Cory Burke scored and celebrated only to find out that the offsides flag was up. But moments later, with Haris Medunjanin amping up the crowd and swinging his arms, the call was overturned after Drew Fischer consulted with the Video Assistant Referee. It was the only goal the Union would need as the knocked off New England Revolution 1-0, their second win over the Revs in three weeks.
The Union are now four points behind Columbus Crew for fourth place in the Eastern Conference, and they are seven points ahead of New England, who sit just below the playoff line.
Brad Friedel handed Bolivian midfielder Cristhian Machado his first start in place of the suspended Scott Caldwell. New England came out looking to get Machado into the gap between Ray Gaddis and Auston Trusty, with Juan Agudelo checking deep to lure defenders forward.
Seven minutes in, the Union had the first chance of the game when Borek Dockal released Cory Burke through the right channel. The big striker got the ball out of his feet but couldn’t put his shot on frame from a tight angle.
New England was man-marking tightly in midfield, making things difficult for the Union’s talented central trio of Dockal, Haris Medunjanin, and Ale Bedoya. As a result, Philly struggled to advance the ball while the visitors looked to attack the space behind their back line.
In the 18th minute, Cristian Penilla was released down the left, but he took the ball wide and his shot was tame. New England had their tails up again three minutes later when Auston Trusty, after strong 1v1 defense on Diego Fagundez, made a soft back pass to Blake; the goalie strode out quickly to clear the danger.
The Union showed off a quick counterattack in the 28th minute, turning a Revs corner kick into a half-chance. Fafa Picault did great work on the left to release Burke behind the defense, but the striker’s cross was blocked out.
The Revs man defense meant that the Union centerbacks were given space to advance the ball, and in the 36th minute Trusty took his chance to have a sight at goal. The big center back advanced through the middle before unleashing a powerful low shot that skipped around Turner’s far post.
The first half ended with both teams struggling to create, but the Union came out in the second frame began with the Union asserting themselves.
Off the kickoff, Philly was driving at the visitors’ goal, and Ale Bedoya combined with Sapong to drive into the area, shift the ball onto his left foot and have a look at goal that was deflected just wide of the near post.
Four minutes after that, Sapong earned a free kick on the right and Dockal played it across the formation to Medunjanin. A gorgeous dink to the far post was met by Rosenberry’s late run, but the fullback’s bouncing shot was blocked away by Turner.
The Union finally broke the match open in the 54th minute, though the Revs cried foul. Medunjanin’s ball over the top released Burke down the left channel. The offsides flag went up and New England’s defense stopped moving. Burke was in alone; he rounded Turner effortlessly and scored, celebrating by removing his shirt in the corner.
At first the goal was called back, but the Video Assistant Referee, Jorge Gonzalez, stepped in to suggest a review. After checking the replay Drew Fischer pointed to the middle of the field, indicating that the goal stood.
Sapong almost doubled the lead three minutes later when he strode through a slew of tackles and ended up at the top of the box with the ball on his left foot. The striker wound up but his shot flew high and wide of the frame.
New England’s main threat came from Penilla’s fiery right foot. In the 59th minute, Wilfried Zahibo beat two tackles and played Penilla moving left to right into the center. The winger ripped a strike at Blake but the Union goalie knocked it down and smothered it.
Philly responded through Picault. Burke turned Mancienne and played Dockal and he released Picault up the left but Burke was first to the ball. He drove into defenders and Picault collected, but his shot was blocked away by a charging pair of Revs.
In the 70th minute, Blake made another huge save on Penilla when the striker managed to isolate Rosenberry and cut onto his right foot in the box. A screamer through a defender left Blake reacting late, but he still got low and tipped the shot wide of the far post.
Blake was needed again in the 79th minute when Agudelo found space for a header at the back post and placed it back across goal. Once again, the Union goalie sprung to the side to palm the ball away.
Ilsinho began causing havoc up the right after entering for Sapong, and in the 90th minute he took a ball from fellow substitute Derrick Jones and drove at the Revs box up the right, only to have it cleared away at the last moment.
The Union held on, and the win means they have four straight wins — three in the league — as they prepare to face red hot DC United at Audi Field on Wednesday, August 29th.
