Not for nothing did Philadelphia Union captain Danny Califf call last Saturday's against the Columbus Crew at PPL Park "perhaps the biggest game we’ve had in club history."
Up against the top team in the Eastern Conference, the struggling Union were looking to keep afloat in the playoff hunt by earning their first win since July 17.
With the pressure on, rookie goalkeeper Zac MacMath came up huge to earn a shutout in the 1-0 win, and his diving save on Andrés Mendoza's outswinger in the 16th minute earned him Save of the Week honors for Week 27 as well.
Despite the occasion, MacMath's save barely won out over Nick Rimando's tip on a Júlio César blast from range. MacMath garnered 31.63 percent of the vote, while Rimando took second with 28.11 percent.
Watch: MacMath comes up huge
Final Results
1. Zac MacMath, PHI (vs. CLB), 31.63%
2. Nick Rimando, RSL (vs. SKC), 28.11%
3. Kasey Keller, SEA (vs. DC), 26.39%
3. Josh Saunders, LA (vs. VAN), 11.06%
3. Sean Johnson, CHI (vs. CHV), 2.81%
MLS Save of the Week Winners
<strong>Week 1</strong><br><a href="/news/article/rimandos-double-stop-wins-save-week" target="_blank">Nick Rimando, RSL</a> |
<strong>Week 2</strong><br><a href="/news/article/2011/04/22/timbers-gleeson-wins-second-save-week" target="_blank">Jake Gleeson, Portland</a> |
<strong>Week 3</strong><br><a href="/news/article/2011/april/08/keller-tops-hall-save-week-honor">Kasey Keller, Seattle</a> |
<strong>Week 4</strong><br><a href="/news/article/2011/04/15/keller-wins-second-straight-save-week-nod">Kasey Keller, Seattle</a> |
<strong>Week 5</strong><br><a href="/news/article/2011/04/22/timbers-gleeson-wins-second-save-week">Jake Gleeson, Portland</a> |
<strong>Week 6</strong><br><a href="/news/article/2011/04/29/las-ricketts-wins-mls-save-week">Donovan Rickets, LA</a> |
<strong>Week 7</strong><br><a href="/news/article/2011/05/06/revs-shuttleworth-takes-honor-save-week">Bobby Shuttleworth, NE</a> |
<strong>Week 8</strong><br><a href="/news/article/2011/05/13/reams-last-gasp-effort-new-york-wins-save-week">Tim Ream, New York</a> |
<strong>Week 9</strong><br><a href="/news/article/2011/05/20/frei-rescues-toronto-fc-wins-save-week">Stefan Frei, Toronto</a> |
<strong>Week 10</strong><br><a href="/news/article/2011/05/27/perkins-edges-tight-field-win-save-week">Troy Perkins, Portland</a> |
<strong>Week 11</strong><br><a href="/news/article/2011/06/03/delagarza-donovan-combine-earn-save-week">DeLaGarza/Donovan, LA</a> |
<strong>Week 12</strong><br><a href="/news/article/2011/06/10/keller-wins-third-save-week-nod">Kasey Keller, Seattle</a> |
<strong>Week 13</strong><br><a href="/news/article/2011/06/17/suttons-acrobatics-garner-mls-save-week-honors">Greg Sutton, New York</a> |
<strong>Week 14</strong><br><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/06/24/tainio-bicycles-his-way-mls-save-week">Teemu Tainio, New York</a> |
<strong>Week 15</strong><br><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/07/01/magee-wins-save-week-heroics-la-shutout">Mike Magee, LA</a> |
<strong>Week 16</strong><br><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/07/08/perks-denial-montero-pk-wins-mls-save-week">Brian Perk, LA</a> |
<strong>Week 17</strong><br><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/07/15/perkins-quick-reactions-earn-mls-save-week">Troy Perkins, Portland</a> |
<strong>Week 18</strong><br><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/07/22/perkins-kick-saves-his-way-mls-save-week">Troy Perkins, Portland</a> |
<strong>Week 19</strong><br><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/07/29/flying-save-earns-nielsen-save-week-honors">Jimmy Nielsen, Sporting KC</a> |
<strong>Week 20</strong><br><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/08/05/gruenebaums-left-handed-stop-wins-mls-save-week">Andy Gruenebaum, Columbus</a> |
<strong>Week 21</strong><br><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/08/12/nielsens-double-stop-wins-save-week">Jimmy Nielsen, Sporting KC</a> |
<strong>Week 22</strong><br><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/08/19/last-gasp-save-tfcs-kocic-earns-save-week" target="_blank">Milos Kocic, Toronto</a> |
<strong>Week 23</strong><br><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/08/26/last-gasp-save-seattles-keller-earns-save-week" target="_blank">Kasey Keller, Seattle</a> |
<strong>Week 24</strong><br><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/09/02/rsls-rimando-wins-save-week">Nick Rimando, RSL</a> |
<strong>Week 25</strong><br><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/09/09/nielsens-stop-donovan-wins-save-week" target="_blank">Jimmy Nielsen, Sporting KC</a> |
<strong>Week 26</strong><br><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/09/16/cannons-stop-agudelo-wins-save-week" target="_blank">Joe Cannon, Vancouver</a> |
<strong>Week 27</strong><br><a href="//www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/09/23/macmaths-heroic-dive-union-earns-save-week" target="_blank">Zac MacMath, Philadelphia</a> |
