After an alarming season opening loss to FC Dallas, the Philadelphia Union have now made it two wins in a row after a 3-0 home opening victory at Talen Energy Stadium against the New England Revolution on a chilly Sunday afternoon.
CJ Sapong victimized the Revolution's center backs with two goals in the first half and Sebastien Le Toux put the exclamation mark on a relatively comfortable win, which was aided by a red card to Revolution right back Je-Vaughn Watson. The result could have been even more flattering had Revs goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth not come up with several big stops, including two penalty-kick saves.
More to come ...
Box Score
- 18' – PHI – CJ Sapong (Fabinho)
- 33' – PHI – CJ Sapong (Warren Creavalle)
- 93'+ – PHI – Sebastien Le Toux (Leo Fernandes, Chris Pontius)
- Full box score
- Stats
Union have their way with sloppy Revolution
New England Revolution goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth made two penalty kick saves on Sunday afternoon against the Philadelphia Union at PPL Park, though his side still lost 3-0.
Shuttleworth, who couldn’t prevent New England (0-1-2, 1 point) from losing their first game of the season, became the first Revs keeper to save two penalties in a game since October 2004, when Matt Reis achieved the feat in a 1-1 Eastern Conference semifinal tie against the Columbus Crew.
But a victory wasn’t on the cards for the Revolution this time around. Philadelphia’s CJ Sapong scored twice inside the game’s first 33 minutes, while New England went down to 10 men thanks to Je-Vaughn Watson getting ejected for a studs-up tackle on Roland Alberg in the 36th minute.
Lee Nguyen hit both posts off a freekick shortly before referee Nima Saghafi red carded Watson for the Revolution’s best chance of the day.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia’s Sebastien Le Toux, who came on in the 58th minute for Allberg, scored in second half stoppage time to make it 3-0.
After starting their season off brightly with a three-goal performance in a tie against the Houston Dynamo, the Revolution, who were also held scoreless in their home opener against DC United last week, seem to be getting progressively worse.
The Revs were without Charlie Davies (hamstring) on Sunday and were forced to use Teal Bunbury as the lone forward in a 4-2-3-1 formation, but struggled overall to connect passes and create chances.
Both Femi Hollinger-Janzen and Zachary Herivaux made their MLS debuts for the Revolution off the bench and looked sharp, which was a stark contrast to their teammates’ collective form.
Meanwhile, Juan Agudelo entered the match for Diego Fagundez near the hour mark and provided some needed hold-up play while also firing the team’s best chance of the second half: a low drive that Union keeper Andre Blake dropped low to parry in the 88th minute.
The Revolution will now travel to New York to play NYCFC at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.
Philadelphia Union
3 0
New England Revolution
CHESTER, Pa. – The Philadelphia Union looked right at home in their first match in the renamed Talen Energy Stadium on Sunday afternoon, shutting down the New England Revolution on a cold, windy day by a score of 3-0. Andre Blake held a phenomenal clean sheet and C.J. Sapong had a brace to spark the production for Philly.
New England had trouble catching up, as they went a man down in the first half whilst already trailing 2-0. Lee Nguyen had a few close attempts at goal but none were able to beat Blake.
First Half Dominated By Union
The chances were few in the opening minutes, with Philadelphia controlling possession but failing to connect on balls over-the-top to C.J. Sapong. But the Union were the first to get a shot off, and on the first attempt, Philly went up 1-0.
Fabinho released down the left wing and slotted a ball into penalty area traffic towards Sapong. The Revs defenders failed to get in front of the striker and he turned and fired a left-footed shot right by Bobby Shuttleworth to put the Union a goal up as 'doop' cheers rained down from the Sons of Ben at Talen Energy Stadium.
Andre Blake made a great save in net for Philadelphia a few minutes later in the 22nd minute, diving to his left to deny a scorcher from New England's Lee Nguyen. THere was a bit of a scare as the Jamaican was slow to get up, but he rose right to his feet to snag the ensuing corner as it crossed his area.
The lead doubled and things only got better for the Union as the first half progressed. Sapong received an identical ball to the one on his first goal, this time from Warren Creavalle, and he shot left as the ball trickled through the grasp of Shuttleworth to cue the 'doop' chants and make it 2-0 for the home side.
Nguyen had another chance for the Revolution on a free kick above the box. He fired a laser of a ball to the top left side of the net, and his shot struck the left post and bounced across the goal line, proceeding then carom of the right post before rolling out and stunningly leaving NE empty-handed.
New England's chances were further shrunk a few minutes later, when a two-footed challenge by Je-Vaughn Watson was whistled and blown down for a straight red card. With the Revs down a man, it was only a matter of time before Philadelphia got another chance at goal, and they did just that as stoppage time began.
Ilsinho handled atop the left side of the box, and as he pushed a ball through the feet of a pair of New England defenders, the gap between his opponents closed and he was tripped up, drawing the ref's whistle as Nima Saghafi pointed to the spot. Ilsinho stepped up to take the penalty, but his PK was read easily by Shuttleworth and saved left, keeping the score at 2-0 to the man-up Union as the half time whistle was blown.
More Of The Same As Man-Down Revs Can't Get Through In Second Half
Philly kept the jets running for the second half, and Chris Pontiushad a good chance at goal in the 52nd minute, the first major one of the half. Roland Alberg fed him a ground ball across the pitch to the middle-left of the box, and Pontius, taking a big touch to his left, fired left at goal, only to be denied by a fine Shuttleworth save near-post.
Pontius had another point-blank attempt from the left half of the penalty area in the 64th minute, with a great through ball by Sapong leaving him with a one-on-one one-time attempt against Shuttleworth. The midfielder got it by Shuttleworth, but his underwhelming attempt rolled way wide to the left. It may have been the best overall opportunity to score all day.
A scramble in the box from a 74th-minute free kick swung in gave Philadelphia a brief worry, as subbed-on Juan Agudelo's initial header was blocked, but then his volley came through clearly, just sailing over the net on a lobbed trajectory for a goal kick.
The Union countered right away with a close strike of their own, as substitute Sebastien Le Toux had a right-footed opportunity from the right side of the box in the 76th minute. Le Toux flew into his attempt, but he couldn't control and it sailed over the bar and out of play.
Penalty number two came for Philadelphia in the 78th minute, as commotion from corner-brought chances led to a ball up top for Sapong, who leapt for a header and drew the foul on Jose Goncalves. Le Toux, a more routine PK-taker, stepped up to take, but Shuttleworth denied the Union once again, handing the forward his first-ever non-goal from a penalty take.
New England had a real hard time figuring out Philadelphia's defense, but got a shot off from close-ish range in the 88th minute. Agudelo got a solid feed from Nguyen, but his low shot across goal was parried away by a diving Andre Blake.
Right after coming on for man of the match C.J. Sapong in the 90th,Fabian Herbers had a clear shot at goal, but it was deflected out for a corner by Shuttleworth. The Union maintained offensive possession as the four minutes of stoppage time ran out, and Brian Carroll let one go from distance but had it fly just over the bar.
Philadelphia need to tack on just one more score and did just that two minutes into stoppage time, as a low ball came past Shuttleworth and to the feet of Le Toux, who casually flicked the ball into the net for the Union's third score of the night.
The game ended moments later, the result holding at 3-0 to give the Union their second win of the year.
Nenhum comentário:
Postar um comentário