The Philadelphia Union welcomed Tim Howard and the Colorado Rapids to Talen Energy Stadium on Saturday night as they looked to set a franchise record for most consecutive wins.
Colorado start on the front foot
Colorado began the match in surprisingly positive fashion, pressing the Union with a great deal of energy and earning a corner in the just the 2nd minute of play. However, despite having to contend with the 6ft 7 frame of Axel Sjoberg, the Union defense managed to clear the danger.
Colorado would threaten again in the 6th minute when Joshua Gatt let a shot rip from distance but the former Molde winger's shot went well wide of goal as Union fans let out a sigh of relief.
The Rapids earned another corner in the 10th minute when Giliano Wijnaldum threw himself at feet of Caleb Calvert to prevent the striker from taking a shot and the ensuing corner saw Andre Blake leap into the air to claim the ball, clattering into Oguchi Onyewu in the process. The former AC Milan defender would, however, recover despite clutching his head in pain.
Despite weathering an early storm, Philadelphia struggled to develop a rhythm early in the match as Colorado defensive positioning and good off the ball work frustrated the Union offense.
Union punished
The Rapids were rewarded for their early pressure when Caleb Calvert blazed into the Union half unchallenged and hit a shot from the edge of the box that flew past Andre Blake to give Colorado the lead in the 15th minute.
Ilsinho nearly leveled the match up in the 23rd minute when Fabian Herbers cut the ball back to Ilsinho in the box but the Brazilian's first-time shot was well saved by Tim Howard.
To make matters worse, Fabian Herbers would be forced off with an injury in the 27th minute to be replaced by Chris Pontius.
Lackluster offense to close out the half
Despite dominating possession, the Union failed to create many chances well into the first half but a rare chance came in the 35th minute when Ilsinho chipped a ball into the box but Chris Pontius' header went wide of goal despite doing well to win the aerial battle.
Drama struck in the 39th minute when Howard palmed away a Fafa Picault shot while off the ball CJ Sapong was taken down in the box but no foul was called much to the frustration of the home crowd.
Sapong had a great chance to equalize on the stroke of halftime when Picault avoided his defender and hit a cross into the box but Sapong didn't get enough on the header as it skirted across goal and Howard claimed with ease.
Union come to life in the second half
Philadelphia began the second half much more positively as Chris Pontius launched a cross into the box in the 47th minute but Sapong's header went straight into the head of Kortne Ford who cleared the ball rather awkwardly.
Fafa Picault did excellently to win a corner in the 50th minute dancing past several Colorado defenders before having his cross blocked but the ensuing volley off by Ilsinho of the corner was blocked as well.
Ray Gaddis did well to trick Eric Miller and create space for himself in the 55th minute but his cross could only find a Colorado defender with not enough Union players in the box.
Pontius' shot in the 62nd minute largely summed up the Union's match to that point as the speculative effort went well wide of goal.
Pandora's box opens
Kevin Doyle nearly doubled Colorado's lead in the 64th minute as he hit a beautifully struck free kick but the effort hit the bar as Philadelphia lucked out.
The missed opportunity would come back to haunt Colorado moments later in the 65th minute when a frenzy of chances saw Ford handle the ball to give Philadelphia a penalty kick, which Sapong would convert sending Tim Howard the wrong way for his eighth goal of the season.
Image Courtesy of the Associated Press
Then, in a bizarre set of events, Caleb Calvert was booked twice in a minute, first for failing to leave the field when being treated for an injury and then, for returning to the field without the referee's permission. In the ensuing protests, former Union forward and current Colorado assistant coach, Connor Casey was also sent off in the 69th minute.
The Union get their winner
A flurry of chances ensued following the sending off with Alejandro Bedoya launching a shot from the edge of the box in the 74th minute but his shot was skied wide because of a tackle from Gatt. However, on the ensuing free kick, Haris Medunjanin hit a beautifully curled shot into the top corner and out of the reach of Howard to give Philadelphia the lead in the 75th minute.
Philadelphia would exchange chances with the Rapids in the 85th minute when Jay Simpson wriggled free of a defender on the wing to find space in the box but his pass was just short of Alejandro Bedoya, while moments later Kevin Doyle struck a shot at goal that went well wide of the net, as a depleted Colorado Rapids side struggled to find an equalizer.
Jay Simpson nearly added a third in the 90th minute as a scramble in the Union penalty area gave way to a beautiful fast break but the Englishman's shot was saved excellently by Tim Howard and was then followed by the final whistle, confirming Philadelphia's fourth straight win.