Philadelphia Union
Iloski hat trick leads Philadelphia Union to win over Orlando
A short-handed Philadelphia Union team depleted by the international break did little to slow their momentum as leading goal scorer Milan Iloski had a hat trick and Indiana Vassilev had a goal and two assists in a 4-2 win over Orlando City.
Missing five starters to international duty – Danley Jean Jacques, Cavan Sullivan, Frankie Westfield, Andre Blake and Neil Pierre – interim head coach Ryan Richter puzzle pieced together a lineup with only one real surprise: the left foot dominant Ben Bender at right back. The Nathan Harriel-captained squad that lined up to face Antoine Griezmann and company, however, was still a strong group that came out with a contagious energy from the opening whistle.
The Union had an early break go their way in the 4th minute when Japhet Sery Larsen had a potential handball in the box on a blocked shot from Martin Ojeda. Referee Sergii Demianchuk held up play for video review to take a look but to Larsen and the Union’s relief play continued and 7 minutes later Demianchuk was at the center of the play again whistling for a penalty in the box on Eduard Atuesta for a foul on Iloski.
Iloski stepped to the spot to make it 1-0 with his fourth penalty kick of the year (out of 5 attempts).
The goal seemed to only up the pressure as the Union continued to push for another goal and pin Orlando into their own side of the field. Vassilev had a couple cracks at the goal, one saved and the other blocked before his pass in behind on a quick counter started by a steal from Nathan Harriel set Iloski up for his second. Iloski raced into the box and was able to hit the ball past Maxime Crépeau.
One-way traffic for the Union continued for the rest of the half but the score held at 2-0 going into the break.
Vassilev tacked on the third goal just after halftime when he was left alone on the left side of the box and hit home after a darting run and pass from Jesus Bueno. Vassilev was involved in the build-up once again before finding Iloski in space from 25 yards out, where he was able to beat Crepeau from distance to complete his hat trick and record his 16th of the year.
With the game out of reach, Orlando was able to finally muster a response. Griezmann fed Ivan Angulo in the box with a crafty pass off a free kick in the 78th and dummied a pass in the box from Harvey Sarajian that fell to Ojeda for the finish in the 90th but it wasn’t enough to put a dent in the Union setting a franchise record for 12 games without a loss.
Entering the match, the concern was that the streak might end be in danger because of five starters missing but the win over a fellow playoff contender instead showed that the momentum that has taken over since the World Cup break reboot is not just about the youth prospects helping drive the headlines (Cavan, Neil and Frankie), the first active Union player to feature in a World Cup or the veteran goalkeeper (Blake) but about a team that has fully bought into a system that believes they are unbeatable.
