Philadelphia Union fail to win again as the nightmare continues

The disappointment expressed by the Philadelphia Union fan base was loud and clear after Philly blew a 3-0 lead resulting in a draw at home. In a league that can punish you for the slightest slip-ups, results are reserved for closers; and the Union are far from that.

The Philadelphia Union put forward some of their cleanest and well balanced attacking soccer in recent memory. And yet, when the final whistle blew in Chester, PA, the sound of haunting boos came down harder than the actual rain. Because quite frankly, it wasn’t enough to get the all-elusive win dating back to August of last season.

Thousands of fans that ventured out to Talen Energy Stadium felt a collective weight being lifted when five minutes into the game, C.J. Sapong played Roland Alberg into space and used his quick feet to position himself in the box and fire a shot past Montreal Impact goalkeeper Even Bush. The early lead was cautiously optimistic for those in attendance as Philadelphia have shown their skill early on in matches without producing victories. But the resulting actions perhaps put those worries to bed.

A corner for the Union in the 22nd came back to the feet of Haris Medunjanin who danced and worked himself into a lethal position on the edge of the box. A curving delivery met the head of Chris Pontius who found Sapong streaking into the fray and heading the ball forcefully into the back of the net.

Apr 22, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Union midfielder Roland Alberg (10) reacts after his goal past Montreal Impact goalkeeper Evan Bush (1) during the first half at Talen Energy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Off yet another set piece, rookie defender Jack Elliott’s hold-up play resulted in a penalty being called on Montreal that was put in by Alberg for his second on the day. The atmosphere was electric within the confines of Talen Energy Stadium and it seemed to be that the Union would finally see themselves over the hump of being the last winless team in Major League Soccer.

Then, on the verge of half-time, the Impact’s Ignacio Piatti put together a dynamic run through the heart of the Philadelphia defense and rifled a low curling effort past Union keeper Andre Blake. It was perhaps the most deflated I’ve ever heard a stadium that was currently sitting on a 3-1 lead going into the break. Something seemed all too familiar among the grounds in Chester, PA.

And sure enough, the tides turned on Philadelphia slowly but strongly throughout the entire progression of the second half.

The Union began spreading the field through Medunjanin’s and Alberg’s efforts. But the final product was simply not there for a squad that seemed to lack the killer mentality to be clinical and effective in the final third as the game went on. As a result, Montreal stayed patient in their build-up and eventually found their breakthrough in the 70th minute by ways of Anthony Jackson-Hamel splitting the Philadelphia center backs and delivering a floating header into the top corner of the net.

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As tensions rose, more and more pressure came onto the heart and determination of the team and chances became more and more important to capitalize on. Fafa Picault’s return to the field saw him with two chances to both create a goal-scoring opportunity and put one away himself on a long and promising breakaway. But the moment proved to be too big for the young American winger and the game remained within Montreal’s grasp all the way up to the final five minutes of the game.

It was then that a poor clearance by the Union defense allowed Matteo Mancuso to put a shot on target that was initially saved by Blake but the parry was met by the foot of Jackson-Hamel who put it into the net and definitively crushed the spirit of every fan in attendance. An all too familiar sight for those who show up week in and week out to watch this team work their way up the hill to achieve victory and simply fall short of ever reaching the top in both 2017 and the short yet painful history of this Union franchise.

Apr 22, 2017; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin walks off the field after a loss against the Montreal Impact at Talen Energy Stadium. The game ended in a 3-3 draw. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

"“I’m at a loss for words” Union captain Alejandro Bedoya said post-game after the 3-3 draw: “It feels like a loss… It’s hard to stomach. This team deserves a lot better, the fans deserve a lot better… It sucks.”"

The mood was evident on the faces of all the players who now find themselves at the bottom of the eastern conference and facing a road trip that consists of opponents like the Los Angeles Galaxy and the New York Red Bulls. One point out of nine at home is unacceptable by any team’s standards; and to have opportunities like this slip away week after week can be telling of both the mindset of the team and the decisions made by their head coach, Jim Curtin

With all eyes on Curtin following the match, his resilient nature of believing in his team and their ability to be a successful group of guys going forward doesn’t seem to carry the weight and tone of a man who particularly has an answer to this problem. The team is broken mentally, the fans are let down consistently, and the whispers of change within the hierarchy of the organization have turned into wailing screams that are still lingering here inside the empty stadium the entire city of Philadelphia has worked so hard to put there in the first place.

"“When I came to this club, we were all ambitious” Bedoya noted following the result: “It’s not the start that we wanted… it sums up, kind of, the start of the season. It sucks. Disappointing, frustrating. But tomorrow is a new day, and we’ve got to keep working hard.”"

Something has got to give with this Philadelphia Union squad. Whether it come in the form of a new transcendental talent, a coach who can build up the finishing mindset in this group of guys, or an ownership group who is ambitious enough to go out and bring in the required pieces to make this team worth watching down the line.

Next: Union vs. Impact: A Search for Answers

Tomorrow is a new day, and the waves of negativity are going to come crashing down on the entire Union franchise. For the hopes of the fans and those who cover the team, I only hope they are ready for what is to come and are willing to make the changes necessary to keep themselves from going under.

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