Philadelphia Union Vs San Jose Earthquakes - Gamethread - Match #6

by Justin F. on Apr 30, 2011 2:00 PM EDT in Game Day

After having the week off last week to accommodate Real Salt Lake in the CONCACAF Champions League, the 3rd place Philadelphia Union (3-1-1) will take to PPL Park to face the last place San Jose Earthquakes (1-3-2) of the Western Conference.

If you have not already, be sure to check out the following previews from The Brotherly Game staff: [Ben's Match Preview] [Scott's Preview for SBN Philly] [Friday Night Union Freekicks] [Scott Has A Conversation With The Enemy]. San Jose perspective: [Quake, Rattle and Goal]

Broadcast Information: 6abc HD (J.P. Dellacamera, Taylor Twellman, Bob Rigby) with coverage starting at 3:30 PM Eastern with a pre-game show and concluding into Action News at 6:00 PM Eastern / No local television coverage in San Jose, La Kaliente KZSF 1370 AM (Carlos Cesar Rivera) in Spanish / MLS Direct Kick, MatchDay Live (6abc feed -- no blackout in San Jose)

San Jose Earthquakes starting XI: Busch, Leitch, Hernandez, Burling, Morrow, Wondolowski, McDonald, Ring, Ampai, Sealy, Lenhart

San Jose Earthquakes bench: Weber, Opara, Corrales, Convey, Cronin, Stephenson, Johnson

Philadelphia Union starting XI: Mondragon; Harvey, Califf, Valdes, Williams; Daniel, Okugo, Torres, Le Toux; Ruiz, Mwanga

Philadelphia Union bench: MacMath, Nakazawa, Mapp, Richter, M. Farfan, McInerney, Miglioranzi

Leave your comments throughout the game here. Our staff will give live comments and reactions throughout the game, as well. Go Union! DOOP!

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Comments

Let's go Union!

Hope to see a strong showing.

by tat167 on Apr 30, 2011 2:20 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks Union

For once again taking as long as possible to release the line-up.

by iamrobk on Apr 30, 2011 3:11 PM EDT reply actions

And of course immediately after I post this, they release the line-up.

Starting XI vs. SJ: Mondragon; Harvey, Califf, Valdes, Williams; Daniel, Okugo, Torres, Le Toux; Ruiz, Mwanga

VERY interesting for the front 6. I like it.

by iamrobk on Apr 30, 2011 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions

The post has been updated with starting line-ups and benches.

Writer at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.
Keep Hope Alive

by Justin F. on Apr 30, 2011 3:26 PM EDT reply actions

Great to see Torres starting.

by phillyhoosfan on Apr 30, 2011 4:19 PM EDT reply actions

Could be a fight soon

This is getting kind of crazy

by iamrobk on Apr 30, 2011 4:39 PM EDT reply actions

An awful, awful red card

for Jordan Harvey. If anything that should’ve been two red cards or two cautions.

by phillyhoosfan on Apr 30, 2011 4:50 PM EDT reply actions

Not a fan of that red card for Harvey. Did not see intent.

The Mikan Drill

by JoshuaR on Apr 30, 2011 4:50 PM EDT reply actions

If you stomp on someone's stomach it's a red card

no matter what. But the Quake player should’ve been sent off as well for kicking at Harvey’s legs.

by phillyhoosfan on Apr 30, 2011 4:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Now that I saw it again.

It should’ve definitely been two yellows.

by phillyhoosfan on Apr 30, 2011 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions

i think it should have been two yellows, he didnt stomp more of step on it but still got kicked at. If the ref was giving a red though, the other player should have gotten a red too just changing the whole pace of the game

by Rhayes on Apr 30, 2011 4:54 PM EDT up reply actions

There wasn’t really a clear look at the stomp but to me, I don’t really think the intent was there to retaliate after the hard tackle. I think we are in agreement that it was a bit harsh.

The Mikan Drill

by JoshuaR on Apr 30, 2011 4:58 PM EDT up reply actions

too many cards

Watching the Flyers but getting text updates from the MLS Matchday App…3 yellows and a red so far in the half? are they even necessary? anyone want to share how they happened? because im thinking either its good soccer or its really bad soccer goin on. Harvey stepped on a guy? intentionally? thanks, DOOP.

by totally werth it on Apr 30, 2011 4:56 PM EDT reply actions

the red may have been necessary, but it should have been two red cards to both players but only harvey got it. I dont know if it was intentional but could be. Two yellows came on a little fight between mondragon and a san jose player after he complained of the way mondragon went for the ball. Some really good plays so far on offense though for the union with mwanga and le toux looking really good up front. Not really ugly soccer just refs getting over involved in the game again

by Rhayes on Apr 30, 2011 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions

THANK YOU….Refs are getting over involved with the Flyers game too. was Okugos elbow to the head intentional on SJ Lenhart?

by totally werth it on Apr 30, 2011 5:04 PM EDT up reply actions

just tuned into ABC, maybe theyll show highlights…

by totally werth it on Apr 30, 2011 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions

WOW. RIDICULOUS red card.

by totally werth it on Apr 30, 2011 5:06 PM EDT reply actions

which farfan is in i missed the beginning of the half

by Rhayes on Apr 30, 2011 5:14 PM EDT reply actions

Michael

by iamrobk on Apr 30, 2011 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions

thank you, him and daniel are looking very good on the left side of the pitch working well together.

by Rhayes on Apr 30, 2011 5:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, our left side is looking great so far this half.

by iamrobk on Apr 30, 2011 5:25 PM EDT up reply actions

Gabriel is injured currently FWIW

by Laaaaazzz on Apr 30, 2011 7:09 PM EDT up reply actions

MLS refs...

