blink first, hit a soft
penalty down the middle of the goal that Blake stopped to preserve the Union’s 1-0 lead. The save preserved the Union’s momentum, and Cavan Sullivan doubled the lead only minutes later.
Andre Blake spoke to media postgame about his thought process on the big penalty save. “I was staring him down fairly late. I know that he can go either way,” Blake described, having done his research on Owusu before the match. “He’s a really good penalty taker. I just decided on this one that I’m going to wait for him to kick it before I move… Thankfully, I waited, and today was the day that he decided to go down the middle.”
Blake’s clutch stop earned a roar from the Union crowd, galvanizing the Union squad who looked to spark a counterattack almost immediately. “I don’t think the fans really understand how important they are, how much impact they actually have on us,” Blake said, giving the fans credit for showing out and creating an impressive atmosphere on Saturday. “It gives us
goosebumps, when we’re playing and [the stadium gets] loud, and they deserve it. Obviously, we have a part to play. We have to give them something to cheer for, and I’m happy that we’re able to do that right now. They’re doing their job, so hopefully we can keep going.”
Blake and the Union will hope to continue what is now an 8-match unbeaten streak in MLS. While there has been plenty of credit to go around, between Cavan Sullivan’s form, Ryan Richter in charge, and the return of Kai Wagner, Blake himself has now strung together a few strong performances. After an underwhelming first half from Blake and the rest of the Union back line, the team has found some defensive consistency in the second half, and with that, Blake has begun to find his footing again.
In the five matches since the Leagues Cup break, Blake has outperformed Expected Goals on Target (xGOT) in 4 out of 5 matches, performing particularly well at New York City FC to set the stage for a comeback and at Austin FC to preserve a point
with multiple late saves. His match against Montréal was the best of the lot, winning Man of the Match honors and setting the stage for Cavan Sullivan’s late insurance goal.
Sullivan spoke about Blake’s clutch performance after the match. “It was huge… That penalty save changes the game. Like the fans, I think he was the team’s MVP tonight.”
With how the season started, and considering the fact that Blake will be turning 36 in November, it was unknown if he would find the form that he once had when it felt as though he could keep the Union close in any game. With highly rated 20-year-old keeper Andrew Rick waiting in the ranks, the Union are no longer as reliant on Blake as they once were. Instead of turning the page after a rough first half, the Union now have what appears to be a revitalized Andre Blake on a red-hot team making a playoff push. If he can stay healthy, an experienced and in-form Blake could be crucial for a Union postseason run.
The Union are in action next on Wednesday at Subaru Park against FC Cincinnati. The match will be a crucial one for the Eastern Conference playoff picture. Ryan Richter will be facing off against Pat Noonan, the man who Richter replaced as assistant coach to Jim Curtin with the Union in 2022.
