Game Thread: Union 1 vs NYCFC 2 Final

Union go into the matchup with 11 players on the health and safety protocol list

Game Updates

90+4’ - That is it my friends. NYCFC moves on to Portland.

90+1 - 4 minutes of stoppage time here.

89’ - Subs here Aaronson and Fontana come on for Flach and Harriel.

88’ - Goal by city. Mbaizo caught flat footed.

87- Harriel sees space gets behind and tries to head the ball in the top of the corner but it goes over the bar.

84’ - NYCFC cross from the right side of the box goes to far and misses anyone inside the box.

78’ - Play is stopped as Przybylko goes down after city steps on his boot.

76’ - Fantastic save by the homegrown goalkeeper Matt Freese.

75’ - Mbaizo enters the ref’s book for a late challenge. Meanwhile McGlynn gets subbed off with Bueno coming on.

74’ - Gazdag has been pretty good this afternoon. This pass inside the box was just a tad too hard and goes out for a goal kick.

71’ - Monteiro is shown a yellow card for a foul he committed earlier in the run of play. Meanwhile once play is stopped Morales and Martinez exchange some words.

69’ - Union earn a corner from the near flag, their third of the contest. It is quickly taken and the shot from the top of the box is wide and out for a goal kick.

66’ - Maxi Moralez blasts the equalizer just 90 seconds later.

63’ - GOOOOAAALLLLLLL! Gazdag crosses it into the center of the box with Przybylko challenging it but the NYCFC defender stretches it and it looks like it comes off his boot for an own goal.

60’ - One hour into this and i’m pretty impressed with this lineup and how they have handled NYCFC. Swarm like mentality is frustrating NYCFC and it took almost an hour for the team in baby blue to get off some good shots.

58’ - Triple sub for NYCFC Magno, Tajouri-Shradi, and Thorarinsson come on replacing Heber, Medina, and Amundsen.

56’ - NYCFC finally gets off their first shot on target and it is easily saved on the ground by Freese.

55’ - NYCFC preparing for a bunch of subs.

52’ - Gazdag chases down a ball but is eventually ruled offsides.

46’ - Off the restart and Flach almost gets a goal.

Halftime stats

Philadelphia Union
Shots - 4
Shots on Goal - 2
Possession - 37.8%
Fouls - 5
Yellow Cards - 0

NYCFC
Shots - 2
Shots on Goal - 0
Possession - 62.2%
Fouls - 12
Yellow Cards - 1

HALF

45+1 - We will see at least 1 minute of stoppage time.

40’ - NYCFC’s Moralez earns a Yellow for going studs up on Flach. Free kick sent into the box and the header bounces off of NYCFC players and then gets picked up by Johnson.

37’ - Monteiro picks up the the ball and starts to dribble wide right finds a streaking Przybylko and delivers the ball to him on the run. Przybylko’s shot is saved by Johnson.

36’ - Free kick here for NYCFC, the cross is sent into the box and headed out for a goal kick. Well defended by the Union.

31’ - Union with their first corner kick of the game and it is also from the near flag. McGlynn’s kick is sent directly into the box towards the near post and cleared out.

29’ - That kick is sent into the center of the box and eventually cleared out for a throw in from the near sideline.

28’ - NYCFC earns a corner kick here from the near flag. It is played short and then crossed into the box. Rodriguez’s shot is blocked by a sliding Flach and eventually goes out for another corner kick.

25’ - Martinez fouls Rodriguez and earns what most likely is his final warning by the ref. On the sidelines Curtin basically points to his head to say to Martinez you need to be smarter.

23’ - Lots of fouling being committed in the first 20 so minutes by NYCFC. Guess they are scared of the backline. However the midfield is doing a great job by trying to keep the play in front of them for most of the first 20 minutes.

15’ - Monteiro kicks the ball out of play as McGlynn goes down at midfield. Play eventually gets restarted from a kick from goalkeeper Freese.

12’ - Free Kick for the Union from the top of the box and it is put on frame and saved by NYCFC’s Sean Johnson.

8’ - Mbaizo taken down at the edge of the box, stays down but the ref seems okay with the challenge and says play on. Play is eventually stopped and with the ref’s back turned there is some shoving and talking going on.

2’ - Martinez draws a foul, McGlynn takes the free kick and it is cleared out.

1’ - Here we go! Kickoff happened at 3:18 PM.

Starting Lineups

Philadelphia Union:

NYCFC

Injuries/Absences

The following is a list of names from the league’s player availability report.

Philadelphia Union

• OUT: Alejandro Bedoya (health & safety protocols)
• OUT: Joe Bendik (health & safety protocols)
• OUT: Andre Blake (health & safety protocols)
• OUT: Cory Burke (health & safety protocols)
• OUT: Jack Elliott (health & safety protocols)
• OUT: Jakob Glesnes (health & safety protocols)
• OUT: Ilsinho (health & safety protocols)
• OUT: Alvas Powell (health & safety protocols)
• OUT: Sergio Santos (health & safety protocols)
• OUT: Quinn Sullivan (health & safety protocols)
• OUT: Kai Wagner (health & safety protocols)

NYCFC

• OUT: Anton Tinnerholm (Achilles)
• OUT: Keaton Parks (blood clot surgery)
• OUT: Taty Castellanos (Suspended)

How to Watch
When: Sunday, December 5, 2021, 3:18 p.m. kickoff
Where: Subaru Park, Chester, PA
TV: ABC, ESPN Deportes,
Radio: 1480 AM, 102.5 FM & 104.5 HD2 (Philly Area), iHeart Radio app: Fox Sports The
Streaming: ESPN APP

Officials Assignments:
REF: Ted Unkel
AR1: Corey Parker
AR2: Cory Richardson
4TH: Rubiel Vazquez
VAR: Jon Freemon
AVAR: Adam Wienckowski