The Philadelphia Union Are Finally Hitting Their Stride
It was not the best of starts to the season for the Union. Coming off last year’s incredible season, they came out of the gates sloppy. In fact, through the end of April, they had just 3 wins, to go with 4 losses and 2 draws. That sloppiness carried over a bit to Concacaf play too. The dominant and efficient team that started to win Philly fans over last year was nowhere to be seen. In their place, was a team prone to turnovers who were struggling vs teams they would have crushed last season.
That kind of came to a head in early May when they traveled out to Los Angeles to face LAFC in a Concacaf match. The same team that killed their hopes for the MLS Cup last year. The Union got run out of the building. A 3-0 loss. And you could see people were starting to question if this team was the same they were last year. It should be. They did pretty well in the off-season to hold onto most of the key pieces that had them so very close to a championship last season. But something was not right going into May.
But the good news is, they may have figured things out. Since that embarrassing loss to LAFC, they have looked far better. In fact, they have 3 wins and 1 draw in that time. The lone draw came to DC United where it did look like they were slipping back into bad habits. But they followed that up with an impressive 3-0 win over the New England Revolution. The Revolution went into the match 3rd on the Tables in the MLS, with just 2 losses. But the Union dominated them. Daniel Gazdag led the way with 2 goals, and Julian Carranza piled it on in the 88th minute to make it a 3-0 final.
Gazdag add 2 more goals to his account! 😏#DOOP pic.twitter.com/duMkmVQjzF
— Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) May 21, 2023
They are starting to play like the team we saw last season. This is the year they need to win the MLS Cup. An outbreak of Covid ruined their chances two years ago. Last season we had our souls crushed when LAFC got a late equalizer in Overtime of the MLS Cup to go on and win it in a Penalty Shootout. But there are no more excuses. It is championship or bust this season. And now finally they are looking like a team capable of that.
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Top 10 Most Heartbreaking Philadelphia Sports Losses Since 2010
10.) Flyers-Blackhawks Game 6 2010 Stanley Cup Finals
I might be underrating how much this one hurt, but the 2010 Flyers weren’t expected to go on a magical run. I mean, it took them until a shootout on the final day of the season against the New York Rangers to even make it into the dance. Down 3-2 in the Stanley Cup Finals to the Chicago Blackhawks, the Flyers forced OT with elimination on the line in Game 6, only for Patrick Kane to play hero for Chicago. That might be the last time we see the Flyers in the Cup Final for a while.
PHILADELPHIA – JUNE 09: The Chicago Blackhawks pose for a team photo after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers 4-3 in overtime and win the Stanley Cup in Game Six of the 2010 NHL Stanley Cup Final at the Wachovia Center on June 9, 2010 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
9.) Sixers-Hawks Game 5 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals
Yes, there will be more from this series later. Before there was the complete collapse of the series, though, the Sixers had an opportunity at home to take a 3-2 series lead and push the Hawks to the brink of elimination. Instead, the Sixers blew a 26-point lead in the 2nd half of that game, one of the worst collapses in NBA history. It was a textbook Doc Rivers coaching choke job, and it opened up the chance for one of the worst losses we’ve ever seen.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 16: Ben Simmons #25 of the Philadelphia 76ers passes during the first quarter against the Atlanta Hawks during Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Wells Fargo Center on June 16, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
8.) Union-LAFC 2022 MLS Cup
The Union had a stranglehold on the MLS Cup Final, with a great chance to win their first championship in club history. They were up a goal on LAFC, and they were playing a man up thanks to an LAFC player being sent off. Then, in the 8th minute of stoppage time DURING EXTRA TIME, Gareth Bale scored to tie the game at 3. LAFC would win on penalties, shocking the Union and dashing their title hopes.
