Self-inflicted wounds, new-look lineup have conspired in Union’s shaky start

After Sunday’s 2-1 loss to New York City FC, Bradley Carnell and Indiana Vassilev agreed: if the Union had started the game with the same intensity with which they finished it, they likely would have been the victors.

Instead, a slow start condemned the Union to chasing a second-half equalizer for the second time in their first two MLS games. Just as Tai Baribo put the Union down, 1-0, with a first-half goal in the club’s loss at D.C. United last weekend, NYCFC’s Hannes Wolf put the Union behind, 1-0, ahead of the halftime break on Sunday.

» READ MORE: Matt Freese thwarts the Union again, this time with his biggest USMNT games of all on the horizon

The Union were able to tie the game, 1-1, on a Vassilev penalty in the 89th minute. But after Olwethu Makhanya was shown a second yellow card for dissent in the 92nd minute, Tayvon Gray put NYCFC back in front with a header in the 99th minute.

“The guys know there was more here for us, to be had, during the game,” Carnell said in his postgame press conference. “I think if we started the way we played the second half, I think, for sure, we get a result.”

The Union created their fair share of chances in the first half, but almost every scoring opportunity the team had over the first 45 minutes ended with an unthreatening shot. Of the six shots the team took in the first half, four were off target and two were blocked before they could challenge NYCFC keeper Matt Freese.

“If we’re a little bit cleaner in the first 20 minutes, and we score a goal, and we’re up 1-0, go into half 1-0, it’s momentum,” Vassilev said. “Trying to keep the momentum, I would say, is such a big part of this game. I think we haven’t done too good of a job at it so far.”

Freese, a former Union player and Wayne native, hardly had to move off his line in the game’s first half. His first save did not come until the 54th minute, a routine collection of a limp shot at the center of the goal from Agustín Anello.

The Union’s sluggish first half is the kind of growing pain to be expected of a team that moved on from three of its most productive offensive players in the offseason.

Baribo, Kai Wagner, and Mikael Uhre combined for 44 goal contributions across all competitions last season and all find themselves in different jerseys to start 2026.

However, nine of the Union’s starters for Sunday’s match were on the pitch for the team’s 1-0 Eastern Conference semifinal defeat at the hands of NYCFC in the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs. Of Sunday’s starting lineup, only Anello and Japhet Sery Larsen were not with the team in November.

The Union were without Ezekiel Alladoh, as the striker, acquired for a club-record $4.5 million in December, served a one-game red card suspension after being sent off in the 59th minute of the Union’s opening loss to D.C. United.

Anello and Vassilev began the game in midfield in the Union’s announced 4-4-2 formation. But both played wider on the field and closer to the front line than indicated on Carnell’s team sheet, with Anello interchanging with striker Milan Iloski.

“Milan has some more depth in his running in behind,” Carnell said. “That’s what we wanted in the first half. It didn’t really work out that way. When [Anello] goes up top, especially in the second half, the first 15 minutes, before he came off, I thought we created a bunch … I thought that’s how we got back in the game.”

Anello was replaced by Stas Korzeniowski in the 59th minute and broke through on a penalty he earned. Korzeniowski also had arguably the Union’s best chance for an equalizer from live play, hitting the right post in the 75th minute.

The Union’s wide midfielders were not the only lineup oddity for Carnell, as Nathan Harriel, the team’s usual right back, played left back against New York City. Frankie Westfield, who has replaced Wagner at left back, played on the right side.

Carnell should have his replacement for Wagner soon, as the Union’s signing of left back Philippe Ndinga was officially announced by the club on Friday.

As Carnell noted, the Union had more success going forward as the team pushed for a goal in the second half. The Union recorded 10 shots in the second half on Sunday, five of which were on frame.

Unlike the D.C. game, the Union pulled themselves level thanks to Vassilev’s conversion from the penalty spot. However, the Union found themselves playing with 10 men for the second time in as many MLS games after Makhanya was shown a second yellow for dissent in the 92nd minute.

Makhanya’s red allowed NYCFC to attack for the remaining eight minutes of additional time. Gray won it in the 99th, beating Ben Bender to the back post on a cross from Agustín Ojeda and sending a header past Andre Blake. Bender, typically a reserve midfielder, replaced Westfield at right back in the 59th minute.

In two MLS games, the Union’s inability to secure points has been impacted by players being sent off for dissent.

“Two games, two red cards in the second half,” Harriel said. “We’re shooting ourselves in the foot. We have to just have better discipline.”

The Union will have a full week of training before facing the San Jose Earthquakes at Subaru Park on Saturday (7:30 p.m., Apple TV). The Union will be without Makhanya against San Jose (2-0-0, 6 points), as the center back will serve a one-game red card suspension.

After San Jose, the Union will turn their attention to a Concacaf Champions Cup round of 16 clash with Club América on March 10.