"Raining Yellow Cards" Philly Union - 1 TFC - 1

It is hard to write about the game today. In style and tactics it was on the rough and ready side. I thought the ref (Sorin Stoica is the fellow) was card happy in the second half and had lost control of the game. Unless you consider giving Philly every opportunity to get back into it as controlling the game. You could tell that TFC players felt they were getting mugged and the Union was getting away with it.  

Philly plays in Toronto first day of June. It won’t be pretty.

It is difficult to convince myself that TFC let a road victory slip through their fingers. They scored a great goal, but could not do the hard work after that to protect their lead. Sure, the Morgan sending off was a joke, but it could have been done. Was Danny Califf not available on the bench today? I hesitate to second guess Coach Nelsen, but taking off Earnshaw to pack the back with big Danny, that would have been the Hollywood ending.

The lack of hard work could be reflected in the lack of yellows to Toronto’s midfield (Ephraim had one for dissent). It was a game that could have used a little Dunfield.

It was as if both teams were new to the game, especially when you looked at midfield play. TFC never really looked cohesive, their goal was Earnshaw from Morgan. Philly did not look like much either. It took almost every Toronto defender and Bendik playing with a yellow card for the comeback to kick in. And of course the Morgan sending off

I thought that Richter did a solid job coming in for the injured Russell. His throw-in was a welcome weapon.

The goal disallowed for Philly was actually the correct call (a rare happening). If a keeper has a hand on the ball it is considered in his possession and can’t be kicked. The Union player slid into Bendik when he had a hand on the ball and it was not over the line. In fact his first leg went all the way under Bendik and it was his knee on his other leg that pushed the ball over.

Next Saturday – Houston visits BMO, it will be another test. I am cheering for a TFC goal festival, Bendik playing another dazzling game and a minimum of yellow cards.