Following his team’s 3-1 defeat to LA Galaxy, Union head coach Jim Curtin spoke about preparing for a midweek matchup in Houston against the Dynamo.
Winning the “one play” matchups
The Union have held their own against the big spenders this season, but they have yet to knock one off. “The LAFCs, the LA Galaxys, Atlanta, Toronto, and these one play games we call them, we've come up a little bit short,” Curtin admitted.
“I've mentioned it before, in a lot of these games now where it comes down to one play here or there, we've come up a little bit short, and that's against the top tier teams.”
Philly faces two more teams like the Galaxy in August when they welcome NYC FC then travel to DC United to face Wayne Rooney.
Players know they are close
Curtin emphasized that the guys that play the games still feels like they can compete with anyone in the league. “The players were upset in the locker room, felt like we didn't give our best,” he said. “We know that we have a group that still has confidence from the Orlando quarterfinal, a group that still is playing good soccer. Now we have to turn it around and go on the road and chase three points.”
Houston will be a test
After a difficult loss, getting back in the saddle can be a boon. Philly will play in Houston Wednesday night before getting a break as MLS heads to its All-Star weekend in Atlanta.
“We have a quick turnaround now with Houston coming up,” Curtin said. “A team that is always a difficult place to go because of the elements, the heat there, and they have a good home record.”
The Dynamo haven’t lost at home since early in the season, but they have dropped points with two draws in their last three home matches, and they needed a big penalty save to hold off Dallas last weekend.
The Union face the Dynamo at 9PM EST on Wednesday night on the Live Well Network and streaming at Philadelphiaunion.com.
