Toronto, ON – The Philadelphia Union (5-5-4, 19 points) came back from a one-goal deficit Saturday evening to earn a 1-1 draw on the road against Eastern Conference foe Toronto FC.
“I think I would start by paying Toronto a compliment because they were really good to start the game. They are such a different team than the team we played earlier in the season and they are playing differently, too,” said Team Manager John Hackworth. “Full credit to our guys who fought back and even though it wasn’t pretty, it was effective. But to get one back here like we did today, it’s good for us.”
In stoppage time, Jack McInerney took the lone opportunity he had all game and buried a low driven ball past Toronto goalkeeper Joe Bendik. The goal nullified one in the 65th minute from Toronto FC Academy product Jonathan Osorio, who broke past a Union defender and placed a header past Union goalkeeper Zac MacMath.
McInerney scored his 10th of the season, solidifying his position as leader for the most goals in Major League Soccer. Even better, McInerney now has 22 goals in 74 matches played for the Union and the count is still out on just how many have come via last second thrillers.
“Every single game, he just finds a way to get on the board,” Hackworth said of McInerney, the reigning MLS Player of the Month, recently added to the provisional roster for the U.S. men's national team ahead of the CONCACAF Gold Cup. “We didn’t play our best soccer and I don’t think Jack was in the best form early in the game and he was getting frustrated…but he kept his nose down and waited for his opportunity and he just continues to score.”
The match is one that has encompassed three games in an eight day period for the past two weeks for the Union. This week doesn’t get any easier as the club will face the Columbus Crew Wednesday at PPL Park, who sit just below the Union in the Eastern Conference standings. The team will stay active during the international break, as well, with matches against USL-PDL affiliate Reading on June 7 (7 p.m.), a U.S. Open Cup fourth round match against D.C. United on June 12 (7:30 p.m.), and a meeting with USL affiliate Harrisburg on June 18 (7:30 p.m.).
The Union will then return to MLS play on June 23 with a home match against the New York Red Bulls at PPL Park (5 p.m., ESPN)
“They threw everything they could at us early and we certainly weathered a big storm there in the first half,” said Hackworth. “This was a really important result for our club to come here and get a point on the road, especially through a tough stretch where we have played so many games in such a short amount of time.”
BOX SCORE
Philadelphia Union 1, Toronto FC 1
Saturday, June 1; 6:00 p.m. ET
BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario
SCORING SUMMARY
MTL: Osorio 66’ (Brockie, Hall)
PHI: McInerney 91’
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
PHI: Carroll 25’ (caution)
TOR: Henry 27’ (caution)
PHI: MacMath 27’ (argument)
TOR: Henry 41’ (second caution, red)
TOR: Laba 77’ (caution)
PHI: Parke 84’ (caution)
UNION STARTING 11
MacMath, Williams, Okugo, Soumare, Gaddis, Carroll, Kléberson (Daniel 15’), Cruz, Farfan, Le Toux, McInerney
TORONTO STARTING 11
Bendik, Henry, Richter, Caldwell, O’Dea, Osorio, Hall, Laba, Convey, Earnshaw (Brockie 61’ [Koevermans 86’]), Silva (Morgan 5’)
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