In a frustrating 1-0 loss at the Columbus Crew Wednesday night, the Philadelphia Union showed why they belong among the league’s top teams but also why there’s still a step to take to continue their upward trajectory.
The Union’s play has made them real contenders for the MLS Cup in a bizzaro season after already earning a deserved semifinal berth at the MLS is Back tournament in Orlando. But in the rare air where the best MLS clubs operate, the Union are still relative newcomers.
Columbus and Portland, two clubs molded under the vision of Caleb Porter (with full credit to Giovanni Savarese for his side’s performance in Orlando), presented two real benchmarks for the Union to show their growth.