Philadelphia Union Dominate Chicago At Soldier Field

PHOTO CREDIT:  Michael Reaves / Getty Images

The Philadelphia Union left Chicago with three crucial points as they dominated the Fire 3-1.

Goals came from Milan Illoski and Bruno Damiaini. This result puts the Union three points off from fourth place and only 1 point behind Charlotte, who currently sit in 5th with 46 points. The race for the top four is crucial because only those teams get to host their first game of the postseason. With only five games left and the top four within reach, the Union will be a serious threat with the help of their playmakers. There are more points to grab before the season ends on November 7th. Milan Illoski, Bruno Damiani, Cavan Sullivan, and Frankie Westfield are among those playmakers who can help Ryan Richter and the Union to a historic run leading up to the postseason.

The Union’s top goalscorer did what he does best, beating goalkeeper Chris Brady in the 49th minute. Just four minutes past halftime, Milan Illoski scored. The Union forward capitalized on his opportunity by staying alert at the back post, tapping in the ball from Damiani to tie the game at 1-1. Given his performances since the World Cup break, Milan’s goal seemed inevitable. Bruno Damiani has a case to be in better form than Illoski as he secured a brace in front of a stunned Chicago crowd. With Damiani scoring twice, he now has 8 goals in the last 6 matches.

As if opponents didn’t have enough to deal with the likes of Illoski, now the Union have another goal threat in Damiani, as there are no signs of him slowing down. This dynamic duo has been a huge part of the Union’s 14-game unbeaten run.

Cavan Sullivan picked up another assist at Soldier Field, making it 14 assists for the 17-year-old. The IQ, skill set, and situational awareness from Cavan are something the city of Philadelphia has never seen on the pitch from someone of his age. His flair, determination, and creativity will always make Cavan one of the players to watch every week. This kid is exceeding expectations not only in the club, but also nationwide. Since Cavan is in the form of his life, we can expect more assists to come before the season ends.

The last name here is a player who is severely underrated, Defender Frankie Westfield. Westfield is another young talent whom the Union can rely on in crucial matches. Like Neil Pierre, Westfield is a young homegrown talent who plays like he has been in the league for years. At just 20 years old, his strength, awareness, and passing make him one of the most valuable defensive assets for Richter. His defensive capabilities were on full display against Chicago as he made his opponents job extremely difficult. Whether he’s running up the wing and creating chances or sliding and breaking up key plays, Westfield’s abilities proved why he's so valuable for Philadelphia. He may not be on the stat sheet, but when the Union needs a hard-working, creative-minded defensive asset, Westfield is a no-brainer for Richter.

If all of these playmakers and the Union can keep exceeding expectations, they are going to be very hard to beat. Subaru Park has been nicknamed by many as the “Philly Fortress” because historically the Union is exceptional when they play home games. Grabbing three points away from home carries momentum into their next match against Charlotte, which happens to be at Subaru Park on October 17th at 2:30 PM ET. Charlotte is no easy task as they sit in 5th place just one point ahead of the Union, but with how the squad performed in Soldier Field, Ryan Richter should be very confident going into Saturday’s match.