BOX SCORE
HARRISON, N.J. -- It was supposed to be a night to remember for the playoff-bound Union, who needed a simple result over the New York Red Bulls in their season finale to earn a crucial BYE and top-three seed in the Eastern Conference for the first round of the coveted post season.
Their rivals had different plans.
In dominating fashion at Red Bull Arena on Thursday, the Red Bulls, fighting for their playoff lives, were grittier, hungrier and faster, as they easily dispatched the Union, 1-0.
Thank God that was the last game of the regular season and not the first round of the playoffs, said Danny Califf.
Forced to settle with 48 points on the season, the loss was the worst-case scenario for the Union, who are now out of the drivers seat concerning their fate. Clinching the playoffs last week against Toronto FC, the second-year club needed just one point to seal a top-three position in the East. However, with no points against the Red Bulls, the Union can be now passed by the Houston Dynamo (46 points) and Columbus Crew (47 points) which would throw them into the one-game wildcard round beginning on Oct. 26 or 27.
We used a lot of emotion to get the to playoffs and sometimes I think the message gets old, said coach Peter Nowak. This team needs to put themselves in a position to challenge themselves, compete against each other and compete against the other team, whoever its going to be.
Califf echoed his coachs sentiments.
Whoever we match up with we have to go forward and learn from this game, this atmosphere, he said. We need to realize that all the games we play next are going to be similar to this. We need to learn and realize we have to match up.
With the win, the Red Bulls clinch a playoff berth and they looked like a playoff team early. After pinning the Union in their zone and blocking off their breakout, the Union defense collapsed in the eighth minute and paid for it accordingly, when a Jan Gunnar Solli cross found the uncovered head of striker Dane Richards in the mid box, before bouncing off the post, off the back of goalie Faryd Mondragon and in. Ruled as an own goal, the score gave the Red Bulls the crucial early 1-0 lead.
The goal came too early, said Nowak. It made it tough for us to find a rhythm. Its easy for other teams when the score first because we begin to chase the game and try to find openings.
The experience of the other team was a crucial factor in the situation. You could see it on the field.
The Red Bulls pushed for more in the 17th minute, when speedy Richards was sprung in alone on Mondragon. Gaining the box, Richards, who blew past Carlos Valdes, one of the bright spots in the opening half, fired a clean shot that was kicked away athletically by the veteran goalie, keeping the game tentatively within the Unions reach. Mondragon made another challenging save in the 43rd minute again off of Richards, when Califfs lumbering back pass was caught by the nimble Red Bulls striker and fired off the legs of the keeper.
Mondragon finished with four saves.
It was too easy for the other team to go down the field and too easy to cut our passing lines, Nowak said. Its easy to score early and go into a shell. We needed to be more opportunistic.
The Union failed to muster any form of offense through the opening 30 minutes, as they seemed befuddled in the midfield and incapable of any ball possession. The lack of movement off the ball forced the playoff-bound squad into giving up counter-attacks to the speedy Red Bulls, who made them pay.
The key was us pressing our guys higher up the pitch which forced the Union into side passes, said Red Bulls coach Hans Backe.
Offensive ineptitude crippled the Union throughout the opening half and game as Michael Farfan and Sheanon Williams connected for the first Union scoring chance of the game in the 35th minute on a long volley that was headed by Williams over Frank Rost and the Red Bulls goal. In the 39th minute, Justin Mapp fought to earn a Union corner kick that was taken by 16-year old Zach Pfeffer, but was easily snuffed out by the Red Bulls defense to keep the Red Bulls leading at the half.
Were still confident, were not down as a team, said Pfeffer. Its definitely a blow, we want to control our own destiny, but now we have to wait and see the other results. You dont ever want to put your fate in anyone else's hands, but were in the playoffs. Wherever we finish, whoever we play, we have to do what we have to do.
The heartbreaker of the night came in the 67th minute for the Union, after a goal by Sebastien Le Toux off a free kick recalled because an offsides call on Valdes. The sense of elation after an impotent game otherwise on the offensive side was immediately dissolved by the referees decision.
Notes
The Unions supporters, the Sons of Ben, arrived in force at Red Bull Arena, traveling an estimated 1200 fansPrior to the match, the Union announced a radio deal with 610 WIP, which will begin in 2012.
We are thrilled to have developed this partnership with WIP, the preeminent sports radio station in the Greater Philadelphia area, said Philadelphia Union Executive Vice President Dave Rowan. Our fans have been asking for us to be on the radio for both games and daily Philadelphia Union talk radio coverage so this partnership was a major priority for us. We are truly honored to be a part of WIPs already great programming.
The 17 broadcasted matches will vary between home and away.
E-mail Ryan Bright at ryanbright13@gmail.com