Match Recap: Union 1, Revs 0

Jack McInerney became the first Philadelphia Union player since September 2011 to score in three consecutive MLS games as John Hackworth’s side eased past New England Revolution with a 1-0 win at PPL Park on Saturday evening.
The striker’s thumping header 17 minutes from time was enough to give the home side their third win in four games and keep the Union unbeaten against the Revs with a 4-0-3 all-time record.
The Union made two changes to the side which so confidently won 3-1 at Chicago Fire on Wednesday evening – both enforced – as right back Sheanon Williams sat out through suspension due to yellow card accumulation while Danny Cruz missed out through the foot injury he picked up midweek. There was positive news from the treatment room, however, with Freddy Adu returning to selection on the bench.
McInerney kept his place following his goal at Toyota Park and he almost scored in near-identical fashion ten minutes in with the game’s first chance. Michael Farfan threaded an incisive through-ball beyond a static Revolution defense to release the striker but the Union number 9 could only drag his shot wide of the left post with goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth beaten.
With New England’s infrequent attacks forced wide or clear, the Union would continue to enjoy the brighter moments of the opening exchanges, notably through Keon Daniel who whipped in two dangerous-looking balls to cause consternation in the Revs’ defense.
But a huge chance would present itself the visitors’ way a shade before the half-hour mark, one which they would somehow fail to convert. Honduran striker Jerry Bengtson benefitted from a touch of defensive pinball in the Union box before turning well and rounding Zac MacMath only to roll his angled shot straight off the near post with the empty net gaping to preserve the first half stalemate.
HALF TIME: Philadelphia Union 0-0 New England Revolution
It would take until the hour mark – and the introduction of Antoine Hoppenot – for the second half to finally ignite; the forward’s thorny presence, just as it did in Chicago, giving the opposition backline an unfamiliar dimension to consider.
If Hoppenot’s persistent running ruffled the New England backline, it would be the predatory instincts of his striker partner McInerney that would inflict the most damage 13 minutes later.
Keon Daniel produced another fine delivery from wide right after Michael Farfan had been impeded and McInerney arrived at the back post to bullet a header into the net for his seventh goal of the season after Shuttleworth had failed to intercept.
It would take strong goalkeeping at the other end to preserve that lead five minutes from time; Ryan Guy glancing a firmly-struck free-kick at goal to force an excellent stop from Zac MacMath who clung on to the ball as the visitors homed in on an unlikely point.
There would still be time for the visitors to be reduced to ten men as the game ebbed away from them; Benny Feilhaber given two yellow cards in the space of as many minutes as the Union held out for their first back-to-back wins since July.
FULL TIME: Philadelphia Union 1-0 New England Revolution
ATTENDANCE: 17,079.
GOAL SUMMARY
PHILADELPHIA UNION                                      
Jack McInerney, 73.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
n/a
LINEUPS:
Philadelphia Union starting XI: Zac MacMath, Raymon Gaddis, Gabriel Farfan Amobi Okugo, Carlos Valdés (c), Brian Carroll, Michael Lahoud (Antoine Hoppenot, 61), Gabriel Gómez (Roger Torres, 71), Michael Farfan, Keon Daniel, Jack McInerney (Chris Albright, 81).
Subs not used: Chris Konopka, Zach Pfeffer, Freddy Adu, Chandler Hoffman.
New England Revolution starting XI: Bobby Shuttleworth, Kevin Alston, Darrius Barnes, A.J. Soares (Fernando Cárdenas, 61), Clyde Simms (c), Kelyn Rowe (Dimitry Imbongo, 77), Alec Purdie, Benny Feilhaber, Diego Fagundez (Juan Toja, 64), Ryan Guy, Jerry Bengtson.
Suns not used: Matt Reis, Blake Brettschneider, Blair Gavin, Sainey Nyassi.
GAME AT A GLANCE:

CARD SUMMARY:
PHILADELPHIA UNION                      
Yellow:
Gabriel Farfan, 87.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
Yellow:
Clyde Simms, 66.
Benny Feilhaber, 86.
Ryan Guy, 86.
Red:
Benny Feilhaber, 88.