Union Matchday 9 Preview: CanaDOOP Invasion

What a week for the Philadelphia Union. Two games and a ton of travel were on the cards for the boys in blue, but they seemed to be able to handle it. First came the away leg of the CCL quarterfinals against Atlas down in Guadalajara. This was not going to be an easy game in any regard. The big advantage that the Union had going into this game was the fact that they held Atlas scoreless in Chester as away goals are the big tiebreaker in CCL play. Atlas did go up in this game early, but the Union fought back and with some VAR assistance, tied the game up and took control of the tie.

Atlas went up in the game with a goal right before the end of the half. After that goal, Atlas threw everything they had at the Union, but this team had a bend but not break mentality. They kept holding and holding on until they were able to essentially ice the tie with a second goal and a VAR check from Julian Carranza. They were able to advance 3-2 on aggregate to face LAFC in the semifinals, which guarantees that for the second straight year, there will be an MLS side in the CCL final.

The second away game of the week saw the team travel to a surprisingly decent Chicago side. Given the rough battle in Guadalajara mid-week, it was tough to expect the team to truly come out of the gates swinging and it showed. The team went down 2-0 after fifty minutes and it felt like the team was starting to list a little bit. They finally woke up in the sixty-third minute after Daniel Gazdag converted the penalty. Then, with a nice bit of skill from Quinn Sullivan, Gazdag was able to head down a pass to Carranza who continued his hot form by slotting it home and securing the Union a tough point on the road in Chicago.

Philadelphia Union vs Toronto FC preview

After three road games in the span of a week, the Union is finally coming home for a couple of games, the first of which comes in league play. Little Italy FC, also known as Toronto FC, comes into Subaru Park to battle with our boys in blue. Let’s look at how Toronto is doing this season, a player to watch out for, and a prediction for this weekend’s matchup.

2023 MLS Season

Toronto did not have the season in 2022 that many thought they would when they had secured the signings of Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi. Between injuries and just poor defensive form, Toronto certainly disappointed many who had them finishing at least mid-table in the east. They finished thirteen in the east, finishing with a record of 9-18-7 for nine wins, eighteen losses, and seven draws. This was a very disappointing first season for Bob Bradley north of the border.

Coming into 2023, Toronto wanted to prioritize things in the back and make sure they were not going to be as exposed as they were in the 2022 season. They were able to convince Sean Johnson to sign, which absolutely bolstered the keeper position and seemed to give the fans a slight sense of confidence that they would not leak as many goals as they did previously. It’s been an interesting season so far for Toronto, neither bad nor good as far as the eye test can tell.

Through eight games, Toronto has a record of 1-1-6 for one win, one loss, and six draws which is good for ninth place in the east. The draws certainly stand out on the record as it seems that the team cannot really take the next step forward to win games, but they are doing enough to at least gain a point.

X-Factor

Looking at this Toronto roster, it’s pretty easy to see where the goals are coming from and who the player to watch out for is. As Will Farrell’s character in Kicking and Screaming would say, “Pass it to the Italians.” The player to watch out for is none other than Italian DP Federico Bernardeschi. A lot of news and hype was certainly made last season when he was signed away from Serie A and convinced to join an MLS side. He’s certainly been effective when he’s been able to stay on the field. Through eight games this season, he has three goals and three assists.

He can absolutely influence the game in multiple ways if given the time and space. The one thing that the Union absolutely cannot do is to give Bernardeschi a glorious set-piece opportunity. His ability to get the ball over the wall and under the crossbar rivals another Italian who graced the great white north, Sebastian Giovinco. Bernardeschi can also get into the dirty areas and force his way into a great chance in close. If the Union is to limit Toronto, it certainly starts with canceling Bernadeschi’s ability to put a stamp on the game.

Prediction

The Union is starting to play better than they were when they left home. While they lost against FC Cincinnati and drew against both Atlas and Chicago, I think that the team has looked better in each of those games than the scorelines dictate, especially in both the Atlas game and the Chicago game. The team absolutely wants to get going and gain some momentum before their massive midweek matchup against LAFC in the CCL semifinals.

If I were Bob Bradley, I would be concerned that Jim Curtin is going to want to unleash some offensive firepower on Toronto. It is going to be a good game as the matchups against Toronto usually are. The Union is starting to get things going and I don’t foresee it stopping in this game. Put me down for a 2-1 Union victory. Game time on Saturday is 7:30 pm.