Losing five regular starters and six other players to Covid-19 health and safety protocols was always going to be a tough task for the Philadelphia Union in the Eastern Conference Final even in front of their rabid home fans on Sunday afternoon in Chester.
Starting the center back pair of Aurelien Collin and Stuart Findlay meant head coach Jim Curtin had a defensive spine of two players who had never played together in an official match before and who had started a combined four games this season (all starts by Findlay). It also meant deploying rookie back Nathan Harriel on the left side for the first time in front of Matt Freese.