BOX SCORE
CHESTER, Pa.Following the one-goal loss to DC United on June 16, the young Union praised their rivals ability to find a win, despite the odds.
Now the Union are finding ways to do the same.
With an extra-time goal from captain Carlos Valdes, the Union turned a sure draw into a 2-1 victory over the Montreal Impact on Saturday night at PPL Park.
The win gives the Union a 4-1-0 record in their last five games and a three-game winning streak.
Locked at one after the Impact tied the game in the 89th minute, the Union, stunned by the turn of events, pushed down the field. Set for a throw-in and determined not go down without swinging, Sheanon Williams forced a ball to Valdes in the box. Turning to his left, Valdes quickly snapped a low shot that trickled through Donovan Ricketts and in, ripping two extra points from the Impact.
The Union came alive after the 80th minute, despite poor play throughout. After being stifled by Ricketts and the Impact for nearly the entire contest, in the 82nd minute, the Union received a beneficial bounce and turned it into a goal.
Driving the goal line, Antoine Hoppenot, who came on in the 60th minute for Josue Martinez, was in the midst of being bumped out-of-bounds before he somehow managed to chip the ball into Ricketts and the crowding defenders. The ball found its way out to Lionard Pajoy and was pounded home for the 1-0 Union lead.
But it didnt last.
Earning a corner in the 90th minute, the Impacts Patrice Bernier lined up and launched a ball into the box that bounced off Keon Daniel and in for the own goal, to tie the game at 1-1. It was a heartbreaker for the Union, who worked so hard to gain the lead.
The disconnected Union offense failed to gain any first-half momentum despite the injection of fresh Martinez and Daniel for Pajoy and Michael Farfan. The Union lacked the final offensive-zone pass and seemed confused while working to break the Impact back line.
As a result, the Impact, who controlled the majority of play, nearly took the lead in the 35th minute when Marco Di Vaio was sprung on a bad-angle breakaway to the right of Union goalkeeper Zac MacMath. Looking far side, Di Vaio fired off a shot that was stopped by diving MacMath. Two minutes later, Felipe headed an in-box cross that deflected off the Union crossbar and stayed out, keeping the game scoreless at half.
However, the longer that the Union held on, the more offensive momentum they earned. In the 55th minute, the Union received their best chance of the game to that point when Williams centered a ball from the right flank that was headed by diving Jack McInerney. The deflection hit off an Impact defender and was miraculously saved by Ricketts.
Ricketts came up huge again in the 79th minute, saving away a hard line drive shot from Gabe Farfan. The rebound dribbled out to Pajoy, whose shot was kicked away by the recovering goalie.
Similarly, it was MacMath who saved the game for the Union.
In the 72nd minute, a ball played forward allowed Di Vaio yet another open look at the Union goal. But just like the first time, Di Vaios rushed shot was saved away by MacMath, as the ball tricked just wide of the goal.
(more coming...)E-mail Ryan Bright at ryanbright13@gmail.com