Marc Narducci: With home-opening loss, Union seem to be headed in reverse

The Union's world is in turmoil, but it's nothing a win, a clutch goal, or possibly a new starting lineup wouldn't solve.

For the first time in their three-year history, the Union have started a season 0-2 with Sunday's 2-1 Major League Soccer loss to the Colorado Rapids in the home opener at PPL Park in Chester.

A sellout crowd of 19,074 watched the loss, a number just slightly more than the scoring chances the Union failed to cash in on.

Even Mayor Nutter was at the game, wearing a retro Union 2011 jersey, which made him look old-school, since the Union have new, bright-blue uniforms.

Their mood was blue, and it was understandable.

Fashion aside, the offense should eventually click, with impressive newcomers such as Lionard Pajoy, who scored the team's only goal, and Gabriel Gomez, who played seemingly everywhere on the field.

But there are plenty of questions about the defense, which has allowed five goals in two games.

The Union reverted to their 2011 and 2010 selves in dominating play, without cashing in. And it was strange not seeing captain and central defender Danny Califf in the lineup.

The defender who replaced Califf, Penn Charter grad Chris Albright, was chiefly responsible for the second Colorado goal on a defensive gaffe, when he slipped and watched Tony Cascio dart past him before scoring.

Team manager Peter Nowak said Albright was clipped on the play. Regardless, Colorado didn't stop playing or, on that play, scoring.

After the game, the explanation for Califf's day off seemed to contain some inconsistencies. Nowak said that Califf had received a recent shot in his knee and intimated that he wasn't 100 percent. Califf said he underwent surgery on the knee on Dec. 6.

Yet Califf was on the 18-man roster and thus could have played.

"You never know, because Chris was coming back as well," said Nowak, referring to Albright's missing the opening 3-1 loss at Portland with a groin strain, which is why he had Califf on the roster.

So, Califf was available.

"It was a surprise to me," Califf said. "I didn't find out until I came in today."

Califf said he had a synvisc shot, often referred to as joint lubrication in his left knee, a week before the March 12 season opener at Portland.

"I felt great and trained this week," he said. "I would have liked to have been out there, but it wasn't my decision."

Nowak doesn't like to criticize his players, so it's possible he used the injury as an excuse to make a change.

Still, this is the captain of the team and the only player who has been on the opening day roster all three seasons.

"I didn't expect this," Califf said.

Either way, it just added another layer of frustration for the Union, who enjoyed a man advantage beginning in the 58th minute when Rapids midfielder Jeff Larentowicz, the pride of Chestnut Hill Academy, received a red card after earning his second yellow.

The Union trailed, 1-0, at the time, and promptly allowed a second goal before Pajoy headed in a Roger Torres cross in the 67th minute.

That was the highlight for the Union.

Simply put, it was just a bad performance all around.

The captain says his knee is fine. The team manager isn't so sure, but what we know is that the Union are a work in progress.

And on this day, the team regressed.