The New York Red Bulls went down to face the Philadelphia Union at Subaru Park to take advantage against the home side, as they played a midweek matchup against the New England Revolution. You would think the visitors would have an advantage heading down the New Jersey Turnpike. Sadly the Red Bulls couldn’t do the deal as they fell to the Union by a final of one goal to nil.

After a corner was delivered and a flick header was missed by Daniel Royer, the Union started to make their attacking run that began in the midfield. As the ball was headed in the air a few times, a collision in midfield took down two Red Bulls players, and then the Union started their attack, Anthony Fontana passes to Jamiro Monteiro on the near side, and then lays it off to Corey Burke. Burke edged Kyle Duncan on his run and chipped the ball past Carlos Coronel as it rolled in the net for the only goal of the match in the 9th minute.

Coronel made a slight error coming off his line to try and stop the ball, as he hesitated very slightly, and when he wasn’t in a good position to come out a little more, that’s when Burke took his chance. while sliding on the pitch Burke tapped the ball away and got his second of the season. But if you looked at the replay, there looked to be a foul on the Union just before or as the pass was made.

“We’re going to look back and watch the film and be really disappointed in that first half. I don’t think it was a mature performance. I think we look like a young team at times.” said Sean Davis, “I think that falls on the veterans it falls on us not getting the team prepared in the right way when the game starts and managing things on the field the right way.

“But I just thought we lost our duels. We were second to a lot too much. And then we weren’t good enough on the ball. So halftime, we had to make some adjustments, we got to be honest with ourselves. And the second half was better, we created some good looks. But you know, it’s going to be difficult to pick up points on the road with a start like that. So a big, big lesson for us.”

The Red Bulls were being outdueled in the midfield during the match, but when the second half came, Gerhard Struber was able to make substitutions and that made the visitors very dangerous, but sadly no goals or clear chances to get goals. When Patryk Klimala subbed into the match, he showed some promise and excitement. Especially trying to tuck in the ball inside the net, while you are on the goal line at the far side. Sadly the ball rolled along the goal line and never went in. If that ball did go completely over the goal line, without a doubt that would’ve been a goal of the week winner.

But inside second-half stoppage time we had our first clash between these two sides as a hard foul was delivered from the Union’s Leon Flach, but after he committed the foul, it was Dru Yearwood who was already on a yellow, shoved him down and he received his second yellow card, then red. That means Dru Yearwood is now suspended for the next road match in New England. How did Struber feel about this match for the club?

“Disappointed moment, we expect today different results, other results but in the end, we lose this game. I think in many, many actions on the same level we created especially in the second half, some good moments for us, some good chances for us, but in the end, we are a little bit unlucky to score.” said Struber, “In that first half, we have one moment we are not ready enough to stop the transition, we know that, especially in transition moments that Philly has a lot of power and a lot of strength.

“At this moment, we are not clear enough to manage the moment that the situation. And then after that, I think the game was on the same level, chances for Philly, chances for us. In the end the frustrating moment, it’s not an easy situation.”

Both Aaron Long and Amro Tarek received injuries in this match, but more concern for Long as it looks like when he challenged the ball in the air inside second-half stoppage time, he landed wrong. Long was helped to the sidelines as he couldn’t put any weight on the injured leg. Hopefully, it won’t be a long spell on the injury list.

But for the Red Bulls, it’s back to the drawing board and now they need to get ready for a New England Revolution side that will not slow down and have dangerous players along with the Head Coach and Sporting Director in Bruce Arena. It should be interesting how Struber and Arena will match wits between themselves in the next match up in Foxboro.