It wasn’t exactly the first half he wanted, but Jim Curtin was satisfied with a road point in Vancouver as his team left Canada with a 1-1 draw.
Kacper Przybylko was the star of the show up front and Matt Freese didn’t allow a goal from open play as the Union continued to their stout defensive run.
No jitters for first time starters
“Challenged for everything in the air, held balls when we needed it, was working til the 90th minute to make plays defensively for us as well,” Curtin said of Przybylko, who was starting his first MLS match after standing out for Bethlehem Steel recently.
“The goal is great,” Curtin continued. “He’s mad at himself for not getting the second one. That’s a true striker. He stepped up in a big way, can’t say enough about the performance he put on.
Freese made four saves in his first start, and was fearless charging out of his box to close down Yordy Reyna in the first half.
“He looked like a seasoned professional out there,” Curtin praised. “Slowing the game down, good contact on his kicks, finding guys out of the back with his feet.
“Just looked like a real veteran goalkeeper stepping in for a guy that I think is the best goalkeeper in the league.”
Freese stepped up after Andre Blake went down with an injury last weekend, and Curtin saw it as another big step for a young man that has not had a straightforward path to a pro career.
“I think it’s almost a lesson for all the kids out there,” the Union head coach said. “Matthew is a kid that was a second and third string goalkeeper when we had him back in the youth academy. And to see him now persevere, work very hard, it’s a testament to every kid’s path being different. Kids develop at different times.”
Home for the postseason
The Union barely missed out on a home playoff game last season, and pushing for that has been one of the goals early on in 2019.
“We have long travel back and have to recover quickly for two very important home games,” Curtin reminded the media. “We’ve set ourselves up for those now. It’s been a very good start to the season from this group. We’ve challenged them to step up and be one of the teams challenging for that home game which is so important and the guys to a man have really stepped up.”
The head coach pointed to his fullbacks — including Olivier Mbaizo, making his first start of the year — and a defense that has remained resilient as injuries and suspensions have tested the depth of the group.
“It’s been challenging situations on and off the field for us this year with suspensions, injuries,” Curtin concluded. “Really give full credit to the strength of this roster.”
That depth will be tested again this week as Philadelphia plays two home games in a row against Eastern Conference competition. First, FC Cincinnati comes to Talen Energy Stadium on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. ET, then New England Revolution arrives for a Saturday evening showdown on Stars Wars and U Camp Out night.
