Union Loan Marquez, Ribeiro To Isles Former United forward joins Harrisburg for rookie season Harrisburg City Islanders News Release -- www.cityislanders.com Thursday, March 27, 2014 HARRISBURG, Pa. -- The Philadelphia Union announced today that the club has loaned two players to the team's official USL PRO affiliate, the Harrisburg City Islanders, for the 2014 USL PRO season. Defender Richie Marquez and Pedro Ribeiro will join the City Islanders ahead of their USL PRO season-opening match on April 5 against the Wilmington Hammerheads. Philadelphia Union will have the option to recall any of the two players during the loan period. http://uslpro.uslsoccer.com/home/797574.html
Philadelphia Union trade top scorer Jack McInerney for Montreal Impact's Andrew Wenger Two of the most ballyhooed young forwards in MLS traded teams on Friday. Jack McInerney, who is coming off a 12-goal season in 2013, is headed to the Montreal Impact, with former No. 1-overall SuperDraft pick Andrew Wenger moving closer to home with the Philadelphia Union in the player-for-player swap between the two Eastern Conference sides. The 21-year-old McInerney played for the Union over five seasons and emerged as the club's leading scorer in the last two. He was selected seventh overall in the 2010 SuperDraft and went on to score 25 regular-season goals in 95 games in Union colors. This year he's started all four matches for Philly, registering one goal. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...orer-jack-mcinerney-montreal-impacts-andrew-w
Zac MacMath's Penalty Save in Stoppage Time Earns Union Point Philadelphia Union earned a 2-2 draw on the road Saturday afternoon at Toyota Park on goals from Leo Fernandes and Maurice Edu. Goalkeeper Zac MacMath preserved the point with a stoppage-time penalty kick save on 2013 MLS MVP Mike Magee after Juan Luis Anangono scored in the 86th minute for the homeside to level the score at two. "As a coach these kinds of games are really hard to participate in," said Union manager John Hackworth, postgame. "Clearly Chicago threw everything they could to get back into this game and full credit to them, but I am not pleased with our team at all and the way we dealt with that." After Chicago's Mike Magee opened the scoring in the 16th minute, Union midfielder Maurice Edu would strike in 32nd, when he thumped a low drive to the far post past Sean Johnson. Seven minutes later, Leo Fernandes would notch his second of the season with an in-swinging free kick. It marked the first time in 14 matches dating back to last season in which the Union scored more than a goal or fewer. Though the Union created more opportunities throughout the match, the home side scored late to level and stole the full three points from the Union. "Right now it's a problem," said defender Sheanon Williams, who returned to the field for the first time this season coming off nagging leg injury. "It's something that we have addressed and will continue to address. But it comes down to guys buckling down at the end of matches and just not giving up a goal. That starts with the defense and moves forward. We are going to figure this out; we have to figure this out to get to where we want to be at the end of the season." MacMath said it was all about not getting swept up in the moment that ensured the Union would not leave Toyota Park empty handed. "We scout all the PKs in the league and I had a good feeling that he was going to go low and to the right," MacMath said. "Thankfully, I was able to get enough on it. [On the rebound], I just threw my body [at the ball] hoping that it would hit me before him. Thankfully, it did." The final stat sheet showed MacMath with five saves, none more important than the final. "It was a difficult match, the field conditions were rough and Chicago played well, but I think it's a game where we all know we deserved three points," MacMath continued. "Obviously, we are fortunate to get away with a point, but we don't feel fortunate because again in our eyes we came up short." The Union will have a week to prepare and figure out how to effective close out its second Western Conference opponent of the season when Real Salt Lake visits PPL Park next Saturday, April 12 (4 p.m.). That game will kick start a run of three in a week span as the Union face an April 16 showdown with bitter rival New York Red Bulls (7:30 p.m., The Comcast Network) followed by a return to PPL Park to host the Houston Dynamo (4 p.m.). Press release from the Philadelphia Union
