The Philadelphia Union continued their undefeated streak in MLS. Despite conceding two goals in the second half after Andre Blake was forced off with an injury, the Boys in Blue rallied to draw with Atlanta United at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Evaluation below.
Player rating:
Andre Blake – 6
It looks like Blake has re-aggravated his groin injury, which is very disappointing. He did what he was supposed to do in the first half, making routine saves and showing satisfactory distribution. I hope he gets healthy soon and stays on the field.
Kai Wagner – 8
The German scored a great goal that tied the match. His dual-wielding abilities were fully demonstrated, and he was also sharp defensively. All in all, a great game from Kai.
Damion Rowe – 6
Unfortunately, his clearance went to Wylie for the second goal, but his hustle and determination were evident against an Atlanta attack that grew as the game progressed and made high demands on the entire backline. was.
Jacob Glesnes – 6
Although he was partially at fault for Atlanta's first goal, Rios was a marker and the Norwegian consistently made a number of important blocks and tackles on Atlanta's open shots. He almost scored his first goal of the season, but was hit by a stretch block from a Five Stripes defender.
Nathan Harriel – 7
Hariel made a number of gritty, solid defensive plays. Even though Atlanta was targeting his team, Nate did a good enough job of holding back their offense. His long throw led to the tying goal.
Jose Martinez – 5
Martinez was just a little slow to step up to Alamada for Atlanta's first goal, but he showed good passing and defense overall. Excessive pressing earned him a yellow card. It seems like it was the right decision to bring him on as a substitute for Oule. I wish he stayed away from that yellow because his creativity is a huge bonus on offense.
Jack McGlynn – 6
Jack made some good plays in the game, but got a yellow for his time-wasting antics. He continues to show how incredibly valuable he is in his ability to help his team maintain possession and launch an attack.
Alejandro Bedoya – 6
The captain gave the performance he needed for 90 minutes. Although he didn't get on the scoresheet, his veteran leadership led the team into a tough match against a formidable opponent.
Daniel Gasdag – 5
It was a quieter performance than Gusdag's recent matches, but perhaps limited by the yellow card. Possession and pressing in conjunction with the striker were his strengths.
Julian Carranza – 6
King Julien was also silenced by Atlanta's defense. But those marking him still felt his physicality. His toughness was evident from the cast on his arm. He played despite drawing multiple fouls and taking several knocks. Unfortunately, he was unable to score or assist on his header from a corner kick around the 65th minute.
Quinn Sullivan – 6
Although he failed to score or assist, Quinn's creativity in the final third was evident. His dribbling was very effective and led to several attacks on the flanks. Twice he showed great judgment as he passed to open teammates inside the box. He would have taken the shot earlier in the season, but he made the right call both times in this game.
Substitute:
Oliver Senmur – 6
There appeared to be some communication issues in the first goal, but they probably could have covered the near post better in the second. Senmur made some important saves in the closing stages, which is impressive considering he had to fill in for the injured Blake in one of the toughest environments in the league. .
Michael Uhle – 7
Uhle was presented with a golden opportunity and was able to successfully convert and provide a lifeline to the Union army. His second goal appeared to give Union the lead late in the game, but he was ruled offside and a poor pass in the final third effectively ended Union's last meaningful attack. was ruined.
Geiger counter:
John Freemon – 4
There weren't many big mistakes, but Freamon seemed to have a hard time dealing with the rough and physical matches. There were several clashes between the players, and even though Freamon stopped play and discussed the issues, anger still flared. The offside decision in a situation where there was a chance of a winning goal was painful, but it was clear that it was a very harsh call. This should more likely reflect the need for proper camera angles and semi-automatic offside techniques, rather than an incorrect decision by the referee. The final whistle, blown in the middle of Union's attack, certainly looked harsh. Overall, players and coaches from both teams appeared to be dissatisfied with the referees.
Player of the Match: Kai Wagner
It's clear how important Wagner is to the Union's style of play. This is no secret, but Sunday's game served as a reminder of why it's important for the Union front office to keep Kai for the 2024 season. His defensive presence is definitely there. He also proved important in the attack. His goal was great, but he also made a number of important passes and crosses, including a corner kick routine that twice required Atlanta's almost supernatural defensive play to prevent the goal.
What's next?
The Union enters the bye week as the only unbeaten team remaining in MLS with a record of 3-0-4. Fans may have been hoping for a win for the Boys in Blue, but a road draw after back-to-back wins is an absolutely fantastic run of form. OK. The two teams ahead of the Union, Miami and the Red Bulls, have played more games than the Union (Miami has two). A quick return is promising, and if his undefeated streak continues, it could be time to put the league back on the map.
After getting plenty of rest, the Union will be right back in the thick of things with a home game against Real Salt Lake and a make-up match against the Sounders in midweek.
