The Philadelphia Union needed to win. While the playoffs were going to come whether they beat Atlanta United or not on Saturday night, the chance to make such a forthright and positive statement might not arise again. And so, that is precisely what they did.
Atlanta took a one-goal into half-time, Josef Martinez finishing off a brilliant move for his 13th successive game with a goal, but the Union produced a phenomenal second-half performance, dismantling arguably the second-best team in MLS.
Here are three things we learned from the Philadelphia Union’s 3-1 victory.