It was one of the biggest regular season matches in Philadelphia Union history, and two strikers that were brought in to take Jim Curtin’s side to the next level came through when it mattered.
Kacper Przybylko put the Union ahead before Sergio Santos finished off Atlanta United and propelled Philly back into first place in the Eastern Conference.
With Alejandro Bedoya suspended for yellow card accumulation, Jim Curtin inserted Marco Fabian at the No. 10 role and dropped Jamiro Monteiro next to Haris Medunjanin. Early on, though, Atlanta United were dangerous when they attacked through that rebuilt center. In the 4th minute, a bouncer in the box gave Josef Martinez the opportunity to attempt an audacious bicycle kick that spun wide.
Fabian responded with a blast off Brad Guzan’s bar in the 10th minute. The visitors woke up after that warning shot and Pity Martinez maneuvered into space before lashing a left-footed shot that Blake parried away.
Josef was back in the spotlight in the 23rd minute when he rose to meet Pity’s free kick and drove a free header wide.
After 30 minutes of fighting off pressure, the Union grew into the match, and in the 33rd minute they thought the lead was theirs.
Haris Medunjanin’s cross was deflected into the air and the Bosnian — sporting the captain’s armband in Bedoya’s absence — followed the play up and his header fell to Przybylko. The ball bounced next to Fabian and he thighed it to Przybylko for a sliding finish. As the DOOP song rang out, Robert Sibiga checked with VAR and called the goal back for offsides.
In the 40th minute, Fafa Picault created another big chance when he ran in alone on Guzan. The Atlanta goalie was quick to leave his line and smothered Picault’s shot before taking a shot to the body himself.
That save galvanized Atlanta and as extra time began in the half, Josef Martinez played a series of quick passes as he wove through Philly’s back line and gave his team the lead.
Justin Meram entered at halftime for Atlanta as Frank de Boer turned to his veterans to see the match out.
Josef nearly had his second as he cut around Kai Wagner and Mark McKenzie in the box, but Wagner made a spectacular recovery slide to block the shot.
That effort opened the door for a comeback and Brenden Aaronson answered the call. Running onto a perfect Medunjanin throughball, the teenaged midfielder fired home the third goal of his career; he now has more goals against Atlanta United than he has against the rest of the league combined.
Atlanta was stunned by Aaronson, and Philly began to feel they had an edge. Building pressure, they finally broke through when Przybylko ripped a left-footed shot past Brad Guzan. Substitute Sergio Santos added a third late as the Union retook first place from Atlanta and moved close to clinching a playoff spot for the second straight season.
The Union came to conquer, and they did. They return to action in an international friendly next weekend, September 7, when they face Pumas UNAM at 7:30p.m., livestreaming on PhiladelphiaUnion.com.
