Union’s Barnetta called for Costly penalty as Union fall to Red Bulls in MLS Action

from : https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/
Shaun Wright-Phillips was the true difference maker tonight, not Barnetta as Union supporters had hoped.
SWP

The Philadelphia Union hoped that new signing Tranquillo Barnetta would impact the game when he came on as a sub against New York Red Bulls.

He did impact the game, but not in the way the Sons of Ben had hoped.

He was called for a penalty when he was called for a bad challenge on Shaun Wright-Phillips in the box a minute into his Union career.

Bradley Wight-Phillips, who had been first-choice PK taker, was passed up in favor of Sacha Kljestan.

Kljestian calmly fired one straight down the middle to beat Union keeper John McCarthy who was man of the match against Red Bulls when Philly knocked NY out of the US Open Cup.

This came against the run of play where Philadelphia Union largely dominated the action, but could not score in the game’s first 65 minutes.

The Union did have a response in them when in the 73d minute, Sebastien Le Toux burned his former squad with a goal after a nice pass in the box from Fernando Aristeguieta.

Less than a minute later, the Red Bulls’ new brotherly connection in the City of Brotherly Love struck again.

Shaun Wright-Phillips showed why he is a world class footballer, and made a great move in the box and then slotted one to his brother Bradley who calmly beat McCarthy and the Red Bulls had the lead.

The Union pressed for the games final 15 minutes and LeToux nearly got his brace when he fired just wide from on top of the box and Conor Casey was denied on a great save by Luis Robles that could earn Save of the Week honors in MLS.

The Red Bulls sealed it in stoppage time when the Union were dispossessed on the top of the Bulls’ box and New York launched a perfect counter attack.

Kljestian hit substitute Anatole Abang in space and he won the one v. one opportunity slotting it past McCarthy and the Red Bulls finally won 3 points in the Pub Cup after dropping a league match to Union ahead of the Open Cup loss at Red Bull Arena.

The loss is a particularly rough one for Union who now sit in 9th place in the East 5 points behind Montreal Impact.

The win vaulted NYRB to 2nd but still nine points off DC United who won again tonight in improbable fashion coming from two goals down to Salt Lake.