One-way Traffic: Union Settle for Scoreless Draw in Season Opener
By Kevin Kinkead
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- This one was not an instant classic.
It was one-way traffic at PPL Park, but the Philadelphia Union had to settle for a scoreless draw in Saturday's season opener. Jim Curtin's side out-shot 10-man Colorado 16 to 2, but could not break through against a defensive-minded and feisty Rapids side.
"I'm happy with the group in terms of defense," Curtin said post-game. "I thought we were solid. We didn't give up many chances."
"We created enough chances to get three points today," he continued. "I look at it as two points dropped. Disappointed from that standpoint. I thought we got balls in the box. We had 16 attempts at goal to their two. Again, we have to finish. We had some good looks, guys that usually are quality in front of goal, maybe a couple of things were a little off in terms of the final pass today and getting on a cross in the end of the box. I see it as two points dropped."
Rapids center back Bobby Burling was sent off in the 68th minute, when he picked up a second yellow card for a tactical foul on Sebastien Le Toux near the center circle. Even before the sending off, the Union comfortably had the better of the possession and the opportunities.
"Even when it was 11 versus 11, I thought that we were very strong and moving the ball well and creating chances," said center back Steven Vitoria, who was on his MLS debut. "Obviously with one extra man, it's harder because of the way they close their whole team. We tried to find those gaps and create some chances, but unfortunately we didn't put one in the net."
Philadelphia came out in a variation of a 4-4-2, with C.J. Sapong pairing Fernando Aristeguieta in the two-striker set. Sapong left the game after suffering a mild concussion at the end of the first half, and Curtin tweaked the shape to a 4-2-3-1 with the addition of Cristian Maidana.
"There's a little risk, reward with both of them," Curtin said. "CJ gives you a bigger body, bigger presence in there that can deal with things on restarts defensively and also gives us a little more on the attacking side. There was a lot of discussion during the week. It's one of those things where if we finish one of our chances it looks like that formation was a good choice, but because we don't, there's always going to be doubt. I believe we need to become a team that can adjust on the fly and our players are comfortable during it. And I think they showed that they are. Just a little bit lacking in the final ball and the final quality. Credit to Colorado, too, they worked their butts off and got behind the ball."
Union debutant Aristeguieta was busy all afternoon, tangling with Colorado's towering center backs and working to win the ball. He was credited with five shot attempts, and admits that jelling with his new teammates is a work in progress.
"It will come," the striker explained. "I think we've made a good connection at the beginning. We've (practiced) maybe just six or seven times together. A lot of games is a good thing, we played three or four times in the preseason, and then again today. But practices, I only had four or five times because this week I stayed in Venezuela during the visa process. It will come. They're great players and they're the kind of players I want behind me because they play the football that works for me. I like to stay in the box and they're good at getting the ball into the box, and for me that's awesome."
