Another week, another late-game collapse by the Philadelphia Union. Throughout their existence the team has found more ways to drop points in the last fifteen minutes of games. They also have been unable to figure out how to consistently defend set pieces. Tonight in Kansas City both problems reared their ugly heads in the most gut-wrenching fashion-two goals in second half stoppage time to blow a 2-1 lead and turn it into a 3-2 loss.

The Union entered the match winless (0-2-2) decimated by injuries and suspensions. They were missing Cristian Maidana, Sheanon Williams, Vincent Nogueira and Conor Casey through injury, plus Zach Pfeffer and Fred through suspension. After last week’s ugly loss in Chicago many thought Kansas City would run the Union off the Sporting Park pitch. Instead, the Union gave Sporting all they could handle and held the lead until the first minute of stoppage time. The Union opened the scoring with a shock own goal in the third minute when Luis Marin mishandled a ball and deflected it off of Jacob Peterson. A Sporting defender attempted to clear it off the line but the linesman ruled it had crossed the line. Dom Dwyer finally got on the score sheet for Kansas City when he scored in the 16th minute after Union goalkeeper whiffed on a cross. All five goals were scored off of set pieces tonight. Fernando Aristeguieta scored his third goal of the season in the 19th minute and it would stay that way until the 91st minute.

Kansas City played poorly throughout most of the game despite controlling most of the possession.  They ramped up the pressure in the second half and tied the game in the first minute of stoppage time when Jalil Anibaba scored. Three minutes later the collapse was complete when Hungarian international Krisztian Nemeth redirected a ball into the net. Replays show the ball may have hit Union defender Ray Lee instead. Once again the Union failed to close out a game and did so in particularly painful fashion. Once again they struggled to defend set pieces. This was arguably the best game of the season for the Union, especially given the number of players they were missing.  The Union had a chance to seal the game late when Aristeguieta took off on a break away from about 60 yards but was caught by Roger Espinosa just outside the box, which was probably a foul and a red card but nothing was called. Aristeguieta was able to play the ball to LeToux, who beat Marin but hit the post. Michael Lahoud then fired the rebound well over the net.