Chester, PA
August 13, 2022
The Philadelphia Union beat the Chicago Fire with a lopsided score of 4-1. Despite that score, Chicago played fairly well, but couldn’t stop Philadelphia’s attack on goal. The game was physical, with 21 Philadelphia fouls compared to 8 for Chicago, although some of those whistles left Philadelphia fans scratching their heads..
Philadelphia coach Jim Curtin said that Dániel Gazdag had been carrying the Union of late, and Saturday’s game against Chicago was no exception. The scoring started at the 16th minute with Gazdag’s right footed shot to the top left corner of goal, with the assist going to Julián Carranza.
The second Philadelphia goal started from a corner taken by Kai Wagner. The ball bounced off a Chicago defender before Philadelphia’s Oliver Mbaizo lofted the ball high toward goal. Chicago’s keeper Gabriel Slonina bobbled the ball and an alert Jack Elliott popped the ball into the Chicago goal.
Just after the second half started, Chicago’s Chris Mueller nipped the bottom right corner of goal just past a diving Andre Blake to spoil the shut out. Xherdan Shaqiri was credited with the assist. The Mueller score warned that Chicago was not out of the game.
But Philadelphia countered just four minutes later at the 53rd minute. Gazdag passed through to a sprinting Mikkel Uhre, who shot into Slonina. Slonina made the save, but the ball was loose. Carranza picked up the rebound and chipped the ball into an open goal.
The final score came from Philadelphia’s Cory Burke at the 82nd minute assisted by Mbaizo.
Pictures of the game appear below:
An example of the physical nature of the game, as Mauricio Pineda puts a knee to Uhre’s jaw.
Philadelphia’s Jack McGlynn enhancing his defending skills against Chicago’s Xherdan Shaqiri.
Shaqiri with the ball on his own.
Gazdag and Alejandro Bedoya celebrate Gazdag’s 12th goal on the season.
Chicago’s Rafael Czichos controlling the ball with his knees on the ground.
Gazdag setting up a play on the was down field.
Chicago’s Slonina bobbled the ball lifted by Mbaizo toward goal.
An alert Elliott posed the loose ball past Slonina into the Chicago goal.
Chicago’s Boris Sekulic with Philadelphia’s Wagner defending.
The former Philadelphia striker Kacper Przybyłko is seen herę with Leon Flach moving into defense.
The final score from Cory Burke hitting the left corner, thanks to a cross from Mbaizo.
