The last time we spoke to Philadelphia Union midfielder Zach Pfeffer, the story was very different. After making an international appearance, the young american was looking forward to an entertaining season with the Union after the opening games. With 15 Games having flown by, we caught up with Zach to talk about his emphatic late winner against D.C United, the win over Columbus and how he’s feeling ahead of this weekend’s clash with New York City FC.
So Zach, first of all I just want to congratulate you on the recent win over Columbus, it must feel pretty good to get some revenge!
-Thank you very much! It felt great to get some revenge from our last meeting with Columbus. We wanted to make sure that we came out and put the game on our terms on our home field. We certainly did that, and definitely deserved the three points.
Since we last spoke you’ve had quite the journey including a 91st minute winner against D.C, just describe how that moment felt.
-Scoring the game-winning goal against DC in stoppage time was an incredible feeling. Those are the kinds of moments that we live for as professional athletes. I made sure to get myself in the box and in a good position to score, and I’m very happy that I was able to help our team grab three points at home!
Looking ahead to Saturday’s fixture against New York City FC, you go into the fixture unbeaten against the newcomers..what kind of game will the Union be playing?
-We really just need to continue doing what we have done in the last three to four games. We want to continue to keep clean sheets and creating many goal-scoring opportunities. Also, we’ve done a great job of pressuring the ball immediately after we lose it, and that’s resulted in many quality chances on goal. NYCFC is still a very dangerous team, but we are confident that we can get three points once again.
The Union now have three wins from four games and a place inside the play-off spots at the moment. What’s the feeling like in the locker room right now?
-Everyone is feeling very positive and confident right now. We are in a great place as a group and are playing some very attractive soccer. The goal now is to stay focused and keep our momentum going.
It’s been a rollercoaster of a season so far, how do you feel the season has been for you personally so far?
-I think it has been a very positive season for me so far. There have been some bumps in the road with the red card against FC Dallas and the late handball call against DC United. However, overall I am very happy with how the season has gone for me personally. I have played the most MLS games and minutes so far in my career, and have scored a couple of goals as well! The goal is keep it moving in the right direction!
Both yourself and the team have started to take some big strides in their game and it’s reflected in the recent results, what’s been the key in picking up 9 points from four games?
-I think the key has been focusing on putting everything together. From our defensive organization to our attack, and our transition game, we are starting to connect all the dots. We definitely felt a bit unlucky in a number of games earlier in the season, and it’s nice to finally have some luck and good results fall our way. I believe in making your own luck, and we have certainly done that over the last four games or so.
One more question before we let you go, you’ve played the struggling NYCFC twice this season, do you know what to expect now when they come to PPL Park and does that give you and the team an added boost when it comes to devising a game plan?
-Every game in MLS is always very difficult, and you have to earn the three points. No team will give you anything, and NYCFC is no exception. They are a team with a lot of quality individual players who can make plays. Even though results haven’t gone their way so far, they are still a very dangerous team, but we are more than ready and up for the task!
