United In Scoreline: Minnesota United 1-1 Philadelphia Union

The Philadelphia Union entered the night in need of all three points against 10th place in the Western Conference Minnesota United. Unfortunately for the Union though and despite an early goal, they could not hold onto a lead and managed only a 1-1 draw on campus at the University of Minnesota.

The Union got the scoring going on early in the 5th minute. Fafa Picault made a run down the right side and sent a ball across the face of goal. At the other side of the net, there was C.J. Sapong ready to latch onto the cross with a diving kick. Sapong made contact with the ball and sent it past Bobby Shuttleworth and into the back of the net for the first goal of the match and a much-treasured 1-0 lead on the road.

Things would not continue to go so well for the Union in the scoring department. Ethan Finlay found himself quite a garbage time goal. Francisco Calvo recovered a bouncing ball and danced past a pair of Union defenders into the box. Andre Blake stopped Calvo’s shot, but could do little to maintain possession of the ball. Jack Elliott missed the clearance and instead the ball bounced to Ethan Finlay. Giliano Wijnaldum was unable to wrestle the ball away from Finlay, and the winger notched a goal past Blake to even the match at one.

It was a high energetic match, but most of the chances of the night belonged to Minnesota United, especially in the second half. Both teams combined for 27 total attempts at goal on the night, although Minnesota doubled the Union up on shots on target. The Union never had a real significant chance of taking the lead back once Minnesota knotted it up.

Up next for the Union, they will travel to Harrison, New Jersey for a match against their division rivals New York Red Bulls in a match the Union very much need to win and very probably won’t.