Union woes continue following first-leg loss to Club América at Subaru Park
Tuesday’s loss is the third straight defeat for the Union in all competitions. Next up, a return to MLS play against Atlanta on Saturday.
In the first game of a two-game Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16 series, Club América defeated the Union, 1-0, on Tuesday night at Subaru Park.
Raphael Veiga scored the game’s deciding goal for América in the 20th minute.
Brian Rodríguez made a run into the 18-yard box and played the centering cross to Veiga. Veiga pelted a left-footed shot past goalkeeper Andrew Rick into the top right corner of the net.
Rick started in place of usual Union keeper Andre Blake on Tuesday. Rick kept a clean sheet in both of the Union’s opening round matches against Defence Force.
Luis Malagón, América’s goalkeeper, went down uncontested with an injury in the 37th minute while attempting to play the ball in his own 18-yard box.
Malagón, who was the Mexico’s starting goalkeeper in last summer’s Gold Cup, is among the pool of goalkeepers vying to be a part of 26-man roster for when El Tri open the FIFA World Cup in its home stadium in June.
After receiving attention from trainers on the field, Malagón was carried off in a stretcher in the 42nd minute. Backup goalkeeper Rodolfo Cota replaced Malagón in net.
Club América manager André Jardine said he fears Malagón suffered a torn Achilles tendon.
Union defender Olwethu Makhanya was issued a yellow card in the 44th minute for a two-footed challenge.
The Union produced their first shot of the night in the second minute of first half stoppage time. Ezekiel Alladoh received the ball with his back to the goal near the penalty spot and turned to shoot, but his attempt was blocked out for the Union’s first corner of the night.
Union manager Bradley Carnell made two changes to his lineup to begin the second half. Carnell brought on Bruno Damiani to replace Alladoh and pulled Cavan Sullivan, who started the night on the wing in favor of Frankie Westfield.
Sullivan, 16, made his second Champions Cup start on Tuesday. The midfielder scored twice and assisted on two goals in the Union’s opening round rout of Trinidadian side Defence Force last month.
With the Union still pushing to find an equalizer, Carnell made two more changes in the 63rd minute. Indiana Vassilev and Danley Jean Jacques entered the game, replacing Geiner Martinez and Agustín Anello. Both Anello and Martinez had already received yellow cards.
América made its first changes in the 67th minute, with Lima to replace Veiga and Alexis Gutiérrez to replace U.S. national team forward Alex Zendejas.
Bruno Damiani had the Union’s best chance of the night in the 70th minute. Westfield played the striker in past América’s defense with a cross from the right, but Damiani’s attempt from inside the 18-yard box soared over América’s net and out for a goal kick.
América made more changes in the 80th minute. Raul Zuñiga replaced Rodríguez, while Jonathan Dos Santos replaced Patricio Salas.
» READ MORE: Union’s losing streak can be traced to few scoring opportunities, lineup shuffles
Carnell responded with his final change of the night in the 81st, brining on Japhet Sery Larsen to replace Philippe Ndinga. Ndinga, a left back the club signed in February, made his Union debut on Tuesday.
“He put the team first,” Carnell said. “He’s physically not ready to go, and he pushed … He put in a massive shift, and I think we saw glimpses of what he can do.”
The Union had another opportunity to equalize in the 86th minute, as Milan Iloski forced an América turnover deep in Union’s attacking third. The ball bounced out to an unmarked Vassilev, but the midfielder’s shot missed to the left of the net.
Rodrigo Dourado earned Club América’s only yellow card caution on Tuesday’s game in the 87th minute.
The Union had a flurry of chances in the 92nd minute, but a final shot by Iloski was blocked by an América defender.
“You can see it’s starting to click, and starting to work,” Carnell said. “Now we’re getting some penetration through the sides and getting some dangerous crosses in. Everything but the goal. I’m really proud of them. It just shows you we’re getting close.”
Tuesday’s loss is the third straight defeat for the Union in all competitions. The team’s last win was a 7-0 defeat of Defence Force in the second leg opening round of the Champions Cup at Subaru Park on Feb. 26.
América’s win at Subaru Park gives it a 1-0 advantage entering the second leg of its round of 16 series with the Union, which will be played in Mexico City’s Estadio de la Ciudad de los Deportes on March 18 (9 p.m., FS2).
“It’s a tight game,” Carnell said. “It’s half time in the series and we look forward to a trip down to Mexico.”
Up next
The Union (0-3-0, 0 points) will travel to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to face Atlanta United on Saturday (3:15 p.m., Apple TV, Fox).
Like the Union, Atlanta (0-3-0, 0 points) is still searching for its first points of the Major League Soccer season through three games.