Philadelphia Union Battle Back to Earn Draw against Real Salt Lake Philadelphia Union (1-1-4) came back from a first-half deficit to earn a 2-2 draw against undefeated Real Salt Lake Saturday afternoon at PPL park behind second-half goals from Andrew Wenger and Maurice Edu. It was Wenger who struck first in the 55th minute, bringing down a ball across the box from Vincent Nogueira with his chest and hitting a low driver past Real Salt Lake (2-0-4) goalkeeper Jeff Attinella. Wenger, who arrived in a trade with Montreal earlier in the week, nullified a goal in the sixth minute from RSL's Luke Mulholland, who took advantage of a rebound that arrived from a Zac MacMath penalty kick save. MacMath denied RSL forward Alvaro Saborio's PK attempt, but Mulholland finished the rebound. "We played some good soccer throughout the game," Union manager John Hackworth said postgame. "We possessed the ball, went side to side and made them do a lot of work. Eventually that wore them down a little bit. The hard part for us was I don't think we were really strong with our execution." In the 85th minute, surefooted RSL midfielder Kyle Beckerman slotted the go-ahead past MacMath after Javier Morales put a ball back into the danger zone of the 18-yard-box from the end line. With the visitors leading, 2-1, Edu's second goal in as many weeks right at the edge of stoppage time leveled the score. After a ball came in from a corner kick restart from second half substitute Cristian Maidana, Edu went high and snapped a header into the far post. "I think we've shown that we are capable of being a good team in this league," Edu said postgame. "We've shown we can play. We can beat the best teams. We've also shown that we have to be able to play 90 minutes. We had a lapse today where we dropped off a little bit and they got a goal. We showed a lot of heart and character to get back in the game and now we've got to go that extra step. We've put ourselves in good positions to win games and now we've got to go out and actually do it." The draw is the Union's third in as many matches, but this one came against one of only two unbeaten teams in Major League Soccer. A short turnaround awaits the Union as a trip to Red Bull Arena arrives Wednesday night (7:30 p.m., WACP TV-4). Then it's another Eastern Conference foe when Houston come calling on Saturday, April 19. "Coming back against a team like Salt Lake is a big boost for us as they are one of the best in the League for sure," said MacMath. "But I think we are overall disappointed as we probably were the better team out there, and we deserved the three points. To know that we are able to play at that level and that I was able to keep us in the game when it was a bit against us... that gives the team and the defense a boost and hopefully we can continue to do better and win games now." Hackworth added: "It's frustrating for me that we didn't put as many of those good moments together with some execution in front of goal," said Hackworth. "But I don't ever question the character of our team. I know our guys; I know what they are like." Press release from the Philadelphia Union
Fans across MLS mourn passing of Philadelphia Union supporter, Sons of Ben original Eric Shertz Eric Shertz put his deposit down for Philadelphia Union season tickets the day after the team’s official expansion announcement in 2008, traveled across the country to Seattle for the franchise’s first-ever game in 2010 and, for the past few years, had become a fixture at PPL Park, where he stood near the front of the River End section, usually with his teenage son, always with a smile on his face. But the next time the Union take the field at PPL Park, Shertz will not be in the stands cheering beside his fellow members of the Sons of Ben, the Union’s first and largest supporters’ club. The devoted Union fan, Sons of Ben original and beloved member of the Philadelphia-area soccer community passed away in his sleep early Sunday morning. He was 38. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...hiladelphia-union-supporter-sons-ben-original
As a son mourns, Philadelphia Union supporters embrace a fan's legacy CHESTER, Pa. – With his head down, the new goalkeeper hurries over to the goal line and nervously eyes the penalty spot. Here he is, at his first practice at PPL Park, and he’s being thrown directly into the fire. Standing 12 yards away from him and lining up for a penalty kick is Sébastien Le Toux, who’s buried all nine PKs he’s ever taken for the Philadelphia Union. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niCi2Pjx7_I&feature=player_embedded With many Union players and coaches stopping what they’re doing to look on, Le Toux’s first shot whizzes by the new guy and into the back netting. http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...hia-union-supporters-embrace-fans-legacy-word
John Hackworth relieved of Union team manager duties Jim Curtin named interim Philadelphia Union announced today John Hackworth has been relieved of his duties as team manager. Union assistant coach Jim Curtin will take over as interim team manager effective immediately. A native of Oreland, Pa., Curtin, 34, played over two hundred games for the Chicago Fire and was named an MLS All-Star and the Fire’s defender of the year in 2004. He helped the squad to two U.S. Open Cup titles in 2003 and 2006, as well as the 2003 MLS Supporters Shield. Curtin played his final two seasons in the League with Chivas USA before retiring in 2009. “We are an ambitious club and although we are just in our fifth season we expect to win and be in the top tier of MLS. We have begun an ambitious and global search for a team manager who will help guide us to our goal of competing to win the MLS Cup,” said Philadelphia Union CEO & operating partner Nick Sakiewicz. “Philadelphia is a major market and we expect that there will be significant interest from a wide variety of qualified candidates to become Philadelphia Union’s team manager. We appreciate the work, time and efforts John Hackworth put into building the club and his influence on our youth academy. He is a first class person and we wish him the best in his future endeavors.” http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/ne...-team-manager-duties-jim-curtin-named-interim
