Philadelphia Union went up a man in the second half and capitalized with two goals to pull away from the Dynamo in Houston Wednesday night. Jim Curtin was proud of his team’s ability to hang together and get an important road win after enduring a tough home loss only four days prior.
The response he wanted
Curtin was particularly impressed with the Union’s fight after losing a lead at home last Saturday. Philly could have folded going into the MLS All-Star break, but they took an early sucker punch from Houston and fought back to get three points. “I thought we were tough to break down, disciplined, and obviously the red card changes the game and we were able to capitalize,” Curtin said after the match. “I thought overall it wasn’t a beautiful game by any stretch of the imagination but you have to find ways to grind out wins in this league midweek in the summer.
“Again, I’d say it was a total team effort. Maybe every guy didn’t have their best soccer game, didn’t have their sharpest day with the ball, but every guy to a man really fought for the badge tonight, which I’m really proud of.”
Borek breathes life into the offense
A toe-poke to Ale Bedoya then a crafty pass to Cory Burke made Borek Dockal the Union’s attacking centerpiece on Wednesday. The playmaker was held in check for long portions of the first half by the Dynamo’s organized pressure up front, but when he was found between the lines, he went to work picking apart the Houston defense.
“Borek’s ability to play a final ball is special,” Curtin explained. “He found Ale and Cory with throughballs that were almost mirror images of each other, where they were just right on the back line, very close calls. But the timing that we work on in training really paid off.”
Keegs corrals Quioto
Keegan Rosenberry’s nightmare 2017 is well behind him now, but facing Romell Quioto is no easy task for even the best defensive fullback. Although it kept him deeper at times, Rosenberry tracked Quioto well after a nervy opening period, and Jim Curtin liked what he saw from the third year man.
“He had a tough task with Quioto, a guy that can beat you to his left, he can come inside on his right foot, is one of the better wingers in our league,” the Union head coach said. Rosenberry’s caution, picked up at the end of the first half for a late tackle on Tomas Martinez, meant he had to be very careful with Quioto throught the latter forty-five minutes. “It’s difficult to play against that guy on a yellow card as well,” Curtin added. “Keegan has been sharp for us, really happy with the season he’s put together.”
Rosenberry will have another tough test on August 4 when his Union team faces Sebastian Blanco and Timbers on the west coast at 11PM EST following a much-needed break for the MLS All-Star festivities.
