The Philadelphia Union have tied Charlotte FC by a score of 0-0, extending their unbeaten streak on the road to a total of eight matches, which is now one behind tying the all-time record held by the 2013 Portland Timbers. This was the second clean sheet in a row by Philadelphia, and they will be happy with this, especially with the way that the defense has been playing earlier in the season.
Union Starting XI
The Union were returning to action for the first time since their 3-0 win against the New England Revolution, as the club was looking to turn their sole win into a winning streak. When looking at the Starting XI from the last match, Jim Curtin made a couple of changes for the Charlotte match, bringing in Quinn Sullivan and Jack McGlynn, along with switching Leon Flach’s position. With these changes, Curtin decided to go with a more attacking formation on the night, which will be an interesting thing to watch against a stingy Charlotte defense.
GK: Oliver Semmle;
RB: Nathan Harriel, CB: Jakob Glesnes, CB: Jack Elliott, LB: Kai Wagner;
CDM: Leon Flach,
RCM: Quinn Sullivan, LCM: Jack McGlynn,
CAM: Daniel Gazdag;
ST: Mikael Uhre, ST: Julian Carranza
Defensive Battle in Charlotte sees 0-0 draw
Coming into the match, one of the main talking points was the fact that Charlotte FC had gone four consecutive matches without conceding a goal. It was going to be interesting to see how Jim Curtin would set his lineup up, and we saw he went with more of an attacking lineup putting both Quinn Sullivan and Jack McGlynn in the midfield alongside Daniel Gazdag. This was a change from the match against New England, where Curtin went with a more defensive approach putting both Alejandro Bedoya and Leon Flach on the left and right side of the diamond.
But while Philly was able to develop some chances in the match, it was a match that would end in a deadlock of 0-0. The Union’s best chance of the night came in the 18th minute when Julian Carranza headed a ball to Gazdag, and the Hungarian had a point-blank shot, but Kahlina made the save. This opportunity would be one of the few for Philadelphia in the match in what was a high-quality defensive matchup. There were high-quality saves from both Oliver Semmle and Kristijan Kahlina to keep the match level, and it ended up staying 0-0 at the final whistle.
While some would be disappointed in this result, this is a well-earned away point for the Philadelphia Union. They were able to continue their undefeated streak on the road, which is now at eight matches, and were able to maintain a clean sheet while doing so. Of course, there are improvements to be made, but there were some positives in the match.
Three Positives from the Match
1) Leon Flach being healthy is huge for this club
Leon Flach returned from injury a few matches ago, and he has been an important piece for Jim Curtin’s side ever since. The 23-year-old has made four appearances on the year, starting in all four. Flach provides a presence for the Union midfield that they were truly missing and it is for sure great to see him back. He has put in top performances since making his return, and it is clear that the German is and will continue to be a big part of Jim Curtin’s plan for the remainder of the season.
2) Oliver Semmle had a big game
Due to the injuries of Andre Blake throughout the season, Oliver Semmle has been put into the starting spot more than Union supporters thought he would at the start of the year. But, Semmle has stepped up in a big way, being a pivotal piece throughout the year, especially in the last two matches. The Union has had two clean sheets, and Semmle has made some massive saves, especially in the match against Charlotte.
The biggest save in the match for Semmle came when Charlotte forward Liel Abada had a shot from just inside the box in the 88th minute. This was a crucial save in a crucial time, but it was not the only top save Semmle had on the night. Semmle has proven to be an elite signing for the Union and will continue to grow and develop as the season continues.
3) Two clean sheets in a row for the defense
One of the negatives throughout this Union season so far is the fact that the defense has been allowing more goals than what we are used to. Whether that be the fact that Andre Blake is hurt or the fact that there has been a lot of rotation with the center backs, clean sheets are something that has been rare for this club. Prior to the Charlotte match, the Union have had only two clean sheets throughout the Major League Soccer season (a 2-0 win over Minnesota United and a 3-0 win over the New England Revolution).
While the Charlotte attack has been nothing special this season, yet another clean sheet on the road would be a huge confidence booster for the Union, and that is exactly what happened. Jim Curtin went with the center back pairing of Jakob Glesnes and Jack Elliott once again, and Union fans saw what we knew the duo would do. It was yet another clean sheet for the duo, making it the third one that the duo has, which is also every clean sheet that the Union has in MLS play. All in all, clean sheets are something that Jim Curtin would want his Union squad to continue, and it for sure is promising that they got two in a row.
Up Next for the Union
The Union will be next in action on Wednesday, May 29, as the John Herdman-led Toronto FC will be making the trip down to Subaru Park. The Union will be looking to end their winless streak of four matches at home and play to the level that the supporters know they can. Toronto is currently in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with a total of 22 points in 15 matches played (7-1-7). Federico Bernardeschi and Prince Osei Owusu are joint top scorers for the Canadian club with 6 goals each. For more information about Toronto and Wednesday’s match, make sure to stay tuned to Philly Sports Network for the match preview.
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