John McCarthy has started all four of the Philadelphia Union’s US Open Cup games this year, coming up huge in two shootouts and making sparkling saves throughout the team's run to the Final.
Andre Blake comes off one of the best games for a goalkeeper in Union history, setting a franchise record with 10 saves to help Philly earn a point in New England on Saturday – despite resting most of their starters.
With little time to decide before Wednesday's Open Cup Final vs. Sporting Kansas City at PPL Park (7 pm ET, ESPN2), whom will Union head coach Jim Curtin select for Philly’s biggest game of the year?
He’s not saying.
“It’s a huge decision, and it’s one that I’ll have to make,” said Curtin, during a U.S. Soccer conference call Monday. “In the past six games or so, they’ve gotten an equal share if you add up Andre’s Jamaica games in there. We wanted to get a fair look at both of them. It’s a good situation because both are playing well – John as recently as Houston gets a shutout [on Sept. 20] and Andre puts in what was a pretty darn impressive performance vs. New England.”
Curtin had a similar goalkeeping decision to make in last year’s Final, opting to go with Zac MacMath (who got Philly there with a great semifinal shootout performance) over Rais Mbolhi (supposed to be the starter after coming over as a transfer-window signing).
Curtin said that the only consideration is which player gives the team the best chance to win, pointing out that as a player, he started every game during the Chicago Fire’s 2006 US Open Cup run before coming off the bench in the title game.
“Coaches make decisions to win games,” Curtin said. “You have one opportunity to win a final, and we’ll field our top team – our best 11 guys and the guys that we believe can go out there and do a job. Everything during the buildup happens for a reason, everyone plays a role in getting you to the final. But, from there, you have to select the team that gives you the best chance to win.”
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So which goalie gives the Union the best chance to capture the club’s first trophy?
Blake, a former No. 1 overall pick and a starter for the Jamaican national team, is inarguably the more athletic player, a higher upside talent. But McCarthy has more big-game experience in both league play and the Open Cup.
Curtin is not tipping his hand.
“I’m confident both of them could get us a win, whichever one I decide.”
Dave Zeitlin covers the Union for MLSsoccer.com. Email him at djzeitlin@gmail.com.
