CHESTER, Pa. — The Philadelphia Union are fully aware Toronto FC are a very good team, no matter their record.
Yet they also know Friday’s match vs. TFC (8 pm ET | TSN — Full TV & streaming info) at Talen Energy Stadium is a chance to even further bury the sputtering defending champs heading into the World Cup break.
“I think we kind of have to, to be honest. It’s a hit ’em while they’re down kind of thing,” Union right back Keegan Rosenberry told MLSsoccer.com. “I think it’s a great opportunity for us and especially in our home building.”
Toronto are unbeaten in their last eight games vs. the Union, but the two clubs are in some ways going in opposite directions. The Union are 3-1-1 in their last five, their only loss of that stretch coming when they went down two men in Atlanta last week, to move within a point of the playoff line in the East. TFC, meanwhile, are 1-3-1 since beating the Union at BMO Field on May 4 and currently sit in 10th place in the conference as they’ve struggled with injuries and a Concacaf Champions League hangover.
“We know it’s a big game,” Union head coach Jim Curtin said. “You look at both of us and where we are on the table, there’s urgency at this point of the year. They’re very talented and still present a ton of problems. I said before that they have the deepest roster in the league.”
While TFC will have to continue to utilize their depth with several key players injured, so will the Union. Influential midfielders Alejandro Bedoya and Haris Medunjanin will serve a suspension after picking up red cards last week in Atlanta.
Curtin was unhappy the Union lost their appeal on Bedoya’s red card and now has to figure out a way to replace his entire defensive midfield. He said Warren Creavalle would be on the lineup but didn’t reveal the other spot, which could go to Homegrown Player signings Derrick Jones or perhaps Anthony Fontana if they want to go with a more attack-minded look as Curtin indicated.
“We’ll still be aggressive and brave at home but it does definitely make it a little bit tricky,” the Union coach said of Bedoya and Medunjanin being out. “Those are two of our best players, that’s the reality of the situation. But at the same time, I think we have a good team. I think the Open Cup showed our depth. And we’re going to call upon some guys to step in and do a job against a really good opponent in Toronto.”
Curtin is confident in the Union’s home form, pointing out they’re 14-2-4 in their last 20 games at Talen Energy Stadium. But even with the home crowd behind them, he said it will be “difficult” for teenage center backs Auston Trusty and Mark McKenzie to go up against Sebastian Giovinco.
McKenzie, though, didn’t seem especially fazed.
“It’s always a good challenge playing against a good attacking unit like they have in Toronto,” he said. “But you go about it the way you always go about it and focus on what you need to do in order to get three points on your home turf.”
