Contents
Guide
Page List
Inside MLS
PHILADELPHIA
UNION
BY THOMAS CAROTHERS
SportsZone
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Published by Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO, PO Box 398166, Minneapolis,
Minnesota 55439. Copyright 2022 by Abdo Consulting Group, Inc. International
copyrights reserved in all countries. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form
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Printed in the United States of America, North Mankato, Minnesota
052021
092021
Cover Photo: Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire/AP Images
Interior Photos: Michael Perez/AP Images, 45, 9; Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press/AP
Images, 6; Drew Hallowell/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images, 10, 42; Chris Gardner/Getty
Images Sport/Getty Images, 12; John Iacono/Sports Illustrated/Set Number: X17938 TK1
R6 F19/Getty Images, 15; John G. Zimmerman/Sports Illustrated/Set Number: X17936
TK2 R6 F5/Getty Images, 1617; Dave Tennenbaum/AP Images, 19; Brian Garfinkel/Getty
Images Sport/Getty Images, 21; Matt Rourke/AP Images, 23; Matt Slocum/AP Images,
2425, 35, 37; Don Ryan/AP Images, 26; Gavin Baker/Icon Sportswire/AP Images, 29;
Noah K. Murray/AP Images, 30; Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire/AP Images, 32; Barbara
Johnston/AP Images, 39
Editor: Patrick Donnelly
Series Designer: Dan Peluso
Library of Congress Control Number: 2019954320
Publishers Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Carothers, Thomas, author.
Title: Philadelphia Union / by Thomas Carothers
Description: Minneapolis, Minnesota : Abdo Publishing, 2022 | Series: Inside MLS |
Includes online resources and index.
Identifiers: ISBN 9781532192609 (lib. bdg.) | ISBN 9781098210502 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Philadelphia Union (Soccer team)--Juvenile literature. | Soccer teams--
Juvenile literature. | Professional sports franchises--Juvenile literature. | Sports
Teams--Juvenile literature.
Classification: DDC 796.334--dc23
CHAPTER 1
FIRST
PLAYOFF PUSH
Most expansion teams have to wait
several years
to make the
playoffs. In the case of the Philadel phia Union, it took just
two seasons.
Being a brand-new team presen ts unique challenges.
The players have never competed t ogether. Often they
are players other clubs didnt want . And the team has
to figure out lots of new challenges on the fly, such as
how to replace injured players.
The Union faced all of these obstacles upon joining
Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2010. They lost half of their
30 games and won only eight. How ever, the next year was a
different story.
Goalkeeper Faryd Mondragn was a big
part of the Unions success in 2011 .
Brian Carroll, right, played strong midfield defense for the Union.
With a year of experience, the team began coming together.
The additions of goalkeeper Faryd Mondragn, center back
Carlos Valds, and defensive midfielder Brian Carroll proved
key, too. That trio helped the Union cut their goals allowed
from 49 in 2010 to just 36 in 2011. Through the 2019 season,
that remained the fewest in team history. The improved
defense didnt lead to many more wins. The Union still won
just 11 of 34 games in 2011. But they rocketed into playoff
contention on the strength of 15 draws.
The final draw came with a playoff berth on the line.
Understanding the importance of the game, a team-record
crowd of 19,178 fans packed the Unions home stadium in
Chester, Pennsylvania. The team and its fans were eager for a
historic day. But they were also hoping to avoid disaster against
lowly Toronto FC.
As the 2011 regular season was nearing a close, the Union
found themselves standing in the middle of a seesaw. There
were six Eastern Conference teams in the hunt for just five
playoff spots, and Philadelphia was right in the middle of that
pack. Only a few points separated the teams. A Union win in
the second-to-last game of the regular season would not only
clinch a playoff spot. It would vault the team into first place in
the conference.
However, a loss to Toronto could put the Union in danger of
falling behind their rivals in the tightly packed Eastern chase. It
turned out that Philadelphia got something right in the middle.
LE TOUX COMES THROUGH
The sunny day saw a bright outlook for the Union. Star forward
Sbastien Le Toux took advantage of a Toronto defensive
lapse to open the scoring just before halftime. Le Touxs strike,
assisted by midfielder Justin Mapp, sent the home fans into the
break buzzing about the Unions playoff hopes.
Le Toux was Philadelphias leading goal-scorer with 11 on
the season. The Frenchman had done his part to help his team
in its playoff push. His goal against Toronto was his 10th in the
Unions previous 11 games.
However, despite already being eliminated from the
playoffs, Toronto would not quit. Just 12 minutes into the
second half, the visitors quieted the home crowd with a
tying goal.
If the score held, Philadelphia would claim one point in
the standings instead of three. With so few points separating
first place and a possible conference title from sixth place and
Sbastien Le Toux, left, battles with Toronto FCs Ty Harden.
missing the playoffs entirely, the Union wanted more. Their
fans were anxious as the second half ticked away.
In the end, neither team could take the lead. As the
final whistle sounded, draw No. 15 was good enough
Union coach Piotr Nowak waves to the crowd after the draw with
Toronto FC.
for Philadelphia. It meant the Union were headed to the
playoffs for the first time in team history.
Fans dressed in the teams blue and gold. They sang
and danced, playing horns and drums, to celebrate their
teams achievement. Union head
coach Piotr Nowak and goalkeeper
Mondragn thanked the fans and
NOWAK IN
told them to get ready for the
CHARGE
upcoming playoffs.
Former DC United head coach
Piotr Nowak was the first head
QUICK OUT
coach of the Union. Nowak
The regular season wasnt quite
guided DC United to the MLS Cup
championship in his first year of
over. Philadelphias draw against
managing in 2004. That made him
Toronto continued a team-record
the first person to win the title as
eight-game unbeaten streak. That
a player and head coach. He had
run came to an end five days later
also won it as a midfielder for the
Chicago Fire in 1998.
in the season finale. The Union
lost 10 on the road against the
New York Red Bulls. Philadelphia fell
to third place after Houston won its final game to finish one