LOS ANGELES, CA – NOVEMBER 05: Déniel Gazdag #6 of Philadelphia Union reacts after missing a penalty kick in the penalty shootout against Los Angeles FC during the 2022 MLS Cup Final at Banc of California Stadium on November 5, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
7.) Eagles-Saints 2018 NFC Divisional Round
The Eagles had a tumultuous year following their Super Bowl win in 2017-18, but still found some Nick Foles magic late in the season that helped propel them to the NFC Divisional Round. They got up early on Drew Brees and the Saints, and Foles made a late drive late to try and win the game, but a pinpoint pass went right through the hands of Alshon Jeffrey and turned into a tailor-made interception that ended the Eagles’ season… and Nick Foles’ time in Philly.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 13: Nick Foles #9 of the Philadelphia Eagles talks with Alshon Jeffery #17 of the Philadelphia Eagles after a missed catch against the New Orleans Saints during the NFC Divisional Playoff at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
6.) Sixers-Hawks Game 7 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinal
Ah, yes. The Ben Simmons game. Atlanta had already orchestrated a 26 point comeback earlier in the series, and yet this game still hurts infinitely more. Kevin Huerter somehow went off in Game 7 in Philly and Ben Simmons passed up an open dunk late that will be remembered forever in Philadelphia as one of the most cowardly sports plays of all time. Oh, and the 1 seeded Sixers went out in the 2nd round despite being highly favored vs. Atlanta.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 20: Matisse Thybulle #22 of the Philadelphia 76ers drives between John Collins #20 and Danilo Gallinari #8 of the Atlanta Hawks during the fourth quarter during Game Seven of the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Wells Fargo Center on June 20, 2021 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
5.) Phillies-Astros Game 4 2022 World Series
To me, this will always be the most brutal loss of the Phillies-Astros World Series from this past fall. It was an incredible run by the Phillies, but with a 2-1 lead on the Astros and a chance to put the series on ice at Citizens Bank Park, the Phils went out and got no hit on the biggest stage. The series was over from that moment. The Phillies would not win another game in the series as the Astros took control and won another title. There have only ever been 2 no-hitters in World Series history, and of course one of them happens to us.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – NOVEMBER 02: Aaron Nola #27 of the Philadelphia Phillies walks off the field after being pulled from the game against the Houston Astros during the fifth inning in Game Four of the 2022 World Series at Citizens Bank Park on November 02, 2022 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
4.) Eagles-Chiefs Super Bowl 57
The Eagles put together the best season in franchise history in 2022-23, and they ran through the NFC postseason. They had a 10-point lead at halftime of Super Bowl 57 against the Kansas City Chiefs, and then Jonathan Gannon’s defense decided to go to sleep. Ending with a brutal holding call against James Bradberry, the Chiefs came all the way back to bury the Eagles with the penalty not leaving Jalen Hurts, who played unbelievably, a chance to answer Patrick Mahomes’ heroics. It was a brutal finish to an unbelievable season.
GLENDALE, ARIZONA – FEBRUARY 12: Jalen Hurts #1 of the Philadelphia Eagles runs the ball against Nick Bolton #32 of the Kansas City Chiefs during the fourth quarter in Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium on February 12, 2023 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
3.) Phillies-Cardinals Game 5 2011 NLDS
A baseball game that ended an era. The Phillies put together a 102-win regular season and were the heavy favorites to win the World Series, and yet they didn’t even make it out of their 1st playoff series. The Cardinals found a way to eliminate the juggernaut Phillies, and Game 5 saw a 1-0 shutout at Citizens Bank Park end with Ryan Howard writhing in pain from a torn Achilles on the final out. It was adding major injury to major insult, and that era of Phillies baseball would never recover. It was the last playoff appearance until 2022.
PHILADELPHIA, PA – OCTOBER 07: Chris Carpenter #29 of the St. Louis Cardinals reacts after he caught a line drive hit by Jimmy Rollins #11 of the Philadelphia Phillies for the final out in the bottom of the eighth inning during Game Five of the National League Divisional Series at Citizens Bank Park on October 7, 2011 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)
2.) Sixers-Celtics Game 7 2023 Eastern Conference Semifinals
Oh yes, this one ranks this high. No, I don’t think it’s recency bias. The Sixers’ most recent Game 7 loss is one of the worst losses in Philly sports history, not just since 2010. I understand the difficulty of the spot that the Sixers were in, having to go on the road against the defending conference champions, but to get absolutely destroyed in the manner the Sixers did is unacceptable. Not only was it an embarrassing exit, but it could lead to the end of the process era of Sixers basketball, which pushes Philly into basketball limbo. An all-time embarrassing performance in the biggest spot of Joel Embiid’s career. Oh, and Jayson Tatum dropped a 50 burger for an NBA Game 7 record. Sick.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – MAY 14: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts on the bench against the Boston Celtics during the third quarter in game seven of the 2023 NBA Playoffs Eastern Conference Semifinals at TD Garden on May 14, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
1.) Sixers-Raptors Game 7 2019 Eastern Conference Semifinals
And here we are. The worst Philly sports loss since 2010. The Sixers had their super team fully formed with the mid-season addition of Jimmy Butler. Ben Simmons hadn’t mentally collapsed yet. Joel Embiid was dominant. JJ Redick hadn’t become a hot take artist yet. Tobias Harris wasn’t a ghost. But the Raptors still forced 7 games, and then, in the waning moments, Kawhi Leonard rolled to the corner and released the shot that would haunt us for the rest of eternity. 4 bounces, and in. We can all still see it like it was yesterday. While this past Game 7 might’ve been the final blow, this one might’ve been the Sixers’ best chance. But in a moment, it was all gone, and all we were left with was a sobbing Joel Embiid and questions about “what if?”.
TORONTO, ON – MAY 12: Toronto Raptors Player Development Coach Jeremy Castleberry celebrates with Kawhi Leonard #2 following his buzzer beater shot to win Game Seven of the second round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at Scotiabank Arena on May 12, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
