Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Three thoughts on Philadelphia Union:
Hackworth sends a message
If you didn't like the Union's starting lineup Saturday, then you haven't been paying enough
attention.
John Hackworth's choice to start Jack McInerney for the suspended Lio Pajoy was a bold move that
signaled a sharp break with Hackworth's predecessor, Peter Nowak.
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Philadelphia Union
Match reports from PSP, the Union website, The Inquirer, The Daily News, The Mercury, The Times
Herald, CSN Philly, PennLive.com, Washington Post, CBS DC, the 700 Level, SBI, Black and Red
United, Goal.com, the AP, the Sports Network, and Union City Blue.
Photo: Earl Gardner
There was a moment in Tuesday's US Open Cup match that crystallized just how brilliant
Philadelphia Union midfielder Michael Farfan can be and why we don't constantly see it.
In the 75th minute, he took the ball from a deep-lying central position, dribbled through three
defenders, and sent a low through ball long to his brother, Gabriel, who was cutting down the left
wing.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian; Video: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Click here to view the embedded video.
Losing a rivalry game can be devastating. Especially when that rival was thoroughly outplayed
for 90 minutes. Yet that is where the Union find themselves.
Playing down a man for 47 minutes, the Union still turned in their best performance of 2012,
looking confident on the ball and eager to attack the questionable New York defense.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Sure, a friendly is just a friendly.
But with a midweek match to test themselves against elite European opposition, the Union turned
in an excellent performance on Wednesday night, winning 2-1 over Champions League-bound Schalke 04.
There were plenty of strong performances from the home side, but a number stood out with players
eager to impress the coaching staff and earn playing time as the Union seek to find their form in
league play.
After grabbing their first two victories of 2012, the Union have lost two on the trot and are
back to square one. Against a makeshift Sounders lineup on Saturday at Century Link Field, the
Union were completely outplayed. For the second straight match the defense was under siege
throughout and were it not for some dreadful finishing from the hosts, and the intervention of
MacMath's crossbar, the scoreline would have more accurately reflected Seattle's supremacy.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
It took Danny Mwanga eight minutes to do what Lionard Pajoy hasn't done in 367: Create a
goal.
If that one play isn't a good enough reason of why Mwanga needs to replace Pajoy in Philadelphia
Union's starting lineup, here are a few more.
- Only one team in Major League Soccer has a worse goals-per-game rate than the Union's 0.
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Philadelphia Union
Still awaiting official notice of his suspension for entering the field of play in last Saturday
against Chivas USA, Peter Nowak said at Wednesday's weekly press conference, "I don't really want
to go into details before the whole situation with the verdict and we see what happens.
Philadelphia Union
Peter Nowak says of Saturday's win, "It's a tribute to our boys. Even with two red cards, we
didn't give up much. We deserved to win."
ProSoccerTalk says of the game, "Expect multiple suspensions for some late ugliness—and
stupidity. Peter Nowak led the charge off his bench and onto the field as several players imposed
themselves on a situation that referee Juan Guzman appeared to have in hand.
Photo: Daniel Gajdamowicz
Philadelphia Union
We linked to a tweet from Dave Zeitlin yesterday that indicated that, with Danny Califf doubtful
for Saturday's match against Chivas USA, Peter Nowak is likely to start the same back four that
played against Columbus, which means Garfan on the left, Gaddis on the right, with Valdes and
Williams in the middle.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
Philadelphia Union
CALENDAR UPDATE: The kickoff time for the Mother's Day derby with New York Red Bulls at PPL Park
on May 13 has been moved from 1:30pm to 12:30pm. The game will be shown live on ESPN2.
Chris Vito reports that Danny Califf will not be ready to play when the Union travel west to
play Chivas USA while Danny Mwanga is probably ready.
Photo: Courtesy TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
Philadelphia Union
The Union confirmed on Monday that they have signed Kai Herdling on loan from 1899 Hoffenheim
ahead of the close of the transfer window on Monday night.
Herdling is listed most places—from Wikipedia, to fussballdaten.de, soccerway.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
With the dust still settling following Toronto FC's first victory of the season over the Union,
one thing is now abundantly clear. The Union, not Toronto, may be the worst team in Major League
Soccer.
In a first half where third-string goalkeeper Chris Konopka had to come up big and did in his
first start for the Union and Ryan "Couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat" Johnson got
everything wrong, Toronto could have easily put two or three goals past the hapless Union.
Photo & Video: Nicolae Stoian
Union v Schalke friendly
At Tuesday's press conference, Schalke manager Huub Stevens said, "We're here with a strong
team, the strongest team we can have right now, guys like Raul, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Jermaine
Jones. If they feel good enough they'll play.
Photo: Nicolae Stoian
Video: Daniel Gajdamowicz
With a road game in Seattle followed by the first of three grudge matches against the Red Bulls,
Saturday's home game against the depleted West Conference leading San Jose Earthquakes should have
been a chance for the Union to jump on their weakened guests and claim their third consecutive
victory.
Photo: Paul Rudderow
Philadelphia Union
It may have been more "whew" than "WOO!" but a win is a win.
Peter Nowak said of the the win, "I think it was very important to the confidence. They start to
see now that the work pays off and we got to keep going."
He said further, "I think this was extremely important for the guys in the locker room to have
the feeling of getting three points.
Zach Pfeffer's burgeoning professional soccer career in America will be put on hold, as the future Philadelphia Union star will get a chance to play in Germany's Bundesliga for a year.
The Union's first ever Home Grown Player signing will head back to Germany with Hoffenheim, but this time it will be a loan, not a training session.
