In the early moments of the match, New England’s pressure made it difficult for the Union to get out of their own third. In the eighth minute, Diego Fagundez released zippy winger Cristian Penilla up the left wing. Penilla rounded Jack Elliott but his cross was cleared out of the box.
In the 11th minute, Penilla was isolated on Keegan Rosenberry on top of the box on the left. He cut onto his favored right foot and got full wood on his shot but Elliott stepped forward to block it away.
The Union began to play over the top of the Revs pressure. Alejandro Bedoya’s early runs pushed the defensive line back while CJ Sapong and Cory Burke competed for everything in the air. In the 13th minute, Sapong collected the ball deep on the right and cut onto his left foot before lofting a wondrous cross to the back post. Burke met the ball cleanly but his shot popped back into play off the post. Fafa Picault followed up the play, cutting onto his right and hitting a curler that Matt Turner had to push over the bar.
On the ensuing corner kick, Borek Dockal and Haris Medunjanin combined on the wing to release the Bosnian near the top corner of the box on the right. Medunjanin fired a low ball toward the near post and Elliott backheeled it into the net to put Philadelphia on top.
Moments after going ahead, Philly threatened up the right once again. Keegan Rosenberry and Burke combined high in the attacking half, and when Rosenberry ran onto the ball in the final third, he picked out Burke sprinting toward the front post. The ball was slightly behind the big striker and he couldn’t put it on frame.
In the 24th minute, Elliott — yes, that’s right — extended the lead with his second of the night. This time the Union created a 3v2 off a corner kick on the right and Picault cut inside onto his left, curling a beautiful shot off the far post. The ball bunced back into the goal frame and Elliott stepped forward to knock it home from close range.
Bedoya nearly had Phill’s third of the half in the 39th minute when he flew in at the back post to meet Dockal’s free kick. The Union captain put his header on frame, but Matt Turner was perfectly positioned to collect the ball.
At halftime, Jim Curtin said the Union needed a third goal, and unfortunately he was proven correct. In the first minute of the second half, Penilla moved the ball left to right to Andrew Farrell and the fullback’s blasted shot deflected off Auston Trusty and flew past Andre Blake.
New England had their tails up and in the 57th minute Wilfried Zahibo got free on a corner but put his shot over the bar. Moments later, Elliott was pulled out of position and Penilla ran free up the left channel, shaping his body to fire far post. Andre Blake was too quick, however, and he threw out a big paw to push the ball wide of goal.
In the 64th minute, Zahibo sprung free on a set piece to even the scoreline. Fagundez curled the ball behind the Union’s line and Zahibo touched the ball toward the far post and in.
Fafa Picault tried to take the game over as New England sought to complete the comeback with a third goal. First, the Union winger nearly caught Matt Turner dwelling on the ball, then he dispossessed Zahibo in the center, drove past Jalil Anibaba like he was a traffic cone, and ripeed a shot at the near post that Turner went down to save.
It was fitting, then, that Picault got the Union’s third. Off a set piece, substitute Fabian Herbers attacked the far post. As the ball arrived, Antonio Delamea stuck up an arm and conceded a clear penalty. Picault stepped to the spot and slid the ball past the diving Turner up the center.
The Union had the lead, but the match refused to lose its energy. Jim Curtin added Warren Creavalle and then Derrick Jones to the mix, pushing Bedoya to the wing. Brad Friedel added Kelyn Rowe, hauling off Zahibo.
The Union immediately attacked the space Zahibo usually patrolled, and Dockal got free to rocket a shot off the crossbar from 24 yards out. The Revs responded through Penilla, but the winger’s gorgeous cross with the outside of his right foot found no runners.
In the end, the Union held on for their fourth road win of the season. They now have a full week of training before the dangerous New York City FC comes to Talen Energy Stadium next Saturday.