Philadelphia Union and Colorado Rapids opened the 2015 MLS Regular Season with a 0-0 draw at PPL Park on Saturday night. The Union outshot Colorado 16-2 and did not allow a single shot on target. But in a game that featured 34 total fouls and had seven cards issued, neither team was able to break through for a goal. "I'm happy with the group in terms of defense," head coach Jim Curtin said. "I thought we were solid. We didn't give up many chances. We created enough chances to get three points today." The Union were comfortable in possession all night, holding a commanding 60.7 percent of the game. They had chances early and often starting in the 11th minute off a corner kick from Sebastien Le Toux. Maurice Edu was able to latch onto the end of it, but his right-footed shot just barely went over the frame. In the 21st minute, Andrew Wenger took a cross from Sheanon Williams and blasted a right-footed attempt that clanked off the bar. In the 44th minute, Le Toux got in free off a ball from Fernando Aristeguieta, but his low shot was saved by Clint Irwin's right foot. At half, Cristian Maidana came on for an injured C.J. Sapong, and he immediately went to work with one of the better scoring chances the Union had all night. He sidestepped a defender just outside of the box on the right side, but his shot sailed across the face of the goal and went wide. In the 86th minute, Aristeguieta was taken down on the edge of the box, five yards from the end line. The ensuing free kick was taken well by Maidana and Conor Casey was able to head it powerfully on net, but Irwin was there to make the save. Although they weren't able to score, the Union created plenty of chances. Including the dominant possession, they sent in 31 crosses and managed 16 shots, all while forcing Colorado to make 34 clearances. But, they couldn't find the back of the net. "The process is what you saw out there tonight," Andrew Wenger said. "It's just playing and realizing what they're trying to do and learning from it, building on it and talking through it afterwards. We saw some things guy wanted to try to do tonight and how they're moving and we'll slowly adapt and learn." In all, Colorado committed 23 fouls and were issued five cards. They had just two attempted shots all night, neither of which were on target. "The positives are though that we kept a clean sheet at home which is something that we've stressed all pre-season, Curtin said. "We need to have zeros at home. The goals will come as the group moves forward." The Union are back in action Saturday, March 14 against Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium. Press release from the Philadelphia Union
LA Galaxy 0, Philadelphia Union 0 The LA Galaxy and Philadelphia Union were each looking for a much-needed win in the MLS regular season, but the sides were forced to settle for a 0-0 draw at StubHub Center on Saturday. Read more http://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2017-04-29-la-galaxy-vs-philadelphia-union/recap
Philadelphia Union 3, New York Red Bulls 0 C.J. Sapong struck for a second-half hat trick as the Philadelphia Union snapped a 15-match regular season winless streak by defeating the New York Red Bulls, 3-0, Saturday night at Talen Energy Stadium. Read more https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/m...hiladelphia-union-vs-new-york-red-bulls/recap
DC United 0, Philadelphia Union 4 The last team in MLS to win a game this season, the Philadelphia Union are suddenly red hot. On Saturday night at RFK Stadium, Haris Medunjanin, Oguchi Onyewu and Fafa Picault all opened their MLS accounts to lead the Union to a 4-0 road rout of 10-man D.C. United. Read more https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2017-05-13-dc-united-vs-philadelphia-union/recap
Philadelphia Union 2, Colorado Rapids 1 After three straight wins and three straight shutouts, the Philadelphia Union made club history on Saturday evening, grabbing their first ever four-game winning streak by besting the Colorado Rapids 2-1 at Talen Energy Stadium. read more https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2017-05-20-philadelphia-union-vs-colorado-rapids/recap
Philadelphia Union 1, DC United 0 The Philadelphia Union put an end to their three-game losing skid on Saturday night, getting a first-half goal from Fafa Picault and a pair of huge second-half saves from goalkeeper Andre Blake to defeat D.C. United 1-0 at Talen Energy Stadium. Read more https://matchcenter.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2017-06-24-philadelphia-union-vs-dc-united/preview
