Union earn a crucial point following a scoreless draw against East-leading Nashville SC
The draw keeps the Union at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings but puts them one point ahead of Sporting Kansas City for the worst record in Major League Soccer.
The Union had ample opportunities to sink Eastern Conference-leading Nashville SC, but couldn’t convert in a scoreless draw against Nashville SC on Saturday night at Subaru Park.
The Union (1-7-3, 6 points) outshot Nashville, 17-9, including a 5-2 advantage in shots on target, but were unable to score a decisive goal. The draw keeps the Union at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings and puts them one point ahead of Sporting Kansas City for the worst record in MLS.
“On another day, this looks and feels more like us from last year,” Union manager Bradley Carnell said. “You can see that. You can feel it. We had waves of momentum. We had waves of control. We get the clean sheet, but not the reward.”
Nashville manager and Philly-area native B.J. Callaghan started a rotated lineup, which did not feature injured striker Sam Surridge. Nashville’s other designated players, Hany Mukhtar and Cristian Espinoza, sat on the bench until the 61st minute, neutralizing much of the attacking prowess that has fueled Nashville’s league-leading offense this season.
Nashville (7-1-2, 23 points) was playing its third match in eight days and will travel to Mexico for the second leg of its Concacaf Champions Cup semifinal against Tigres UANL on Tuesday.
Carnell was forced to make an early change to his lineup, as Japhet Sery Larsen was injured while defending Nashville’s Woobens Pacius down the right wing. Geiner Martínez replaced Sery Larsen at centerback in the 15th minute.
Carnell said Sery Larsen aggravated an injury to his shoulder that he suffered during the Union’s 2-0 loss to Columbus last weekend. Carnell did not give specifics on the severity of the injury.
“[Sery Larsen] tried to play with medication and what have you, and that very first action, he got tugged on again,” Carnell said. “We knew there was going to be a gamble with having him on the field, but we just wanted the continuity.”
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The Union took five shots in the first half, two of which were on target. Jovan Lukić had the Union’s best first half chance in the 11th minute after going through on goal, but his shot was off-target and went over the crossbar.
Cavan Sullivan, who made his second consecutive start in attacking midfield on Saturday, forced Brian Schwake to make his first save of the night off a Union set piece in the 29th minute. Ezekiel Alladoh also forced a first-half save from Schwake in the 38th minute.
Nashville and the Union traded near misses early in the second half. Pacius hit the left post of Andre Blake’s net with a shot in the 52nd minute, and Indiana Vassliev hit the right post with a left-footed blast from outside the 18-yard box on a counter attack in the 53rd.
Callaghan dipped into his bench in the 61st minute, bringing on Mukhtar for Pacius, Espinoza for Shakur Mohammed and Andy Nájar for Josh Bauer. Shortly after, Martínez earned a yellow card for putting his shoulder into Ahmed Qasem in the 64th minute.
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Carnell made another pair of changes in the 69th minute, swapping Sullivan and Vassilev for Agustín Anello and Bruno Damiani.
Sullivan was visibly frustrated as broadcast cameras showed him exiting the pitch in the 69th minute.
Carnell said the decision to bring the teenage midfielder off was “not performance related,” but rather to counter Nashville’s physicality.
“I think you can see what he can create when he’s got the game in front of him,” Carnell said. “I think you can see his qualities. I think this was his best game here.”
Anello nearly broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute with a shot from the left side of the 18-yard box, but it hit the right post of Schwake’s net.
Blake saved a Qasem shot off the line in the 74th minute to keep the Union level. Blake finished with two saves to secure his second clean sheet of the season.
The Union had a pair of late chances from Alladoh and Damiani, but both went wayward. Alladoh was unable to launch a shot from a Frankie Westfield cross just outside the six-yard box in the 80th minute, and Damiani had a shot from inside the penalty area soar over the bar in the 85th.
The Union have earned two points from five home matches this season, both of which came from scoreless draws. Their final opportunity to earn a home win before the MLS schedule breaks for the FIFA World Cup will be against the Columbus Crew on May 16.
“We have four more games until that stretch,” Carnell said. “And for us, it’s four moments to, sort of, right the ship. It’s not great, but it’s better.”
Up next
The Union will travel to Gillette Stadium to face the New England Revolution on Saturday (7:30 p.m., Apple TV).
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