Thanks to Tai Baribo’s 7th goal in his last 8 games, the Philadelphia Union have won their 3rd consecutive game and have opened their Leagues Cup campaign on a high-note after defeating Charlotte FC by a score of 1-0.
The 3rd straight win, all of which coming at home for the U, is capped off by a clean sheet, fireworks on the Delaware River, and some drama in the capo stands. Let’s take a look back at the action from Union’s win against Charlotte FC on Saturday night.
Philadelphia Union vs Charlotte FC: Starting XI
There was a new face in Union’s starting XI on Saturday night, as newly acquired Sam Adeniran made his first start in Blue and Gold against Charlotte FC in the opening game of Philadelphia’s Leagues Cup campaign. There weren’t too many other surprises in Union’s 4-4-2 diamond though, as Jim Curtin had most of his squad at his disposal. Here’s how Union lined-up to face Charlotte on Saturday night
GK: Andre Blake
RB: Olivier Mbaizo, CB: Jakob Glesnes, CB: Jack Elliott, LB: Kai Wagner
CDM: Jose Martinez
RCM: Quinn Sullivan, LCM: Ale Bedoya
CAM: Daniel Gazdag
ST: Sam Adeniran, ST: Tai Baribo
1st Half Highlights
Jose Martinez gets an Early Yellow
Before the match could even kick-off, Liga MX referee, Marco Nava presented a yellow card to Union’s Jose Martinez. At the time, it was really difficult to wrap your head around why a player would be given a yellow-card while the starting line-ups were still being announced, but it seems as though the yellow card was in relation to some jewellery that members of the Union were wearing.
My guess is that Jose Martinez‘ yellow card has more to do with something that was said than something that was being worn. After Jose’s yellow card, Kai Wagner also made his way to the sideline pre-kickoff in order to take off rings he was wearing. Something kind of bizarre that I hadn’t seen before. But Jose did extremely well playing the full 90 minutes with a yellow card caution.
Tai Baribo opens the scoring
Union only mustered 1 shot on target through the opening 45 minutes of play, but it was the only shot they’d need to break the deadlock and win the game.
In the 33rd minute of the match, Sam Adeniran carried the ball into the penalty area and laid It off to his right for Daniel Gazdag to run onto. Gazdag’s first touch took him toward the end-line, and with his second he was able to play a ball back across the face of the net, finding an un-marked Tai Baribo. Baribo struck the ball with his right foot on the first touch, slotting it in the back of the net and giving Union a 1-0 lead.
The goal marked Baribo’s 7th tally in his last 8 games, after barely seeing the pitch for the better part of the last year.
Adeniran almost opens his account
Just 7 minutes after his goal gave Union a 1-0 lead, Tai Baribo played a beautiful ball through Charlotte’s back-line that sent Sam Adeniran in alone against CFC’s keeper, Kristijan Kahlina. Adeniran tried to use his left foot to chip the ball around the on-rushing Kahlina, but Adeniran’s attempt skipped just wide of the right post.
2nd Half Highlights
Andre Blake Stones Agyemang
Just minutes into the 2nd half and down 1-0, Charlotte found what was likely their best chance of the game through Patrick Agyemang. Agyemang was sent a long-ball over the top, which put him behind Union’s backline and heading towards net. Jack Elliott made a terrific recovery run which forced Agyemang to cut the ball back to his left, and ultimately having his shot on net muffled and deflected out for a corner.
Union extend their lead, but it’s waved offside
Union thought they had sealed the deal in the 88th minute when a corner skipped through the box untouched and found its way into the far side-netting. The assistant referee didn’t waste much time before lifting his flag and calling the goal offside, which ended up being the correct call at the end of the day.
The overturned goal wouldn’t matter though, as Union were able to hold on and secure a 1-0 win at home in an important opening game of the Leagues Cup group stage. It’s the 3rd consecutive win for Union – all of which have come at home – and it’s the 3rd time in 5 games that Union have kept a clean sheet. In their last 5 games across all competitions, Union have a record of 3W-1D-1L, and have outscored their opponents by total of 10-3 in those 5 matches.
Fan Protests
Before tonight’s game, The Sons of Ben released a statement detailing their involvement in Leagues Cup as a form of protest against the tournament and the lack of MLS representation in the US Open Cup, the longest running soccer tournament in the United States.
Their plan was to show up, sing for the first 20 minutes, and then leave the capo stand for the remainder of the tournament, encouraging other members to “Leave the stadium, just sit in your seat, or maybe stop singing and waving flags.” The group did add that members could “also continue to attend and support throughout the tournament”, and that’s exactly what Union fans in attendance did on Saturday night.
Right after the singing of “Four Leaf Clover” at the 20:10 mark, Sons of Ben capos picked up and left their River End capo stands, but not many people left the supporter’s section as a whole. What did happen though, was something cool as hell. Members of the Keystone State Ultras, a supporters group that doesn’t have official ties to the club the way the Sons of Ben do, picked up their drum, walked it down the stairs, and started chanting while they made their way through the crowd and over to the Sons of Ben Capo stands.
Some might think KSU taking over the abandoned capo stands is a bit rude and out of place, and they’re probably right – but that’s kind of what KSU is all about. In your face, unadulterated passion and support for their club, and they’re unapologetically themselves, no matter who does or doesn’t like it.
And I have to admit, Saturday night’s River End take-over by the Keystone State Ultras made Subaru Park louder than it’s been in quite a long time, especially for a crowd that was more sparse than most down in Chester. They got the whole stadium clapping along for a song late in the game, and proved that the River End can work fine without multiple drums, capos in designated stands and on ladders, and the use of megaphones.
You just need passion, people who know how to demand a crowd, and people who want to have fun supporting their team. The Sons of Ben and KSU aren’t in competition with one another, they just go about their business differently, and I think that’s okay.
Fireworks on the Delaware to end the night
It might have been a strategic way to get butts in seats during Leagues Cup, but Fireworks on the Delaware River after the game was a perfect night-cap to Union’s 3rd consecutive win at home. Man, the difference in energy around that place after a few wins. Everyone was buzzing as they left the stadium tonight, and stopping to watch the fireworks was an easy choice to make. What a night.
Looking Forward
After 3 wins and beating your opponents by a combined score of 9-1, is it finally time to say the Union are back?! Not so fast…but they’re certainly building confidence, and tonight’s 1-0 win in a game that was less-than-perfect is a sign that they’re starting to figure out ways to get the job done, something they’ve struggled with immensely this season. Union will have a full week off before their next Group Stage match against Liga MX’s Cruz Azul on Sunday night, where they’ll have a chance to advance to the Leagues Cup knockout round. It’s important to note that Saturday’s game against Charlotte was included in every Season Ticket Members plan, and that quite a few people have seemingly opted out of tickets for the remainder of the Leagues Cup. So we’ll have to wait and see what crowds look like for the rest of the tournament as the Blue and Gold look to make another feel run.
Image Credit: Philadelphia Union
