Union v Red Bulls...again: Rain Delay Recap and 7/12 Match Preview

Photo Cred: Union Social Media

Well, that didn't go as planned. Union fans were excited to see Baribo, Quinn, and Nathan in the starting lineup again, but Mother Nature forced us to wait another few days. Although the match was postponed, Wednesday night's storm may end up being a blessing in disguise for Philly.

Rain Rain Go Away...

The U.S. Open Cup has always been a bittersweet tournament for fans. It is a historic competition that has provided us with thrilling results. On the other hand, the Union's failure (three final losses to be exact) was a brutal taste of defeat for Philly supporters in the early years. I was in Chester for both the Seattle and Sporting KC Final losses, and it's something I think about every time we enter this tournament.

Despite those past woes, this year has felt different. Carnell has taken a team that appeared to be on a rebuild and turned them into a potential MLS Cup Contender. The fans have responded, and the passionate energy has returned to Subaru Park each week.

The Blue and Gold are now just 3 wins away from claiming their first U.S. Open Cup title, and with a nearly healthy rotation available for Carnell on Wednesday, I was feeling very optimisitc. Nathan Harriel was slotted into right back, while Frankie was available again on the bench. Tai and Bruno were starting side-by-side, and although Uhre is still on the mend, I had faith in those two up top. Finally, and seemingly most importantly, Quinn Sullivan has returned. I spoke highly about Quinn in my recent article, so I won't repeat my glowing praise of the young American midfielder. However, I was booming with confidence when i saw number 33 in the Starting XI.

Unfortunately, the only thing that was booming Wednesday was the sky. Thunder, lightning, and torrential rain passed over the Delaware Valley, and the scenes at Subaru Park were eye-opening to say the least. It very much reminded me of the storm we had last season that postponed the Seattle match. Thankfully, we did not start Wednesday's match like we did against Seattle, so I am curious to see if the pre-selected lineup (and bench) will need to be identical on August 13th. Lastly, I flocked to Twitter and found a few photos and videos of Wednesday night's mini-monsoon at Lake Subaru.

Blessing in Disguise

It's hard to think of the positives when a game gets cancelled, especially when you're scheduled to play your rival. However, after some thought and review of the schedule, this may be the best thing for the Union and their Open Cup run.

First, we know both Mikael Uhre and Jesus Bueno were absent from Wednesday night's match, so any additional time for them to heal is a plus. Next, Frankie Westfield was questionable entering the Open Cup game, but he found himself on the bench behind Nathan Harriel. Again, more rest for an injury is fine with me. Lastly, although Tai Baribo was fit enough to play in Nashville, he is still coming off an injury. I was fine with him getting a few more days to rest before his first start since he left for Israel.

Next, and most importantly, the games surrouding the August schedule favor Philadelphia. I've provided both New York and Philly's August schedule below via ESPN. The Boys in Blue host Toronto on August 9th, and will then have 4 days to prepare for the Quarterfinal match (they'll also need to be mindful of the away NYRB match on the 16th). On the other hand, the Red Bulls may have the toughest stretch of their season. New York starts their Leagues Cup campaign on July 31st against Guadalajara. They then face Monterrey, Juarez, and RSL on the 3rd, 7th, and 10th, respectively. That is 4 matches in 11 days, and then they have to play Philly just three days later. If you watched the AAT Sports Network Union Post Game Show on Wednesday night (you can check it out here), Jose Nunez and I briefly discussed New York's predicament. If you're the Red Bulls, who currently sit in 8th place in the East, what do you prioritize? Jose mentioned the financial benefits for players to go deep into Leagues Cup. On the other hand, New York is just three wins away from winning the Open Cup, so why not keep pushing for the title? Regardless if New York sacrifices MLS, Leagues Cup, or the Open Cup, one thing is crystal clear. That team's depth and health will be put to the test. If the Red Bulls go all out for Leagues Cup, then the Union may be facing a tired and potentially banged up squad on the 13th.

Press Conference, Match, and Betting Notes

Coach Carnell spoke with the media on Friday afternoon at 12pm. Overall, Bradley didn't seem too bothered by the storm causing the cancellation, but that may be due to us facing the same opponent on Saturday. He did, however, mention that there's been some things "behind the scenes" from training, and that they will be evaluating things on Game Day. When Carnell was asked about this statement, he smirked and reiterated that "we'll wait for Game Day". We're not sure what Bradley is referencing here, but it's clear he wants to keep it quiet for now.

On the injury front, Frankie is improving and will certainly be competing with Nathan for that right back starting spot. Uhre is currently training with the team and is questionable for Saturday. Next, Bueno's return could become clearer next week, but it seems he is unavailable for selection this weekend. Lastly, Carnell was asked about Glavinovich. At this time, there's still several question marks on his return, but the Union's focus is being supportive for Ian during this challenging recovery time. Bradley also mentioned that Glavinovich has kept a positive and upbeat attitude during his recovery.

From a match preview standpoint, not much has changed since my Open Cup Preview Article. In short, the Union are healthy and look to regain their offensive production. They do have a tough task ahead of them though, as Forsberg is in good form, and Choupo-Moting is already at 11 goals this season. As much as we want to see a strong performance from the offense, the backline will need to cross their T's and dot their I's on Saturday. If you want to read my full Match Preview from Tuesday, you can access it here. I hate to do that, but not much has changed since Wednesday, so I won't waste your time repeating the entire preview.

From a betting standpoint, there's been a slight bump in the Union's favor. They went from -115 to -130 on the Moneyline (regular time), while NYRB has shifted from +270 to +310. Both Teams to Score is still a bit juicy at -155, but I do believe that is a decent play despite the price. If you think the Union can win, pairing the BTTS and the Philly ML will give you a better payout.

Lastly, although Tai's Anytime Goalscorer went from +120 to +105, Damiani's price change moved in the bettor's favor. Bruno's +160 ATG has shifted to +185. If you're looking to take a flier on the Red Bulls, Choupo-Moting (+235) and Forsberg (+310) are good prices for those types of players. Just as a reminder, all of my numbers come from DraftKings, but i encourage and recommend shopping different books for the best lines.

Final Thought

Its disappointing that we weren't able to kick off on Wednesday night, but given the injury and schedule variables that I mentioned, this may play into the Union's favor. On Saturday, the mission is simple. Rediscover the dangerous offense that we have seen for most of the season, continue to be stout defensively in front of Blake, and look to extend your dominant 14-match unbeaten streak to 15. The Union have owned the Red Bulls of late, and it would be a great confidence boost to send them back over the bridge with an L.

Stay Tuned Saturday night for another AAT Sports Network Union Post Game Show. Doop!