Union’s wild unbeaten streak continues with a dominant win over Orlando City
The club set a record on Saturday for the longest unbeaten streak in franchise history, even with five starters away from the team because of international duty. Now, a break in league play awaits.
If there was any concern about how the Union would fare with five of their customary starters away on international duty, the answer was emphatic.
Four goals, the first coming in the 11th minute, fueled a 4-2 win over Orlando City on Saturday inside a wet Subaru Park, as a hat trick from forward Milan Iloski paved the way for the Union to set a franchise record with 12 games unbeaten in MLS play.
The outburst came despite defenders Frankie Westfield and Neil Pierre and midfielder Cavan Sullivan made their U.S. senior national team debuts in a 4-1 win against Peru just a few hours earlier. Also missing were midfielder Danley Jean Jacques (Haiti) and longtime goalkeeper Andre Blake, who is on duty with Jamaica.
On Saturday along Chester’s waterfront, Iloski struck first on a penalty kick after being taken down in the box by Orlando right back Zakaria Taifi. Following a delay and a request from referee Sergil Demianchuk to move the ball onto the spot, Iloski blasted home his 14th goal of the season. He scored his second just eight minutes later, taking a ball into space and slotting it past Orlando goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau.
He sealed the match in the 51st with a blast just outside Orlando’s 18 that Crépeau had no chance of saving. Iloski leads the team with 16 goals and is tied for third in the league. Indiana Vassilev also scored in the 48th to set the tone early in the second half. He took a pass from Jesús Bueno in the box and blasted it past the hands of Crépeau.
Orlando notched two second-half goals. Iván Angulo scored in the 78th, and the second came off a well-timed run and shot from Martín Ojeda in the box, courtesy of a smart cross from substitute Harvey Sarajian. Despite the goals, backup goalkeeper Andrew Rick was strong in net and arguably didn’t have to do much, courtesy of an Orlando attack that lacked much bite.
A hallmark of the Union’s remarkable run since the return from the FIFA World Cup break has been their ability to create — and finish — many their chances.
The Union have amassed 35 goals on this run and have scored at least four goals in each of their last four matches, including 5-0 wins over FC Cincinnati (Sept. 9) and San Diego FC (Sept. 13).
Now, a break in league action awaits courtesy of a FIFA international window that extends through Oct. 10, when the club returns to Subaru Park to host Real Salt Lake (7:30 p.m., Apple TV).
