New York City FC are at home for decision day, welcoming Philadelphia Union to Yankee Stadium.
For this edition of 'The Away End' presented by Berkeley College & Rennert International, we spoke to Matt Ralph, a freelance soccer writer, and managing editor of the Brotherly Game, a Philadelphia Union blog.
Hi Matthew, thanks for speaking with us. How long have you been a fan of the Union?
I have been writing about the team since MLS came to announce in 2007 that they were going to try to put a stadium in South Jersey since the university where they were looking to build was on my beat as a higher education reporter at the daily newspaper I worked for at the time. I became a fan of the team when I moved back to the area from Louisville and went to my first Union game at the stadium in 2011.
What’s been your favorite moment covering the team?
Being there when they celebrated winning the Supporters' Shield last year was an incredible and truly unforgettable experience. The stadium was sadly still mostly empty because of Covid restrictions so it was probably one of the more unique experiences in terms of seeing a team capture a trophy. But the fact that the first major trophy won by the Union was one created by the league's supporters couldn't have been more appropriate considering the team's history. As a U.S. Open Cup fan I always said I wanted their first trophy to be the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup - especially with all of the history with the competition in the Philadelphia region - but seeing the Sons of Ben representatives present the shield to team captain Alejandro Bedoya was just so perfect. The back-story on the shield they had to use as a stand-in only added to the lore of a trophy Union fans will be telling their great-grandchildren about.
The team came into 2021 as Supporters' Shield Champions, how has the regular season gone in your opinion?
I'd say it's gone better than expected. Sure it's had its ups and downs but it's hard to ask for too much more than a semifinal appearance in Champions League and second place heading into the final day of the season.
The two teams will face each other for a third time this season on Sunday. What did you take away from the two previous meetings?
The first game was tough to judge because of the early and deserved red card to Jose Martinez but I was still really impressed with New York City's attack and the challenges they presented a Union defense that has been such a backbone to their success this season. The Union defense held them in check in the second game with a much better performance - playing with 11 men - and that Bedoya late run on the goal was a thing of beauty but I like that there isn't a whole lot that separates these two sides and that the games they play against each other are often so unpredictable.
If you were to identify Philly's dangerman, who would that be?
The reports about Bedoya's decline have been largely unfounded and I think as the Union captain goes so goes the team, especially as they enter the backend of their season. Clearly he's well past the point in his career where his danger is obvious or jumps out at you, but like he did in the last meeting with his game-winner, he makes such intelligent runs and does such gritty work on and off the ball that his value is hard to overstate. Playing in Yankee Stadium is no easy task as the Union know firsthand so Bedoya will be the guy to lead the way seeking a win that could potentially set up an even more important deep playoff run.
And finally, for anyone that may be in Philly for a game, are there any attractions you'd suggest they check out?
I always like to brag about the incredible Mural Arts program we have in the city so you could really spend the bulk of your time just looking at murals and visiting a number of historic and notable sites along the way. I also enjoy Reading Terminal Market (and the nearby Board Game Art Park) and the Magic Gardens; the Navy Yard in South Philly, Smith Memorial Playground and Franklin Square are fun with kids and if you are okay with heights, I'd recommend walking across the Ben Franklin Bridge and taking in the view of the city.
