By Siobhan Nolan, Contributing Writer
After coming off of a refreshing 2-0 win over the Chicago Fire last week, the Union fell to a disappointing tie over the New England Revolution on Wednesday. It wasn’t their best performance, but points are points. Let’s recap.
Kacper Przybylko had a decent argument for a penalty in the 6th minute of play, after Dejuan Jones made contact with Przybylko’s leg, but the referee made no call, and the play wasn’t reviewed.
Andre Blake was forced into his usual heroics in the 31st minute, saving a shot from Adam Buksa, but the Union quickly responded on the counterattack, forcing Revolution goalie Matt Turner to deflect a shot from Sergio Santos.
The two teams stayed scoreless for the large majority of the game, as both offenses couldn’t find a way to break through the opposing defenses…that is, until New England pulled ahead in the 85th minute, thanks to a goal from Teal Bunbury. They wouldn’t be able to enjoy their lead for long, however, as Przybylko finally found the back of the net in the 88th minute. The Union stayed in search of their game-winning goal for the rest of the game, including four minutes of extra time, but couldn’t find it by the final whistle.
Man of the Match: One could award this to Blake or Przybylko pretty much every game, but for this game, it’ll have to be Alejandro Bedoya. He ran the most, held the midfield together, and provided a solid foundation for the Union’s scoring chances. The midfield has been consistent force of nature this season, and they deserve some recognition for their contributions to the Union’s offense.
The Main Takeaway: Jim Curtin has been putting out more or less the same lineup week in and week out across all competitions this season, and it’s been working out fine, but they’ve got to be exhausted from the constant playing time. It’s wonderful that Curtin has been naming a host of young homegrown players to the bench, but it doesn’t mean much if they’re not utilized. The Union’s normally superb fitness levels have been noticeably dwindling, finishing games looking quite lethargic, so it can’t hurt to put some fresh legs on the field.
