When it mattered most, the Philadelphia Union did exactly what they’ve done all season long – Find ways to lose 1-goal games.
Jim Curtin’s team came into Decision Day needing a win and a helpful result from one of two teams around the league in order to clinch a playoff spot on the final day of the season. They looked to be on the right path after an early Quinn Sullivan goal in the 2nd minute. But despite the early lead and getting the result they needed down in DC, mistakes on either side of half-time for the Blue and Gold led to their 12th one-goal loss of the season, and the Union missing the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017.
Starting XI
Curtin stuck with his preferred 4-4-2 diamond on Saturday night, with Quinn Sullivan and Leon Flach getting the start in the midfield over Ale Bedoya and Danley Jean-Jacques respectively.
4-4-2 Diamond
GK: Andre Blake
RB: Nate 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: Tai Baribo
Sullivan Springs Union to 1-0 lead
Quinn Sullivan got Union off to the exact type of start they needed just 2 minutes into the game when he collected a through-ball sent into the penalty area by Jack McGlynn on a quick throw-in restart. Sullivan settled the ball, let off a right-footed shot, and beat Celentano inside the far-post to give Union an early 1-0 lead.
The opener from Sullivan was his 5th of the MLS season, and Jack McGlynn’s 7th assist of the year.
Gazdag Goes Down With Injury
Cincinnati responded well, putting Union under pressure in the minutes following Sullivan’s opening goal. After a couple of close calls and a big save from Andre Blake, Union started settling to their 1-0 lead at home, when an injury to Daniel Gazdag flipped Jim Curtin’s personnel and gameplan. Just 15 minutes into the game, and Daniel Gazdag had to be replaced by Danley Jean-Jacques after taking a knock. Union’s formation transitioned from a 4-4-2 Diamond to a 4-4-2 Flat.
“I think we actually started the game obviously well. Quinn gives us the goal, we have the chance to get the 2nd one with Mikael and the little one-vs-one he had, but we don’t score it.”
-Jim CurtinAsad Erases Union’s Lead before Half-Time
Getting to half-time with a 1-0 lead would have put Union in a pretty good spot heading into a do-or-die 2nd half, but the Union pulled another “That’s So Union” moment and conceded a goal on the last kick of the opening frame, letting Cincinnati back into the game.
Union argued that the referee should have already blown his whistle as it was passed the original allotted 3 minutes of stoppage time, but DOOP failed to clear the ball and it was eventually slotted past Andre Blake by Yamil Asad, drawing Union and Cincinnati level before half-time.
“Obviously losing Danny [Gazdag], it kind of went a little down hill from there. Conceding before half, I thought it went 30 seconds too long, but having said that we had 3 or 4 chances to clear the ball and we just didn’t get it done.”
-Jim Curtin on conceding before half-time
Glesnes Own-Goal Puts Playoff Nail in Coffin
If you thought conceding a goal on the last kick before half-time was a momentum-sucker, wait until you see what an own-goal in the first minute of the 2nd half does to a team and a stadium’s demeanor.
Before most people made it back to their seats from the half-time break, Jakob Glesnes made a costly mistake. Misjudging Andre Blake’s position, Glesnes played a ball back to his keeper that ended up nowhere near him and in the back of the net instead, giving Cincinnati a 2-1 lead before the 2nd half really even started.
A few Union players did their best to pick the team up after the mistake, but unfortunately, the Philadelphia Union’s 2024 season would end the same way it started – with a Jakob Glesnes own goal.
Curtin’s options off the bench when trailing in a do-or-die game says everything about this team’s lack of depth. Jeremey Rafanello, a guy who had 0 goals and 1 assist in 315 MLS minutes this season, was Jim Curtin’s last ditch effort on Saturday night with their season on the line.
This team just doesn’t have the depth to change games when they fall behind, and Curtin acknowledged that his team’s best opportunity of scoring was with the players that were already on the pitch on Saturday night.
“The guys that are on the field are more likely to score. That’s not just my opinion.” – Jim Curtin
Looking Forward
We’ve been saying it for a few years now, but there’s a massive offseason ahead for the Philadelphia Union front office, and they’ll have the longest window they’ve had in quite a while to work within.
But for those waiting for the “tear it down and re-start from the bottom up” type of rebuild, dont hold Your breath. I think the Union know they need to make changes, but still believes in the core they’ve worked to re-sign over the last few years.
”This year was unacceptable, it’s not where we want to be. We have to retool, I don’t think It needs to be a complete rebuild, we still good, young, talented players coming up, we have a good group of veterans that have won a lot of games here, we have to find the right pieces now to add to the group to inject some life. We’ll do that now in the off-season.” -Jim Curtin
Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
