The turning point of the Philadelphia Union’s 2020 season was a 23-minute stretch on July 9 against NYCFC in the first-ever 9:00AM kickoff in club history. The memory most have from this match — aside from the players’ important statement displayed on their jerseys — is Andre Blake’s physics-defiant 86th minute save on Heber to preserve the win and earn the Union, who had given up five goals in their opening two matches, a shutout.
That 23-minute ride began, though, with what initially looks like a messy, blue-collar goal from captain Alejandro Bedoya.
Jamiro Monteiro plays a vision of a pass from the center-left channel into the right side of the box where Bedoya, typically, has Houdini’d the defense and popped up in a dangerous spot.