Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin spoke to the media on Tuesday about his team’s upcoming US Open Cup quarterfinal match against Orlando City SC, building on David Accam’s gamewinning goal, and the growth of his young players.
Accam-o-rama
“He earned it.” That’s how Curtin responded when asked about Accam’s sensational 95th minute strike to lift the Union over Chicago Fire last week. The match marked the first time Accam had played more than half an hour in a game since Philly’s last match with Chicago at the end of May. The winger’s response was encouraging, and Curtin was particularly pleased with the attitude that created the gamewinner.
“You see a player that, I thought, on that last play, had the mentality and the mindset of kind of eff it, I’m going myself, I’m going on my own,” Curtin said. “And you saw that, and he was rewarded for it.
“Everything’s not going to be perfect, everything’s not going to go in the net like it did the other night,” he concluded. “But if his mentality stays that way and he’s aggressive and on the front foot, he’s a handful for teams to deal with.”
Favorable environment, but mentality is a must
Noting that Orlando is coming off a tiring match against Toronto while the Union played an international friendly, Curtin still believes his team must be at its best to move forward in the US Open Cup.
“We do catch a little bit of a break in that we have an off-week and a friendly on the weekend while Orlando was fighting against a very good Toronto team in 90 degree temperature,” the head coach said. “They also have a quick turnaround and play on the same rest on the weekend, so they have to manage their roster.”
Meanwhile, the Union are mostly healthy, aside from a slight quad issue for Ilsinho. “We have a fresh team, we’re at home, so we have some confidence within our group to high press and do the things that we’re good at at home and take care of business,” the coach asserted.
And in the end, this is a win-or-go-home match, so every little moment matters. “It’s a game that’s an elimination game, so they’re special,” Curtin warned. There’s pressure, no question about it, because one mistake can determine your fate.”
What is this Orlando you speak of
Orlando is still adjusting to new head coach — and former Louisville City SC coach — James O’Connor. Ironically, that makes them difficult to scout. “In this competition they’ve had three coaches coach games already, so that’s a little unique,” Curtin pointed out. “But you watch the tape of the past two performances, [against] Toronto and LAFC, and you see a team where maybe before five attacked and five defended — this is kind of everyone’s attacking, everyone’s defending. Obviously it’s early, but you see a team that’s fighting for each other, has confidence coming off a 2-0 win, and is maybe in the hard parts of games, grinding them out right now.”
No matter what Orlando throws at the Union, though, Curtin feels his team will have answers if they play the way they have at home all season. “It’s about us and doing the things we do well at home, which is pressing, controlling the possession of games, creating chances,” he emphasized. “And, hopefully, scoring some goals.”
