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Union’s Second Goal Against Charlotte Was So Good That it Should Count as Two Goals
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The Union remain unbeaten, 15 in a row now after a 2-2 home draw with Charlotte on Saturday afternoon.
It wasn’t their best game of this current run, but as we’ve seen going all the way back to July now, they find a way to get a result, and they deserved the point after scoring this second-half equalizer:
This is a 9 out of 10 goal.
Of course, it starts with wide play. Everything the Union do well typically comes from wide areas. This time, it’s Quinn Sullivan looking for Milan Iloski. Iloski dummies the pass, which completely takes left center back Henry Kessler out of the play. Damiani plays a one-touch layoff for Danley Jean-Jacques, who fends off Ashley Westwood and rolls a back heel pass onto Damiani’s stronger left foot. Damiani blasts the return pass into the net.
The right center back, Morrison Agyemang is expecting the play to continue into the channel, through either attacking player, and when the change of direction takes place, he can’t slide quickly enough, nor can Westwood:
It has to be said that there is some legitimate attacking skill on this Union team. We always point out the energy, hustle, defensive mettle, and physicality. All of that German Red Bull team pressing type of stuff that makes them so hard to play against. But these guys really do have some chops when they go forward. Iloski is as good as anybody with the ball at his feet, especially in tight spaces. Both Sullivans can run at a defender or pick out a pass. Kai Wagner and Frankie Westfield hit some of the best crosses in MLS. Danley Jean-Jacques will pop up out of nowhere with a great piece of skill that makes you say “where did that come from?” And on this play in particular, Damiani with some prototypical target forward back-to-goal stuff as he lays the ball off perfectly with his weaker foot. He’s a left-footed player in the right channel, so he circles back to his strong foot on the return pass.
Ryan Richter has these guys humming. Two tough games coming up though, first at home against New England, then at league-leaders Nashville. Four more regular season games to go, then playoffs.
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com