Well... The Philadelphia Union finally got their first win of the year, and it was a rather impressive victory as well. The Union struck first after Sebastien Le Toux got to the end line and out in a cross in a dangerous spot. Eric Ayuk found it and shot it off Zach Pfeffer and into the net. The second goal came in stoppage time off a Andrew Wenger cross that Josh Saunders made a mess of. Vincent Nogueira found it in the center of the box and smashed it home. 

There are three major areas that stood out throughout this game. First, Ayuk adds another dimension for the Union. Ayuk's fearlessness with the ball to just run at defenders and use his speed is definitely a welcome sight in Chester. He burned Jeb Brovsky multiple times in this match, creating a few chances. Maybe the more surprising part though was his defensive work. He was able to track back and steal the ball away on multiple occasions, catching the defender by surprise. 

Running at defenders is not something you see much from the Union so seeing Ayuk use his speed and 1 on 1 ability is definitely exciting for Union fans. It really gives head coach Jim Curtin something to think about too as players begin to get healthy again. That is definitely a good problem to have though.

Another thing that stood out is Maurice Edu's presence on the back line. Since Edu has moved back there, including his games last year as a center back, the whole back line seems much more organized. Edu brings a sense of calmness back there. He also is someone who can play the ball out of the back which is something the Union were having trouble with early in the season.

Edu's presence in the back line also have helped the players around him, most notably Steven Vitoria. Vitoria has performed very well over these past two games, especially this game against New York City FC. He controlled the air in the back and put in probably his best performance in a Union shirt so far.

The best player in the game however, was Nogueira. He absolutely controlled the midfield, popping up in all the right spots and being that connecting piece between the defense and the attack. Nogueira was sharp in his passes. The Union did not keep much of the possession. They aren't built that way, but when Nogueira gets the ball, he is able to calm the play down and give the defense a chance to catch their breath.

He also scored the game winner so that has to count for something as well. Nogueira looked to be the player that Union fans drooled over in the beginning of last season. If he can put in this type of performance on a consistent basis, the Union will see much more of this success. NYCFC have one of the tougher midfields in the league so controlling their midfield was huge.

The Philadelphia Union will now travel to New York City to have the rematch at Yankee Stadium. The game will take place this Thursday night.