HARRISON, NJ – If Jim Curtin speaking positively about Union’s performance in the first 15 minutes of a 1-0 loss to a highly rotated Columbus Crew side annoyed you, I probably wouldn’t blame you. But after Saturday night’s 2-0 win at Red Bull Arena – the first loss Red Bulls have suffered at home this season – Curtin was quick to compliment his team’s quick start once again.
“Big picture wise, I think if you look at the first 15 minutes of our Columbus game and the first 15 minutes of this game, that’s us at our best. We have it in us, the challenge is to sustain it for all 90.”
The difference on Saturday night against the Red Bulls? Union took full advantage of the early opportunities they presented themselves with. Goals from similar positions on the pitch from Mikael Uhre and Tai Baribo put Union on top inside the opening quarter-hour, and thanks to a few saves from Andre Blake and help from the post and crossbar a time or two (or 5, if we’re being realistic), the Union head back up I95 to Chester with 3 points in their pocket, and their unbeaten streak against the Red Bulls extended to 14 games.
Starting XI
After going to a 4-4-2 Flat against Columbus on Wednesday night, Curtin elected to revert back to his preferred 4-4-2 Diamond on the road against the Red Bulls.
GK: Andre Blake
RB: Olivier Mbaizo, CB: Jakob Glesnes, CB: Jack Elliott LB: Kai Wagner
CDM: Danley Jean-Jaqcues
RCM: Ale Bedoya LCM: Jack McGlynn
ST: Tai Baribo ST: Mikael Uhre
Bench: Semmle, Harriel, Makhanya, Rafanello, Bueno, Flach, Q. Sullivan, Donovan, Adeniran
With Nate Harriel suffering from back spasms against Columbus, Curtin went with Olivier Mbaizo at Right Back to start the match. Danley Jean-Jacaques got the second start of his Union career, sitting at the bottom of the Diamond in a defensive-minded position, with Ale Bedoya and Jack McGlynn set up as the two shuttlers in the midfield. Daniel Gazdag sat at the 10 and operated in the space behind Mikael Uhre and the red-hot Tai Baribo.
First Half
Uhre gives Union the start they needed
Just 4 minutes into the game, Mikael Uhre found the ball at his feet on the counter-attack and decided to go right at his defender. Uhre shifted the ball to his right foot and unloaded a shot from outside the penalty area that managed to evade the diving hands of Carlos Coronel, giving Union an early 1-0 lead on the road at Red Bull Arena. It’s the type of start Jim Curtin would have dreamed of coming into this game, and was the 7th goal of Uhre’s MLS campaign.
Blistering Baribo gives Union early 2-0 lead
10 minutes after Uhre’s opening goal, Union put together an impressive string of passes to work the ball up the pitch and into a dangerous position just outside of Red Bull’s 18-yard box. The ball eventually found its way to Tai Baribo in a similar position of the field as Mikael Uhre’s goal, who unleashed a shot with his right foot that beat a diving Carlos Coronel again, giving Union a 2-0 lead before the 15th minute.
Blake’s big save keeps Red Bulls off the board
In the 18th minute and trying to settle into their 2-0 lead, Union called on Andre Blake to come up with a big save on Elias Manoel. Red Bulls were able to work the ball back into the penalty area on a recycled corner kick that Union failed to clear, but Andre Blake made himself big and came up with a huge stop from close range to keep Union up 2-0 in the first half.
Second Half
Red Bull hit everything but the back of the net
Down 2-0, Red Bulls knew they needed a quick goal coming out of half-time and they were inches from drawing one back on a number of occasions. In the 2nd half alone, Sandro Schwarz’ team was denied by the post or crossbar 4 times, and 5 times across the game as a whole.
Lewis Morgan almost drew one back for Red Bulls in the opening minute of the 2nd half, but the crossbar came to Blake’s rescue. In the 60th minute, Elias Manoel – who already hit the crossbar in the 11th minute – looked to have beaten Blake to his left-hand side, but once again the post saved Andre Blake and the Union’s 2 goal lead.
6 minutes later, Lewis Morgan would have a shot from outside the box deflect and wrong-foot Blake, but the crossbar kept Red Bulls out again. And finally, in the 70th minute, Elias Manoel completed his hat-trick of missed chances off the woodwork, when he struck the post to Blake’s right with an opportunity off his head. All 3 posts hit for Elias Manoel, but zero goals on the night.
Baribo’s brace denied by post
Red Bulls weren’t the only one hitting the woodwork on Saturday night, as Tai Baribo had his chance at a brace denied by the Red Bull Arena goal-post as well. In the 78th minute and looking to add the final blow onto their 2-0 lead, Danley Jean-Jacques ran onto a ball that Sam Adeniran let run behind him and Red Bulls’ backline.
Danley played the ball across the box with his first touch for an on-running Tai Baribo sneaking in at the back door, but Baribo’s stab at the fast-paced pass found the post instead of the back of the net. That would have been Tai Baribo’s 2nd of the night, and 15th goal in 15 games.
BOX SCORE:
Union Goals:
4th: Scored by Mikael Uhre (7), assisted by Jack McGlynn (6)
14th: Scored by Tai Baribo (7), assisted by Mikael Uhre (5)
Union Substitutions:
53rd: OUT – Ale Bedoya, IN – Quinn Sullivan
73rd: OUT – Mikael Uhre, IN – Sam Adeniran
80th: OUT – Jack McGlynn, Daniel Gazdag, IN – Leon Flach, Jeremey Rafanello
Red Bulls Goals:
N/A
Red Bulls Substitutions:
46th: OUT – Kyle Duncan, IN – Dylan Nealis
61st: OUT – Ronald Donkor, Dante Vanzeir, IN – Felipe Carballo, Cory Burke
74th: OUT – Daniel Edelman, IN – Serge Ngoma
79th: OUT – Cameron Harper, IN – Julian Hall
Looking Forward
Union’s 2-0 win on the road against Red Bulls on Saturday night jumps their overall record to 7W-9D-11L for a total of 30 points, and 1 point behind Atlanta United for the final playoff spot. Next, Union will hope to take their strong road result down to Miami after a 2-week international break, where Lionel Messi looks set to make his return after not playing for Inter Miami since June 1st. 7 games left for Union, 3 of which are at home, and Jim Curtin knows how important those games are.
“We have to bring it (the momentum) back home, because at the end of the day if we dont win our 3 remaining games at home, we’re not going to make the playoffs, I’ve told them that…but you’re right, the home form has been unacceptable. We have to take more confidence into that building. We’ll try to get it right, and I can promise – we want to get into the playoffs and do our thing still – but next year it’s also unacceptable. We have to win our home games, our fans deserve that.”
-Jim Curtin on Union’s home form this season
Mandatory Credit: Philadelphia Union
