Philadelphia Union play host to the New England Revolution looking to conclude the regular season with the Supporters' Shield on Sunday afternoon. Head Coach Jim Curtin addressed the media about what to expect in the game. Here are a few of the key takeaways from the presser.
The Supporters' Shield
It all comes down to Decision Day, presented by AT&T, to determine who will claim the Supporters’ Shield this year. The Supporters’ Shield is a difficult trophy to get any year as it requires sustained excellence throughout the entire season. The Union control their fate as the two-team race heads down the stretch with the Boys in Blue holding a decisive tiebreaker over Toronto. Though there is a lot on the line on Sunday, the Union are not overthinking it and have not let it change their mentality heading into the game. The Union have defended well all season and has utilized a killer transition game to get them into this position that they did not imagine they would be in at the beginning of the season. Curtin’s side is confident that with their 11 playing the best version of Union soccer the result should take care of itself.
Concacaf Champions League
After Orlando City SC and Portland Timbers both suffered losses last night it was official that the Union had secured its first berth in Concacaf Champions League. The achievement speaks volumes about the recent success of the club who has consistently increased their point total over the last five seasons and were on pace for a club record 68 points this season. The team has taken a true grass roots approach to get to this position putting significant resources into the academy system. The result of this is that the Union will now have a number of talented young players get to experience top level international competition. Since it will not start until next year the team will be without young star Brenden Aaronson as he will have made his move to RB Salzburg but it’ll provide such a unique experience for young players going into hostile environments in countries like Costa Rica and Mexico playing in the middle of the day in hot temperatures.
Team captain Alejandro Bedoya detailed his own experiences playing in these types of games where fans are throwing things at the players on their way to the game, and fireworks outside the hotel to prevent players from sleeping. It is a tough challenge but one that provides an incredible opportunity to represent Philadelphia and the Union badge on an international stage. The team will also get the chance to test themselves against the best prior to the next MLS season.
Injury Roundup
Andre Blake underwent a successful surgery to repair the fracture in his hand and there is optimism that his timeline to return could be only up to two and a half weeks. There is no ignoring the impact of not having the potential goalkeeper of the year in net, but both Joe Bendik and Matt Freese have been sharp in training and whoever suits up on Sunday will be ready to go. Matt Real will also be out of the lineup for Sunday’s match, but there is hope that he will be healthy in time for the playoffs in a few weeks. In brighter news both Jose Martinez and Ray Gaddis are both expected to be in training tomorrow and to be ready for New England. Gaddis’ return is a major asset to an already strong back line, and his leadership on the field will be truly invaluable heading into this postseason.
The Union go for the Supporters’ Shield on Sunday, November 8th against the Revolution. Kick off from Subaru Park is set for 3:30 p.m. ET and the match will be broadcast nationally on ABC.
