Union suffer seventh straight game without a win, as they lose 4-2 to CF Montréal
The Union blow the lead twice as Quinn Sullivan and Jesús Bueno get on the scoreboard for the Boys in Blue, while Andrew Rick made his second consecutive start in goal.
Montréal, CA— The Philadelphia Union can’t shake the current run they’re on, winless now in seven straight matches, and only one win in their last 14 matches played, as they fall to CF Montréal by a score of 4-2.
The Union scored the first goal of the game in the 29th minute as Quinn Sullivan got his second goal of the season, and first since March 23rd against the Portland Timbers (which was 16 games ago). Jack McGlynn played a ball out wide right to Nathan Harriel, who was given lots of space by Montréal right wingback, Raheem Edwards. Harriel sent a blistering first time cross into the 18-yard box, which Sullivan did well to bring down with his left foot. Sullivan unleashed a low driven right footed strike that hit off of the inside right past into the back of the net to give the Union the 1-0 lead.
Seven minutes later the Union would give up a goal off a Bryce Duke corner kick into Josef Martínez. The Union lined Jack Elliott, Nate Harriel and Chris Donovan all up in a zonal marking, with everyone else responsible for man marking. Leon Flach was tasked with man marking Martínez, who lost Flach with a run towards the near post. Nathan Harriel was closest to that zone, but he was unable to reach as high in the air as Martínez got to head that one past Andrew Rick.
Five minutes after, the Union were able to take the lead back through a Jesús Bueno goal off a set piece. Kai Wagner sent a corner kick towards the near post that was header away towards the top of the 18-yard box where Leon Flach was able to head the ball back in across the six-yard box that nobody was able to clear away, Bueno was lurking on the back post and was able to tuck that one away for his second goal in three games. The Union headed into the half up 2-1, which marked the six time this season they’ve had the lead at halftime (previous record of 3-1-1).
Neither team made a change at halftime, and neither team had a chance up until Montréal scored in the 56th minute off a Bryce Duke free kick. Josef Martínez made a run across the 18-yard as if he was going to head the ball past Andrew Rick, so Rick threw himself at the ball anticipating a header from Martínez that never came and wound up getting megged by the ball sent in by Duke. That was the second set piece goal that the Union gave up in the game, and their fifth of the season.
The Union would sub out Tai Baribo in the 76th minute and bring on Olivier Mbaizo, switching to a back five, with Jakob Glesnes, Jack Elliott, and Nathan Harriel as the centerbacks. Jim Curtin mentioned after the game that Baribo picked up a back injury in warmups and the team wasn’t sure if he was going to play in the match, but to his credit he was able to play majority of the game. After bringing on Mbaizo, Montréal controlled 71.7% of the ball before scoring in the 89th minute with Dominik Yankov. The Union, unable to pass out of the back because of no outlet pass with switching from a four man midfield, to a three man midfield, where they were outnumbered by Montréal. All it took was six passes from Montréal that started in their own half to get the go-ahead-goal in the 89th minute, after some nice passing through the midfield, and poor defending by Jakob Glesnes, Yankov was able to score with ease.
In the 92nd minute, Montréal added one more with right wing back, Ruan, who went completely unmarked on the back post, after some careless jogging by Kai Wagner. Just like Montréal’s third goal, the play started from their own half where Kwadwo Opoku dribbled past Jesús Bueno with ease. With so much green grass in front of him, Opoku was able to carry the ball inside the Union’s own half of the field, drawing Jack Elliott out of position to make a play on the ball, Opoku goes out left to Lassi Lappalainen, who has tons of space to send a cross in to the back post where Ruan was unmarked.
Questions starting to be asked of Jim Curtin
That is now 13 games this season where the Union have conceded multiple goals in the same game. The Union have given up multiple goals in the last seven of 10 games, and average 1.9 goals conceded per game during that stretch. Also during that run the Union a 1-6-3, where they were shut out in three of those games.
Jim Curtin was asked after the match if he’s starting to feel like his job is on the line as the Union sit in 12th place in the Eastern Conference with a 4-8-8 record.
“Look, I know what I've done at the club. I've know the highs that we've had in the last six years. Those are great, but it is a, what have you done for me lately business,” said Jim Curtin. “So again, there's always pressure. You always have to try to improve and get better. Right now we're in one of our toughest stretches we've ever been in. Again, the guys that aren't here aren't gonna get us out of it. So the players that aren't here due to international duty, due to injuries aren't here. So once we get that full slate of guys back, I'm confident we have a really strong group, but that's the reality of things right now. So yeah, there is always pressure to do better, to find a way to get a win. Right now, things are tough.”
Sure, the Union are missing multiple key players in Andre Blake (knee), Alejandro Bedoya (quad), Damion Lowe (intl. duty), José Martínez (intl. duty), and Mikael Uhre (adductor), and you can also include not having Julián Carranza anymore after selling him to Feyenoord. But, even when players were here before they went to international duty, and before injuries, they still weren’t getting the job done. Before Martínez and Lowe departed for Copa América, the Union were 1-4-5 in their last 10 games played, with three of those five draws being come from behind draws. The lone win was against a 10-man New England Revolution. The only difference during that run was the Union only had Andre Blake for a game and a half because of a groin injury against Atlanta and a knee injury he suffered against RSL. And maybe this season with no Andre Blake for majority of it, we see just how important he’s been for this team over the years.
What’s next
The Union take on Chicago Fire on July 3rd, from Solider Field, who sit in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 4-10-6 record. I’ll be at that match providing coverage and post match quotes from Jim Curtin and players.
Video credit: Apple TV/MLS & Philadelphia Union