Despite a late push, Philadelphia Union saw their club-record unbeaten run come to an end Saturday night, falling 2-1 to the New England Revolution at Subaru Park.
The Union entered Saturday night riding a club-record 15-match unbeaten run, but New England made life difficult throughout the evening at Subaru Park.
Philadelphia generated chances in the opening half, with Milan Iloski, Quinn Sullivan and Indiana Vassilev all involved as the Boys in Blue searched for the breakthrough. Andre Blake was called into action at the other end, making multiple stops as the Revolution created opportunities of their own.
The visitors broke through deep into first-half stoppage time. A short New England free kick eventually found Peyton Miller, whose header across goal picked out Dor Turgeman at the far post for the finish and a 1-0 Revolution advantage.
Philadelphia pushed for an equalizer throughout the second half, but New England doubled its advantage from the penalty spot in the 90th minute. The Union continued to battle deep into stoppage time, with Homegrown defender Neil Pierre pulling one back for the Boys in Blue. The goal was Pierre’s fifth of the MLS regular season, extending his club single-season record for goals by a defender, but Philadelphia ultimately ran out of time as New England secured the 2-1 result.
The Boys in Blue now hit the road for a pair of Eastern Conference matches to close out October, still in search of a playoff-clinching result. Next up, they'll play a midweek match against Supporters’ Shield winners Nashville SC, before heading Midwest for a Halloween matinee against Cincinnati.
Kickoff from the Music City is set for 8:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday, October 28, with coverage available on Apple TV.
How The Match Unfolded
LINEUP NOTES
Interim Head Coach Ryan Richter made a change to his lineup for the team's penultimate regular season home match due to an injury -- Cavan Sullivan was unavailable to due an ankle issue, leaving him off the matchday roster.Â
The backline remained in tact, with Neil Pierre and Nathan Harriel paired at centerback, plus Frankie Westfield on the right and Kai Wagner on the left.
 Danley Jean Jacques and Jovan Lukic were paired at the 6, joined in the midfield by Indiana Vassilev and Quinn Sullivan, who stepped into what has been his younger brothers' starting spot. Up top, as usual, Milan Iloski and Bruno Damiani were Richter's preferred attacking duo.Â
On the bench, Andrew Rick backed up Blake, sitting alongside Japhet Sery Larsen, Ale Bedoya, Ben Bender, Jeremy Rafanello, Ezekiel Alladoh, Agustin Anello, Malik Jakupovic, and Kellan LeBlanc, who was added to the matchday roster through a short-term call-up.Â
1', Win and they're in | Heading into the match, multiple scenarios could have secured the Union a playoff spot. By kickoff, both Red Bull New York and Columbus Crew had won their respective matches, leaving Philadelphia's fate in its own hands — win and they're in.
10', Union chances | The Union controlled possession for much of the opening 10 minutes, creating a trio of chances through Iloski, Sullivan and Vassilev, but none could find the breakthrough.
11, Union free kick | Frankie Westfield won a free kick for Philly after being fouled by former Union midfielder Dániel Gazdag. Wagner's ensuing service put the ball into a dangerous area in front of goal, but the Union were unable to capitalize.
12', New England Corners | The visitors earned three quick corners, all taken by Carles Gil — one from the left and two from the right — but strong Union defending and alert play from Blake kept New England off the board.
20', Another New England corner | Gil sent another corner into the box from the left, but Harriel rose to head it away.
22', Intensity from Iloski | Westfield played Iloski into space down the right, allowing the No. 10 to beat Peyton Miller and fire a close-range effort that was stopped by Matt Turner. The Union earned a corner on the play, and Pierre followed with an impressive leaping effort that Turner also kept out.
23', Gazdag goes down | A physical duel between Pierre and Gazdag — separated by nine inches in height — sent the Hungarian midfielder to the ground and brought a brief stoppage for medical attention.
27', Big save from Blake | Back in a very familiar stadium, Gazdag produced New England's most dangerous chance of the half with a strong effort that Blake punched away. Peyton Miller followed with another attempt, but sent his shot into the stands.
