Sheesh. That game was tough. The Philadelphia Union saw themselves dominated on the pitch in D.C. on Saturday night, raising plenty of criticisms about the squad.
Let’s get into some of the finer points of where the Union succeeded, and where, for most of the game, they failed.
Starting strong (it’ll happen eventually, right?)
Without a doubt, the lack of early game aggressiveness has been the more consistent theme of the 2021 Philadelphia Union. Usually, the Union’s struggles come in the first 15-20 minutes of a match, but they’re able to recover, so long as the defense avoids conceding a goal in those opening moments.