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Union acquire goalkeeper from the US of A

The Union have acquired Brian Sylvestre on short term loan and he will start for the Union this Saturday. The best three goalkeepers in Major League Soccer have quickly turned into a group of five.

John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports

In July of last year Nick Sakiewicz bragged the Union had "three of the best goalkeepers in Major League Soccer." Since then the goalkeeping situation has been a nightmare. The incumbent Zac MacMath was sent out on loan. The second keeper Andre Blake has been in and out with injuries, and the third one Rais M'Bolhi was asked to leave, only to be invited back. A fourth goalkeeper, local rookie John McCarthy, had survived this prized trio to be the starting goalkeeper for the Union, until a ball rebounded off a player and knocked him out, giving him a concussion. This apparently was not 45 seconds apart from Blake tearing the meniscus in his right knee. You definitely could not write this script, not that anyone would pay to see the movie.

Coach Jim Curtin quipped in his press conference that the Union were looking for "any goalkeeper in the good ‘ol US of A" and they apparently found him. The Union have acquired the Carolina RailHawks' Brian Sylvestre on a short-term loan. Sylvestre participated in the Union's training camp in Florida in February before making his way to the NASL club, so he is already familiar with most of the players.

Remarkably the Union have named Sylvestre the starter and M'Bolhi won't travel with the team. Sylvestre has yet to log one minute of NASL action this season as he is currently the backup in Carolina.

Additionally, the Union have announced that Trey Mitchell will serve as Sylvestre's backup this weekend. Mitchell was acquired from the league's pool of goalkeepers that can be tapped into during times of emergency.

Be ready for anything on Saturday. Anything at all. Well, maybe not the best goalkeeping in Major League Soccer.