The Philadelphia Union have plenty of issues, that much is clear. They need to improve in a few starting positions, they could use more depth, and their rookie head coach still makes his share of strange decisions.
They are far from a complete team.
That being said, they've also had their share of absolutely terrible luck this season.
- Maurice Edu was called for a game-changing penalty kick in Colorado that was so bad, even the guy he fouled didn't agree.
- They lost last weekend in Washington on an unlucky penalty call, and after TWO missed red cards that the league even admitted should have been issued.
- Promising striker Fernando Aristeguieta cannot buy a call from an MLS referee, and has the bumps and bruises to show for it.
- Their most "important" player this season (I really missed on that one, huh?) can't seem to stop at the end line.
- After one goalkeeper was banished, the other two got hurt in the same practice session.
- One of their top offseason signings missed weeks of action after a DUI arrest.
But on Wednesday night, the Union finally got a break of their own, and capitalized on it to absolutely bury one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference.
After taking the lead on a pretty first-half goal by C.J. Sapong, the Union were holding their own in the second half when Columbus goalkeeper Steve Clark completely botched a play -- under no pressure -- and dropped the ball out of his hands just outside the penalty area.
To his credit, Cristian Maidana was right there to tap it away, and Vincent Nogueira calmly lobbed home the game's second goal.
The Frenchman made the play look INCREDIBLY easy -- and I'm sure to him, it seems that way -- but I challenge you to chip a rolling ball from 25 yards out and hit the net more than half the time. Go ahead, I'll wait.
The key to the goal wasn't that it gave the Union a 2-0 lead, it was what the team did after that.
Instead of sitting on the lead, the Union kept the pressure up on the clearly shellshocked Crew, and Sheanon Williams made an incredible run up the wing and slotted a pass to Sebastien Le Toux for the Union's third goal of the night.
One win does not solve all the Union's troubles. But with three wins in the last four, and a date with struggling New York City FC on Saturday (7 p.m., The Comcast Network), the Union are technically back in the Eastern Conference playoff hunt (although the four teams chasing them all have at least two games in hand, including Montreal, which has SIX GAMES in hand).
They just need to hope their luck has changed for the better.