Looking to put the referee-induced Real Salt Lake disaster behind them, Fernando Aristeguieta and the Union (0-0-2) turn ahead to Friday night at PPL Park, where they host the hottest team in MLS, FC Dallas (2-0-0), in a battle of unbeaten teams.
Here are five things you need to know.
1. Coping with heartbreak
Bogged down by questionable officiating, the Union weren’t happy with how their season-opener ended — a choppy, disjointed scoreless draw with the Colorado Rapids. The club felt robbed once more last Saturday, as Real Salt Lake’s Luke Mulholland fell while driving into the box, drawing the game-tying penalty kick.
The match ended in a 3-3 draw.
“I thought we deserved three points,” said Union manager Jim Curtin. “I thought we had a good game plan to close the game out, as well, something we talked about a great deal in the preseason and we executed that plan until a mistake by the referee.”
In years past, that type of heartbreak and adversity would crush the Union's spirit. But not this time. The club is entering Friday’s match with focus on improvement and results, not the past.
“The group has been a lot better in terms of talking through situations and providing more feedback on the field, giving more feedback to the coaches and holding each other accountable a lot more, which is very good and healthy,” Curtin said. “It puts a smile on my face because we’re not satisfied with the results and the way things have gone, there’s things we can improve on.”
2. No Maidana, now what?
Expected to be without playmaker Cristian Maidana on Friday, the Union have a decision to make.
Do they place Zach Pfeffer at center attacking midfield and let him run wild or will they fall back on the two-striker strategy used in the season opener? Either way, Curtin isn’t dropping any hints.
“We’re going to play 11,” he joked. “We’ve talked through some different things. [FC Dallas manager Oscar Pareja] is a smart guy, he knows what my options are. Zach Pfeffer is definitely an option to slide right in for Chaco, he’s in good form. I also have Conor Casey, who can play as a second forward and Michael Lahoud if I want to think more defensive.”
But however the attacking formation changes, Curtin wants the defensive effort to remain the same. Of the Union’s three goals allowed this season — all against Real Salt Lake — none came during run-of-play.
To him, defending, not the formation, is the important part.
“I’m most happy with the fact that we haven’t given up a goal in the run-of-play,” Curtin said. “I’m happy that in the run-of-play we don’t get broken down much, whether it’s the 4-4-2, 4-2-3-1, 4-1-4-1, whatever you want to call it.”
3. Cooling red-hot FC Dallas
Currently leading the league and a tough Western Conference with two wins, FC Dallas began the season with Chris Seitz's shutout of the San Jose Earthquakes and a controversial 3-1 win over Sporting Kansas City.
The potent club is led by Blas Perez’s three goals and top-end talent like forwards Fabian Castillo, Tesho Akindele and midfielder Mauro Diaz.
“They are right on the cusp of being in the discussion of the LA and Seattle,” Curtin said. “They are that good and I respect them that much, they are that dangerous. We know it will be a tough test and we know their personnel that is dangerous — Castillo, Akindele and Diaz, when they get going, are a handful. We recognize the task at hand and it’s one that we will be up for in front of our home crowd on Friday.”
With four goals in two games, FC Dallas is tied for second in MLS scoring with the LA Galaxy. The Union hope a bit of strategy, effort and the cold, wet weather can slow down the competition.
“To contain them it’s going to be a collective effort,” Andrew Wenger said. “It’s not going to be one guy out wide trying to defend one-on-one. It’s going to be about being organized together and really making them break us down. If you look back at the two games we’ve played this year, no team has really broken us down in the run-of-play and that’s a positive for us.”
4. Injuries
The injury bug hasn’t been kind to the Union in the early going. One week after losing CJ Sapong to a concussion and facial fracture, the Union will be without playmaker Maidana, who suffered a lower-body injury in training on Tuesday and is expected to miss a week or two.
“We have guys that have played well in preseason that can step into those roles and make a difference for us,” Wenger said. “We’re disappointed that Chaco may be injured but we’re confident in the guys that can play and help us win.”
Outside of veteran defender Stephen Keel, who underwent foot surgery in December, FC Dallas is entering PPL Park with a full squad. Keel partially tore his plantar fascia on August 12, when FC Dallas took on the Union in the late stages of the 2014 US Open Cup tournament.
5. This and that
• The Union are 0-3-4 in MLS action against FC Dallas, with three of those draws coming in Philadelphia — two at PPL Park and one at Lincoln Financial Field in the Union’s second-ever home match.
• With a 0-0-2 record, the Union are undefeated to start a season for the third time in their six-year history. The Union went 2-0-0 in 2011 and 1-0-1 in 2014, both times losing their third game.
• FC Dallas enters Friday’s match with two straight wins to start the season. It’s just the fourth time in the club’s 20-year history that feat has occurred. It also happened in 2006, 1998 and 1996, all seasons FC Dallas made the playoffs.
• With a pair of goals against Real Salt Lake on Saturday, Union forward Aristeguieta ranks fifth in MLS scoring through two games. Only FC Dallas’ Perez and Seattle Sounders’ Clint Dempsey have more with three.