Union rally to 4-4 tie with New England
The Union had one of their best offensive outputs of the season, and every bit of effort was needed to compensate for a defense that continues to show serious leaks. Trailing 4-1 at halftime, the Union roared back the grab a 4-4 draw on Wednesday against the New England Revolution in a Major League Soccer match before 16,148 at PPL Park in Chester.
The Union had one of their best offensive outputs of the season, and every bit of effort was needed to compensate for a defense that continues to show serious leaks. Trailing 4-1 at halftime, the Union roared back the grab a 4-4 draw on Wednesday against the New England Revolution in a Major League Soccer match before 16,148 at PPL Park in Chester.
Sebastien Le Toux earned the equalizer with a volley from close range during second-half stoppage time.
"Four goals in a half shouldn't happen and at times we looked like an expansion team," Union team manager Peter Nowak said.
Actually, neither coach was happy.
"When you score four goals you expect to win," New England coach Steve Nicol said.
The Union are now 8-7-11 and 0-3-4 in their last seven games. They allowed more than two goals for the first time this season.
The Revolution (4-11-12), who lost to the visiting Union, 3-0, on July 17, jumped to a 3-0 lead. Union rookie keeper Zac MacMath was making his first start in place of Faryd Mondragon (out with a broken finger) and early on he was let down by the defense.
During their recent slump, the Union have continually left players unmarked inside the box, and that trend continued against New England.
The Revolution opened the scoring when an unmarked A.J. Soares headed in a free kick by Chris Tierney in the ninth minute.
The crowd voiced its displeasure for the officiating throughout the first half, and it appeared to be justified when the Revolution were awarded a penalty kick in the 20th minute. Union midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi was called for taking down Rajko Lekic inside the box, a highly questionable call.
Lekic then converted the penalty kick for a 2-0 lead.
New England went up 3-0 when an unmarked Moncef Zerka headed in a cross from Tierney in the 25th minute.
The Union got to within 3-1 in the 28th minute when Roger Torres fired a blast near the edge of the box after receiving a feed from defender Sheanon Williams.
Any momentum was squandered when New England's Benny Feilhaber drilled a 22-yarder just inside a small opening to MacMath's right in the 33d minute.