CHESTER, PA- The Philadelphia Union had but one thing on their minds ahead of Saturday's match against the Columbus Crew at PPL Park. Win the game. The Union seemed to be doing just that for the majority of the match and at the half, the Union faithful seemed to feel pretty good about the possibilities of their team making an impressive try for a second playoff berth in just five years of existence. Columbus however didn't feel those sentiments.
The Union created some nice chances early on and gave Columbus Goalkeeper Steve Clark a tough time as the Crew back line seemed to play a bit flat for the first half. With the absence of defender Sheanon Williams, Fabinho got the start and nearly presented the crew with the first goal of the match as Ethan Finley went after a loose ball which made Keeper Zach MacMath to come off his line to get to the ball first and the first half remained a scoreless draw.
But it was the Union who would strike first in the second half. After a 58th minute substitution, Danny Cruz would come on for Conor Casey and made quick work to give the Union the lead. At the 68th minute, it was Cruz to score with assists from Amobi Okugo and Fabinho. Cruz did not stop there. Despite a yellow card booking immediately following the goal, Cruz would take part in possibly putting the Crew away with an assist to Andrew Wenger in the 75th minute to give the Union a 2-0 lead.
And then, disaster showed up. Just three minutes after the Wenger goal, Ethan Finley put life into the Crew attack with a goal assisted by Hector Jimenez. Just a minute later, the PPL crowed was a bit silenced when Justin Meram put one in to tie it up with an assist from Jairo Arrieta who would then help himself in the 82nd minute to silence the home crowd all together and eliminate the Union from playoff contention and not to mention the Red Bulls win over Toronto FC sealed the fate officially. The Union will host Sporting KC at PPL Park on Oct. 18.