While New York City FC fought off an MLS Cup hangover and set its sights on an ultimately futile CONCACAF Champions League run, the Philadelphia Union established themselves as the team to beat in the Eastern Conference and a Supporters' Shield rival for LAFC. In the past two months, though, everything had changed. NYCFC grabbed the aspirin and a cup of coffee to rocket up the standings, while Philly won just one in its past ten.
The Bronx Blues visited Philadelphia on Sunday for a meeting of two of the conference's best, and Jim Curtin's team leapt out to a sixth-minute lead that it would manage for the following 82 minutes.