Philadelphia Union 3, New England Revolution 0 | 2017 MLS Match Recap

Ian Nicholas Quillen

C.J. Sapong converted early from the penalty spot for his career high-tying ninth goal of the season, Ilsinho and Roland Alberg added emphatically struck goals after halftime, and the Philadelphia Union cruised to a 3-0 victory against the New England Revolution on Sunday.

Andre Blake preserved his career-best seventh clean sheet to help the Union to a second straight MLS victory while moving up into eighth in the Eastern Conference table. Philadelphia is now three points off the sixth and final playoff place.

Haris Medunjanin assisted both second-half goals to send 10th-place New England to a third consecutive league defeat. The Revs remain winless in 10 away trips this season (0W-7L-3D).

C.J. Sapong nears double digits, makes case for late Gold Cup inclusion

Goals

4' - PHI - CJ Sapong (PK) Watch
48' - PHI - Ilsinho Watch
78' - PHI - Roland Alberg Watch

Three Things

CAREER YEAR: Sapong has scored nine goals in a season twice before, once for Philadelphia in 2015 and once for Sporting Kansas City in 2012, but the Union have 17 matches remaining for him to finally hit double digits. Although his ninth this time came from the penalty spot, he helped create it when his cross struck the raised left arm of Revs defender Benjamin Angoua at the edge of the 18.

WELL HELLO TO YOU, TOO:
Alberg now has three goals in 387 minutes played this season, but he’ll find it impossible to score more quickly than he did Sunday. After coming on for Ilsinho in the 78th minute, he hit the net seconds later on literally his first touch, a right-footed, 30-yard blast that swerved beyond
Cody Cropper
’s dive and into the top right corner.

SUPERSUB @rolandalberg.

What a hit from the @PhilaUnion man seconds after entering the game. https://t.co/wgt0w7zwhE
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) July 2, 2017

UPHILL BATTLE: With Kelyn Rowe on international duty and Diego Fagundez serving a one-match ban, the Revs' were short on creative players to fight back from the deficit they faced after only four minutes. Head coach Jay Heaps brought on forwards Brian Wright and Femi Hollinger-Janzen, but they also struggled to create any looks and the Revs had just one shot on goal in the second half.