CHESTER, Pa. – Through his first seven games in MLS, Tranquillo Barnetta had done a lot of things that his new coaches and teammates with the Philadelphia Union appreciated.
But the three-time World Cup veteran hadn’t been able to find the back of the net…until now.
On Sunday night at PPL Park, in what was probably his best game since signing with the Union on July 31, Barnetta scored his first MLS goal and added an assist to spur Philly to a 2-0 win over the Houston Dynamo.
He also played the full 90 minutes for his third straight game as he works his way back to full fitness and gives the Union a lot more bite in their attack as they look ahead to the US Open Cup final in ten days.
“He brings a lot to our group,” Union head coach Jim Curtin said. “I thought it was important to have him in there to close out the game tonight. He deserved a goal tonight and could have gotten a second.”
Indeed, Barnetta had a golden opportunity to bang one home in the second half but had a close-range shot sail high. As it turned out, though, his first goal proved to be more than enough as the Swiss midfielder used a nifty first touch to get himself wide open in the third minute and open his MLS account.
And when he did, it felt like a big weight off his shoulders.
“It’s great if you can score at home,” Barnetta said. “It’s always nice. I worked hard the last games to score one time.
“I think when I feel better with my body, when I feel fitter, then I can put more in. And that gets better with each game.”
Afterwards, his teammates praised Barnetta’s goal and felt confident that more are on the horizon. But more than anything else, they were glad to see him get a reward for all the had work he’s put in since coming on board as a high-profile summer transfer window signing.
“The thing I like about him the most is he’s a very honest player,” midfielder Michael Lahoud said. “On the field, I think sometimes I’m the only one that tells him to stop running so much. I mean, he’s a worker. He’s very intelligent. There’s a reason why he’s played at the highest level you can play, and I’m glad he’s playing for us.”
Lahoud – who got the start in the defensive central midfield alongside Vincent Nogueira in a box-to-box role – added that it was nice to see the team’s front four of Barnetta, Cristian Maidana, Sebastien Le Toux and C.J. Sapong click well in Philly's final home game before the Open Cup final.
That’s certainly something his coach noticed, too.
“He’s getting sharper and sharper, and getting used to his teammates,” Curtin said of Barnetta. “You’re starting to see some combinations. … I’m happy with him. He’s been asked to a lot -- centrally, out wide -- and he’s been a true professional with everything that’s been thrown at him. He’s captained our team as well.
“Getting thrown into a team late, he’s been everything we could hope for, on the field and in the locker room.”
Dave Zeitlin covers the Union for MLSsoccer.com. Email him at djzeitlin@gmail.com.
