Real Salt Lake takes to the road to face the Philadelphia Union on Sunday. Here are three things to know about the Union.
Sons of Sons of Ben
Many clubs boast that they would not be around if not for their wonderful fans. In the Union’s case it is absolutely true. Before MLS expanded to Philadelphia in 2010, Sons of Ben – the club’s biggest supporter group – was formed in 2007. Seeking to prove to the league that a thriving fanbase hungry for a local club existed in the Philadelphia area, the group proclaimed loudly their intent to bring a tremendous atmosphere to the stadium each week. Within a year, the league announced Philadelphia would be its 16th member and the support hasn’t waned since.
Coming of Age
The goalkeeping situation in Philadelphia has long been the butt of jokes around MLS. From Faryd Mondragon to Zac MacMath to Rais MBolhi, the roller coaster in front of net was a topic of conversation entering each season. Now in his third season with the club, Andre Blake appears to have solidified the long-tenuous position. After being selected first overall in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft, Blake played just seven matches in his first two seasons. Now given the reins, he has rewarded the Union’s faith by posting a 7-7-6 record with a 1.55 goals against average to earn a spot on the 2016 AT&T MLS All-Star team. The Jamaican international is a rising star and at just 25 years old has plenty of seasons ahead of him.
Taking Up Permanent Residence
Philadelphia Head Coach Jim Curtin saw a rapid rise through the coaching ranks after first signing on for his hometown club as an assistant coach in the 2013 season. Midway through 2014, John Hackworth was fired and Curtin took over the first chair on the bench on an interim basis. He would not relinquish that seat even while a coaching search raged around him and after leading the Union to the first of two consecutive Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup finals, the interim tag was removed and he was named permanent head coach.
