Despite watching his Philadelphia Union side fail to find the back of the net, head coach Bradley Carnell expressed his delight at the Union’s most recent display. Carnell’s comments came in the wake of the Philadelphia union’s stalemate against D.C. United at Subaru Park on Saturday, a match that highlighted the Union’s territorial dominance but also their inability to convert control into goals.
Philadelphia Union head coach Bradley Carnell, however, struck an upbeat tone after the final whistle. Speaking to reporters, Carnell expressed satisfaction with his side’s overall performance and control of the game, even as he acknowledged frustration with their lack of cutting edge in the final third.
“First clean sheet of the year, really happy about that,” Carnell said in his post-match press conference. “I thought we controlled a lot of the game in the opponent’s half. I thought we created numerous opportunities and unfortunate not to score and take the three points.”
The Union boss stressed that his side remains very much a work in progress, but was encouraged by the strides made on Saturday, especially with how they gave limited D.C. United minimal opportunities. In his view, the result should have been a victory, as the performance warranted it. The chances were created, and only the failure to get the ball over the line denied them all three points.
"We are in a process right now,” Carnell added. “I think we saw many positives tonight, the desire to win, the clean sheet, and what we limited them to was exceptional on the night. We know it’s not perfect, but we are training in the right way.”
The goalless draw stood in stark contrast to recent history between the two sides. The Philadelphia Union have been the dominant team in this fixture, winning three of the last five meetings prior to Saturday’s encounter.
They have consistently found ways to outscore D.C. United have been in recent seasons, making the draw something of a statistical upset. D.C. United entered the tie on poor form, having lost four of their last six games. Hence, their defensive-minded approach was aimed at ending their poor run, rather than claiming all three points.
Philadelphia dominated with 62% possession and 17 shots to D.C. United's six, backed by an expected goals tally of 1.27 compared to DC's 0.66, yet frustratingly walked away without a win.
Jesus Bueno was a thorn in the flesh for D.C. United hit the woodwork once. He and Ilioski drew sharp saves from a determined Sean Johnson, and the Union threw everything at a D.C. United side that simply refused to buckle. Johnson was unbeatable in goal, denying the Union at every turn, but the unsung hero of the night was midfielder Nikola Markovic, who put in an extraordinary defensive shift that went well beyond his position, throwing himself into challenges, blocking passing lanes, and doing the dirty work that kept Philadelphia at bay.
At the other end, Andre Blake made personal history with his 90th clean sheet for the Union, a remarkable milestone made even stranger by the fact that he did not make a single save all game. It was a historic night for the Jamaican international, but one wrapped in the collective frustration of a team that did everything but score.
Looking ahead, the Philadelphia Union will continue its hectic stretch on April 23, with a trip to BMO to face Toronto, followed just three days later by a daunting visit to Columbus Crew on April 26. Carnell’s side then returns home to host another defensively disciplined opponent, Nashville SC, on May 3.
