Photo: Marjorie Elsey
The Philadelphia Union has won three straight at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, and will face Atlanta United in the Union's only undefeated MLS team and home undefeated team (and the dominant team at Mercedes-Benz Stadium). did. ) Five Stripes.
Both the Union's winning streak and Atlanta's home victory came to an end with a 2-2 draw, but the Union returns home as the only undefeated team in MLS. The game was a tale of two halves, with the first half ending scoreless, but all the goals came in the second half.
Atlanta will probably feel like they've dropped two points after leading 2-0 in the 72nd minute, but Union will struggle after being denied what could have been the winning goal due to a slight offside margin. It's going to happen.
union diamond formation
Union started the match by switching back to their favored 4-4-2 diamond formation. There were some personnel changes from last weekend's road win against Nashville, as Andre Blake returned to the lineup. Blake sat out the game against Nashville to fully recover from the concussion he has been dealing with since leaving midway through the second half of a March 30 home game against Minnesota.
The backline reverted to a two-centre back defense featuring Damion Lowe and Jakob Glenness, with Kai Wagner and Nathan Harriel taking up the left and right wing-back roles respectively. Union returned to midfield on the diamond, with José Martínez as the sole DM, Jack McGlynn and Alejandro Bedoya on the left and right sides of the diamond, and Daniel Gasdag as number 10 at the tip of the diamond. Quinn Sullivan moved from the right attacking midfield role he held at the beginning of the season to the front line once again partnering Julian Carranza.
exploratory first half
Both teams started the match looking for weaknesses in their opponents, but neither team showed any weaknesses. Union showed composure and absorbed pressure, allowing Atlanta to dominate time of possession. Union center backs patrolled the 18-yard box, regularly clearing crosses and thwarting attacks.
Union's best attacking sequence in the first half continued to put pressure on the Atlanta goal in the 31st minute, forcing Brad Guzan to save Bedoya's header. At the other end of the field, Blake made a low save to save Almada's shot from 18 yards inside the box in the 44th minute, but he stayed put and was replaced by Oliver Semmre in first-half stoppage time.
The first half ended with what seemed like more yellow cards than attacking chances.
sluice gate in the second half
The second half started with good offensive sequences for both teams, but it was Atlanta who continued to apply the pressure as the first half progressed. Atlanta took the lead in the 55th minute when Daniel Rios' header from Thiago Almada's cross landed in the center of the six-yard box. As the Armada settled into the game, Atlanta continued to attack and extended the lead to two points in the 63rd minute when Caleb Wiley fired a shot from over 30 yards out between the post and the outstretched Senmle.
Atlanta kept up the pressure and the game looked like it was headed for Union's first loss.
But the Union showed Philadelphia's mettle and got back into the game. Manager Jim Curtin made a second-half tactical change for the second week in a row, bringing on Michael Oule in place of Martinez (who received a yellow card) in the 65th minute.
Uhle went up top, Sullivan went down to the right of the diamond, and Bedoya took Martinez's place at the base of the diamond.
Oule's goal cut the lead in half in the 73rd minute, and Atlanta had a weak cross-field pass intercepted by Oule, who ran unopposed into Guzan, past the Atlanta keeper and scored into the top left corner of the goal. A few minutes later, a play by Sullivan on the right side of the field led to a long throw-in by Harriel. An Atlanta defender headed it to the top of the six-yard box, but it hit Wagner's right foot. The left-back made no mistake with his weak foot and slotted the ball into the back of the goal, bringing the score to two in the 77th minute.
Union came from a two-goal deficit to take a point, but will probably feel they deserved all three points after Sullivan's 79th-minute goal, which appeared to be an onside goal, was ruled offside. Both teams kept up the pressure, looking for three points, but a brilliant effort in the 87th minute saved Union from defeat.
After 6 minutes of stoppage time was added, the final whistle sounded as Union retained possession and took on attacking shape in the corner of the 18-yard box. Union protested by surrounding the referee, but it only resulted in McGlynn being awarded the final card of the night.
3 points
Undefeated – Union are the only unbeaten team in MLS, with 13 points from 7 games (3 wins, 4 draws).
tactics – Curtin made another tactical change. This time, instead of changing the formation, Ule was introduced in place of Martinez to increase his attacking power. This change paid off and led to Union's first goal.
VAR? – What is the purpose of VAR if not to confirm Union’s potentially game-deciding third goal? Referee John Freamon should have at least gone to the monitor and made his own decision.
lineup
Philadelphia Union (4-4-2)
Andre Blake (Oliver Semmle 45 minutes + 2 minutes), Kai Wagner, Damion Lowe, Jakob Glesnes, Nathan Harriel, Jose Martinez (Michael Uhle 65 minutes), Jack McGlynn, Alejandro Bedoya, Daniel. Gus Dag, Julian Carranza, Quinn Sullivan
Unused subs: Jack Elliott, Olivier Mbaizo, Jeremy Rafanello, Jesus Bueno, Chris Donovan, Ty Balibo, Marcus Anderson.
Atlanta United (4-2-3-1)
Brad Guzan, Brooks Lennon, Noah Cobb, Lewis Abram, Caleb Wiley, Tristan Muyumba, Bartosz Suris, Saba Lobjanidze, Thiago Almada, Tyler Wolfe (Edwin Mosquera 60 minutes), Daniel Rios (Nicolas Firmino 60 minutes)
Unused Subs: Josh Cohen, Ronald Hernandez, Luke Brennan, Dax McCarty, Efrain Morales, Ajani Fortune, Derrick Etienne
Referee – John Freamon
Score overview
ATL – Rios (55 minutes)
ATL – Wiley (63')
PHL – Ule (73')
PHL – Wagner (77')
Discipline overview
PHI – Carranza (21 minutes)
ATL – Armada (25 minutes)
PHI – Martinez (35 minutes)
PHI – Gasdag (35')
PHI – Wagner (75')
ATL – Muyumba (84 minutes)
PHL – McGlynn (90 +5')
