Bad Things Happen In Philly
Going In
Last Saturday, New York hopped on a bus to take a trip down I-95, where they would face off against a highly rated Eastern Conference foe in the Philadelphia Union. This game would be The Red Bull’s first big challenge of the season - coming off of back-to-back shutout wins against Toronto and Chicago, the feeling around the club was very positive. RBNY were looking to continue their staunch defensive streak against a side they have had trouble with over the last few seasons. With both injuries and suspensions to deal with, RBNY would face a slightly weaker Union side than usual. It felt like, if New York could take care of business defensively, they should be able to leave Chester with at least a point. However, in this “not a rivalry” rivalry, you never know what can happen. I was excited to see Struber’s side against a team that would pose a real challenge – if nothing else, to see how much progress has been made in the early stages of this rebuild. I patiently waited for the lineups to come out, so that I could get a better feel for how this Saturday night fixture might play out.
Starting XI Is In
The lineups were made available and Struber had made a couple of interesting changes to the lineup ahead of this big matchup. As expected, the starting XI included much of the lineup from last week’s win over Toronto, with Carlos Miguel in goal and Aaron Long, Sean Nealis and Kyle Duncan on the back line. After late news that standout LB Andrew Gutman had sustained an injury, CB Amro Tarek would fill in for Gutman, placing him slightly out of position. This was a surprising change, as one would expect that English RB Thomas Edwards would be better suited to replace Gutman while he is out with an injury. Nonetheless, the midfield remained unchanged, as the diamond of Sean Davis, Christian Casseres Jr, Frankie Amaya and Caden Clark sought to continue their dominance this year. Up front, Fabio would continue in his starting role, but with a new face beside him: Danny Royer. Royer’s inclusion in the starting lineup was a little strange; with Royer’s success coming off the bench this year, I would have guessed that Tom Barlow or Brian White would have continued their rotation as the second striker. One thing that caught my eye and the imagination of Red Bull fans was the arrival of Patryk Klimala and his inclusion on the bench for Saturday’s game, having only just arrived in the US earlier this week. In my opinion, this RBNY lineup is not their best, but with a weakened Union side, I felt it was enough to at least get a point on the road in hostile territory.
Kickoff
As New York kicked off, my biggest fear came to life: the Union’s experienced players bullied the young, less-experienced Red Bull midfield. Everything RBNY tried in terms of attacking creativity was snuffed out before it was realized. The Union instituted their game plan early, using New York’s high press against them with their own version of it. A quick turnover in the middle of the park and a beautiful ball from Jamiro Monterio took nearly every RBNY defender out of the play, placing the ball directly in the path of a sprinting Cory Burke, who finished with great composure from a tight angle. This early goal set the tone of this game - with a 1-0 lead, the experience of the Union side would look to frustrate the younger Red Bull side. As the first half wore on, things would only get worse for the traveling squad, as LB Amro Tarek would leave the game with an injury in the 35th minute. The lone positive is this would give Edwards, an MLS newcomer, his first minutes with his new side. Overall, the first half showed how smart this Union team is. The Union would cede possession and allow RBNY to have to ball for large chunks of time, but didn’t allow any big opportunities – in fact, Andre Blake was barely bothered in the first half. As a fan, this was extremely frustrating – the chances were there, but RBNY just couldn’t covert. The opening half would end with the Union holding on to a one goal advantage. RBNY have looked great in the second half this year, and I can only hope that the halftime break will help them continue that streak.
Before the second half started, Coach Struber wasted no time making changes, subbing off Danny Royer, who was not as effective as a starter as he had been as a sub. This brought on the young, talented striker from Celtic, Patryk Klimala. The RBNY Fanbase have been waiting for this moment, since the young polish striker was signed several weeks ago but had yet to make an appearance. Right from the jump, both teams continued with their aggressive game plans, but New York did not look as flustered as they did in the first half. RBNY appeared to be much more composed as they tried everything to get back into this game. Unfortunately, this Philadelphia side did not budge - any time New York sought to gain momentum, the Union would stop it dead in its track. My respect to Union head coach Jim Curtin, who is a top three manager in MLS, in my opinion. As the second half continued, it slowly reverted to the same story as the first. Though RBNY continued to find themselves in great positions to create chances, the Union stuck to their guns and never broke. As countless corners and free kick opportunities mounted, there was hope that New York would break through.
As a fan, this game just felt like one of those days. Though the moment might not come, all this effort from this young side still blew me away. Nonetheless, the lack of consistency would be New York’s downfall, especially against a great competitor like Philly. Struber made a few more substitutions, removing Fabio and Caden Clark, who both failed to make the significant contributions they have been known for. This gave FW Cameron Harper and MF Dru Yearwood the chance to reshape this RBNY side going forward. As time dwindled down, this “Not A Rivalry” game got heated, leading to several scrums, pushes and shoves from both sides. Unfortunately, RBNY would bear the brunt of the punishment, as Dru Yearwood received his second yellow card of the evening after a confrontation following a foul. Heading into stoppage time a man down, you couldn't help but feel that the Union were destined to secure all three points. As the final moment of the game ticked on, RBNY would suffer one final blow. Aaron Long went down hard with a what appeared to be a significant ankle injury – an injury so significant, he would need help even getting off the field. This is not only a massive blow to RBNY, as we recently learned he will not return for the remainder of the season follow Achilles tendon surgery; this injury also effects the USMNT, as Long has been a consistent starter in the back line. The final whistle finally blew, securing a home win for the Union and sending New York home wondering, “what if…”
Final Thoughts
Several things were racing through my mind post-game, as Red Bull narrowly fell to the Union 1-0. I was mostly frustrated with the performance, as several burning questions raced through my mind. As a supporter of this club, with so many big chances and better overall play in the second half, you would have guessed RBNY would have troubled Andre Blake much more than they did. As I took a step back and cleared my mind, I had to remind myself that this team at least had the heart and drive to not give up. At no point did I feel that RBNY couldn't have seen out a result today, but we are in a rebuild and perfection does not come overnight. This team is still too young and new to start placing blame - we need to take the time to see what the future holds. Furthermore, the best lessons learned are after tough losses like this one. I pray the coaching staff will take this game and use it as material for the upcoming week. New York did not look bad on the day, which is hard to say after getting shutout. However, this Philly side are still one of the better teams in the league and I respect the fact that New York put in one heck of a shift. My final thought lies with the injury to Long – what will this club look like without him in the backline? He is the backbone of this team and our biggest star, in my opinion. I hope to see him return soon to continue his success for both club and country. With that being said, though this game could have been so much better, life doesn’t always give you the best hand so - you just have to move on. This team will get better, stronger, and become the force in this league we all know they can be.
As Always I Am Here For It All.