28', Iloski shot | A tackle from Lukic helped create another chance for Iloski, who ripped an effort from distance but missed wide left.
33', Gazdag again | New England won the ball from Westfield under pressure in a dangerous area and quickly found Gazdag, whose ensuing effort was once again stopped by Blake.
38', Pause in play | Lukic passed a ball into the box and it was headed away by Dor Turgeman, who went to the ground after the contract, forcing the official to blow his whistle. After Turgeman returned to his feeting following medical attention, play resumed with the Union holding possesion.Â
42', Revs chance | Miller passed into the box finding Turgeman for an airborne backheeled shot straight into Blake.Â
43', Union opportunity | The Union attempted to pick the perfect shot, passing around the box with Vassilev taking a shot by Ilay Feingold. Danley took another, but it sailed into the Supporters' Section.
45', Vassilev goes down | Vassilev was hit in the face by a paced pass, sending him down to the ground and requiring a conversation with the concussion expert, but ultimately re-entered the match.
45+3,' Turgeman takes the lead | A short free kick to Gil gave the 33-year-old difference maker a chance to draw the Union's defense then find Miller, who headed the ball far post where Turgeman made the finish for a 1-0 Revolution lead.Â
Halftime | Philadelphia retreated toward the locker room down 1-0 after the late first half goal from the visitors.
49', Collision | Another battle between Pierre and Gazdag sent both the Hungarian and the Homegrown to the gorund holding their heads and requiring medical treatment. Both returned to the match in the 51st.
55', Union corner |Â A Union corner chance concluded with another blast off of Danley's boot into the stands.Â
58', Another Blake save | Blake bailed out the Unioin again, getting a hand on Gil's far post shot past Harriel in front of the River End.
61', Costly yellow card |Â The Philadelphia Union will be out Damiani for Wednesday's match against Nashville SC due to accumulation after the Uruguayan striker was shown a yellow card.
63', Another yellow | Philly was shown their second yellow in two minutes, with Lukic booked for a foul on Gazdag.
65', Revs yellow | Jackson Yueill was shown a yellow card for a foul on Vassilev.
67', Union sub | Agustin Anello entered the match to replace Vassilev, making his sixth appearance off the bench since the World Cup break.Â
72', Blake save | Blake stopped Luca Langoni's shot set up by Turgeman.Â
75', Revs subs | New England Head Coach Marko Mitrovic made his first changes of the night, taking off Gazdag to send on Brooklyn Raines.
78, Iloski chance | A chance from Iloski was stopped by Turner.Â
80', Stop in play | Another pause for medical attention was needed for Josh Wynder.
83', Union sub |Â Down a goal with less than 10 minutes of regular time, Richter made another attacking-minded subsitution, replacing centerback Harriel with 17-year-old Homegrown Malik Jakupovic.Â
86', Jakupovic shot! | Richter's sub nearly proved to to be the solution as Jakupovic was a Turner stop away from an equalzier. A sprint down the right sideline from Sullivan created a Homegrown to Homegrown connection, with the MLS vet sending it to the rookie in the box for a tap saved by Turner.Â
88, Official Review | Pierre slid to make a stop, but tripped Gil in the penalty box, and while the Spainard was first caught offsides, official review decided he was onside. With the ruling, Gil ws awarded a penalty kick.Â
Stoppage | 12 minutes of stoppage time was added to the second half.Â
90+1, Gil converts | Gil placed his penalty past Blake, extending the visiting team's lead to 2-0.
90+2, Revs subs | Turgeman and Langoni exited the match, replaced by Mamadou Fofana and Wilson Harris.
90+7, Revs subs | Siqueira and Fagúndez were sent on to replace Gil and Yueill.Â
90+8', Jakupovic chance | The Homegrown tried a header but wa
90+12, Pierre goal! | In the final moments of the match, a leaping headed goal from Pierre got one back for the Union to make it 2-1.
Final | Despite impressive last-gasp efforts from Anello and Westfield, the Union lost their first match since the World Cup break, relinquishing their 15-match unbeaten streak.