Bleh…

by iamrobk on Apr 30, 2011 5:26 PM EDT reply actions

THey're playing really well

for a team that’s a man down.

by phillyhoosfan on Apr 30, 2011 5:36 PM EDT reply actions

Union penalty!!

by phillyhoosfan on Apr 30, 2011 5:40 PM EDT reply actions

Penalty for philadelphia

Le toux puts it in

by Rhayes on Apr 30, 2011 5:41 PM EDT reply actions

1-0 Union

by Rhayes on Apr 30, 2011 5:41 PM EDT up reply actions

This is ridiculous

And I thought the Chelsea-Tottenham game this morning had ridiculous refereeing…

by iamrobk on Apr 30, 2011 5:41 PM EDT reply actions

100% makeup call right there

by phillyhoosfan on Apr 30, 2011 5:42 PM EDT up reply actions

yeah but ill take that penalty cause the red card was a horrible call to

by Rhayes on Apr 30, 2011 5:42 PM EDT up reply actions

GOAL!!!

Le Toux!!!

by phillyhoosfan on Apr 30, 2011 5:41 PM EDT reply actions

After that Flyers debacle, at least the Union are winning. Even if it is an ugly game.

Writer at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.
Keep Hope Alive

by Justin F. on Apr 30, 2011 5:55 PM EDT reply actions

WINNER!

Writer at SB Nation's Philadelphia Union blog, The Brotherly Game. Follow me on Twitter.
Keep Hope Alive

by Justin F. on Apr 30, 2011 6:00 PM EDT reply actions

Le toux looked his best of the season today

by Rhayes on Apr 30, 2011 6:00 PM EDT reply actions

Indeed, he looked like LeToux of last year. I think the week off has done him well.

by Laaaaazzz on Apr 30, 2011 7:10 PM EDT up reply actions

No idea how we pulled that out

But I’ll take it!

by iamrobk on Apr 30, 2011 6:00 PM EDT reply actions

Great win! I’m still concerned about the lack of scoring. One goal not from a free kick or penalty in the last four regular season games. The Union still hasn’t scored more than one goal in any game.

But I’ll just enjoy first place for now.

by mattjg on Apr 30, 2011 6:06 PM EDT reply actions

well im not as concerned that we only scored one goal this game seeing as we were down a man for the entire second half basically. But the offense looked a lot better to me in the first half and how we held possession and made chances down a man in the second. Wont know if it was for real until next week though.

by Rhayes on Apr 30, 2011 6:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Harvey red card - replay confirms it was a bad call

I was sitting just a few yards away and thought the call was bad. Now that I’ve watched the replay, it’s clear that Harvey did not stomp on the player. Bad call. What’s the process in MLS for challenging reds? Can union protest the suspension and get Harvey back into the next game?

I think it’s pretty clear that the San jose player took a swipe at him from the ground, butnthat irrelevant. All the matters is that Harvey did not stomp on him.

by DocBrody on Apr 30, 2011 7:41 PM EDT reply actions

Le Toux's first touch is his problem this year

I’m a big fan of Le Toux. Great guy. Great player. Amazing work rate. Great to the fans. But this year I think his first touch on the ball has been pretty bad. It’s made all the difference in turning goal scoring opportunities into loss of possession. Glad to see him get the goal today though.

by DocBrody on Apr 30, 2011 7:45 PM EDT reply actions

Thoughts from 116

We lack scoring, but what I’ve seen in the first few matches is a real lack of urgency and work rate from our forwards…especially Ruiz. I see attempts to play throughs, first touch passes, etc….and neither Ruiz or Mwanga are moving into space. They seem static. I don’t expect them to be running around the entire match, but heck when we’re on the attack, isn’t there something they can do to contribute?

I hate to say it, but I don’t blame the ref too much for that call. It was a very strong card to give, but guys are so savvy with hiding their intent to injure, if you do anything outside the “norm,” and it injures the opponent, the referee will very likely give the benefit of the doubt to the guy getting hurt. Harvey kinda leapt forward and flicked his left foot backwards which caught the Quake player. I don’t think there was intent, but the ref made the decision. In the end, he called a very questionable penalty in our favor, so I guess it came out even.

Great win from being down, even with San Jose being in disarray. We’re fortunate right now to be facing teams like San Jose when we’re struggling offensively. .

by earl_of_reed on Apr 30, 2011 9:38 PM EDT reply actions