CHESTER, Pa. -- The Union fought off playoff elimination Sunday afternoon as they overwhelmed defending MLS champion Seattle Sounders, 2-0, at Talen Energy Stadium.
Setting a new club record for home wins, the Union, now 10-13-9 overall, are four points out of playoff position with two games remaining. The Sounders, who could have clinched playoff position with a win, fall to 12-9-11.
• While the Union will likely end 2017 outside the playoff picture, they are roaring down the stretch at Talen Energy Stadium. The club is 3-1-1 in its last five matches at home, earning points against teams with a combined 52-35-38 record. That includes the Sounders, Chicago Fire, Atlanta United and FC Dallas.
• Now 9-4-3 at home, the Union set a club record for total wins in a single season. The previous record was eight, set in 2016. Now if the Union could do something about their 1-9-6 road record they might be onto something.
• According to Elias Sports Bureau, the Union have been surprisingly good at home since May 1.
.@PhilaUnion: 8–2–1 at home since May 1, with three multi-goal wins over teams in playoff position.@SoundersFC at PHI
1 pm ET on @ESPN— Elias Sports Bureau (@EliasSports) October 1, 2017
• Motivated early, Fafa Picault and C.J. Sapong tested Stefan Frei in the 19th minute, firing off a pair of chances that were fought away by the goalkeeper. But while saving his club early, Frei would eventually break in the 28th minute, when Ilsinho lifted a pass to the right to Marcus Epps who collected himself before placing his left-footed chances past Frei for the opening goal.
• Following an offensive flurry midway through the second half that should have resulted in a Union goal, Ilsinho, who paced the attack, went down injured. Although he walked off under his own power, the Brazilian was replaced by Roland Alberg.
Alberg did what Alberg does in the 88th minute, crushing a right-footed shot from the left side of the box that completely fooled Frei and found the far corner, icing the Union's 2-0 win. It was Alberg's seventh goal in 22 games.
• Frustration mounted for the Union with 10 minutes to go in the first half when Picault, on a shoulder-to-shoulder breakaway with defender Kelvin Leerdam, was bodied to the ground just outside the box.
There was no foul called on the play, despite heavy protest from the Union. If called, the foul would have been a red-card ejection for Leerdam for impeding a clear scoring opportunity.
• Although the Union played a stellar match as a whole, Fabinho stood out. The left back was an offensive force, earning a team-high three shots.
• Coming off the bench in the 55th minute, Sounders forward Clint Dempsey entered the match for Jordy Delem, making the Sounders even more dangerous. The move paid off as Dempsey earned a pair of potent chances that were turned away by heroic Andre Blake.
Blake finished the match with a five-save shutout.
• Minutes before the match began, Chris Pontius was pulled from the starting lineup for Epps. According to the team, the veteran winger tweaked something in his abdomen. If the injury is serious, it could put an end to what has been a nightmare season for Pontius, who is an unrestricted free agent at season's end.
• The injury to Pontius left the Union light at right wing, forcing Union manager Jim Curtin to get creative. In the 77th minute, rarely-used forward Jay Simpson spelled Epps on the right side.
Simpson made his presence felt in the 87th minute with a golden opportunity. He headed a chip pass from Picault that was pushed away by Frei. However, the play earned the corner that Alberg's goal originated from.
• Keegan Rosenberry (ankle), Josh Yaro (knee) and Warren Creavalle (hamstring) were scratched from the match with injuries, allowing Ray Gaddis, Richie Marquez and Ilsinho to jump back into starting positions. For the Sounders, Jordan Morris, Brad Evans and Osvaldo Alonso missed the match.
• Next up, the Union travel to Chicago to challenge the Fire, who are 11-2-3 at Toyota Park this season. The Union crushed the Fire, 3-1, on Sept. 23 at Talen Energy Stadium.
