The Philadelphia Union are still searching for solutions as their manager admitted the team psyche is “fragile right now.”
The Union visit Orlando City on Wednesday still searching for their second victory of the season. Philadelphia (1-8-3, 6 points) sits last in the Eastern Conference, while Orlando (3-8-1, 10 points) is tied for second from the bottom.
The Union are faring somewhat better than they did on their season-opening six-game losing streak, but they’re 0-2-3 in their last five and rued a missed opportunity in a 2-1 weekend road loss to the New England Revolution. They took the first lead on an own goal, but soon after Ezekiel Alladoh had a shot blocked and committed a foul at the hour mark as the Revolution found the equalizer before scoring the winner in the 87th.
Alladoh was subbed out moments after his blunder and was seen on the bench with his head in his hands.
“That action could speak (to) our whole season,” coach Bradley Carnell said Monday. “There’s been so many little moments throughout the season to kind of get the show back on the road and a little bit of adversity or a little bit of anxiety or a little bit of something here or there just throws a spanner in the works, which is unfortunate. We win together, we lose together and we stick by each other.”
Carnell noted that Philadelphia made two mistakes that led to New England’s only two shots on target, and both went in the net.
“Defensively I thought we were in charge and in balance, and one moment gets away from us and kind of then derails. That’s kind of how fragile everything is right now.”
Philadelphia hasn’t scored a goal of its own since April 22 in a 3-3 draw with Toronto. Milan Iloski and Danley Jean Jacques remain tied for the team lead with two goals.
Perhaps facing an Orlando team that’s allowed a league-high 34 goals through 12 matches will provide an opportunity to reset.
The Lions couldn’t capitalize on their stunning 4-3 comeback over rival Miami on May 2, losing 2-0 at CF Montreal last Saturday.
Interim coach Martin Perelman said Orlando wouldn’t be caught by surprise by a desperate foe in Philadelphia.
“We are in our process,” Perelman said. “It’s true that they couldn’t get the result but at the same time, it’s true that they are a strong team. We know them, we respect every opponent. That said, we are going to prepare the game like we always do, taking care of our team, preparing properly (and) recovering the players because we played a few days ago.”
Martin Ojeda leads Orlando with seven goals.
Carnell said Union defender Frankie Westfield is day-to-day with a hip pointer after X-rays came back negative.
–Field Level Media
