Danny Cruz is the ultimate team player.
But he also has the ability to score goals in bunches. That much was evident as Cruz scored twice in less than a minute in the Philadelphia Union’s 2-2 draw against Seattle Sounders FC Saturday at PPL Park.
While Cruz was a bit disappointed with the result, he was also reveling in his offensive prowess.
Cruz entered this season with six career goals.
Now, make that eight.
Watch: Danny Cruz' first of two against Seattle
“At the end of the day I wanted to win,” said Cruz, who scored in the 50th minute and repeated the feat in the 51st minute. “That’s first and foremost and most important. I’m happy with the result at home. That being said, Seattle is a good team. As far as the goals, I couldn’t be happier. I’m happy to contribute with the guys. Coach (John Hackworth) has faith in me and it’s something to drive me.
“I was just happy to see the ball go in the back of the net both times, and hopefully to continue in the upcoming weeks continuing to contribute.”
Cruz always plays hard.
In the second half, he followed through with a pair of clutch goals. His second goal gave the Union a 2-1 advantage.
“The first one definitely came off the post and I just tried to hit it far post just in case the keeper got a hand on it and we could get a rebound,” Cruz said. “The second one, the ball got cleared off and I took it off my chest and obviously I was just feeling confident and that happens with most football players.”
Cruz’s teammates could see his confidence improving as the match went on.
“After he scored the first one, it was like, ‘Let’s go,’ and he took it to them,” said defender Sheanon Williams. “Danny is a very, very good player and it was great to see him put those in the back of the net. He works extremely hard every single day and to see him rewarded was a great thing. I only wish we could have gotten three points out of this game. We take the point and learn from it. For Danny, I’m sure it will be a great confidence type of booster.”
While Cruz’s confidence is on the rise, he was still a bit miffed with the draw. It’s simply the competitor in him.
“A couple times this year we go ahead and kind of relax,” Cruz said. “Hopefully, we can learn from it and get three points the next time we’re up, especially at home.”
Contact Union writer Andy Jasner at andy.jasner@yahoo.com
