Union hit new low, allow 5 goals in loss to Revs

Chester, Pa. – The Philadelphia Union fell to New England Revolution Saturday night at PPL Park, 5-3.

Vincent Nogueira, Sheanon Williams and Sebastien Le Toux all tallied for the Union, but it wasn’t enough to stop a five-goal effort from New England on the night.

“It is really frustrating to lose again at home and to give up that many goals, it’s upsetting,” Cruz offered after the match. “We said that Wednesday [in a win over Sporting Kansas City] means nothing if we come out and do what we did today. We are unhappy and everyone is frustrated, but three games in seven days is extremely tough, bodies are tired… and that’s not an excuse, it’s just the reality.”

Following a pair of goals from New England’s A.J. Soares and Diego Fagundez in the first half hour of play, midfielder Vincent Nogueira hit a rocket from roughly 25 yards out on a ball laid off at the top of New England’s (6-3-2, 20 points) 18-yard-box by midfielder Danny Cruz in the 36th minute. The goal for Nogueira was his second of the season and for Cruz it marked the second game in a row in which he made the scoring summary.

“Let’s face it…everything they shot was a goal and it was just simply one of those nights,” said Union defender Sheanon Williams.

After New England scored three unanswered goals to open the second half, the Union (2-6-5, 11 points) also responded with goals from Williams and Le Toux. Williams scored in the 76th minute and Le Toux scored on a penalty kick after forward Antoine Hoppenot was taken down inside the box.

The Union held an edge in possession (55-45 percent), number of passes (362-294) and passing accuracy (76-71 percent) and compiled its second straight multi-goal effort and its first three-goal outing since a 3-1 win over Chivas USA at PPL Park on July 12, 2013.

One distinct positive was the play of Zach Pfeffer, who entered the match in the 73rd minute. The match was Pfeffer’s first this year and the first for any Union homegrown product in MLS play since he appeared in the club’s Eastern Conference clash against New York on Oct. 27, 2012.

“Every appearance that you get, you have to make the most out of it,” Pfeffer said postgame. “This was a big opportunity, but it was kind of in disguise; we were not doing well in the game and were down by a lot of goals but it was chance for me to progress and try to help the team.”

Now, it’s a week of practice before a weeklong trip out West to play the pair of Los Angeles based MLS clubs. First up is a showdown with the Galaxy on May 25 (8 p.m., Comcast SportsNet, Univision Deportes Network) followed by a clash with Chivas USA (10:30 p.m., Comcast SportsNet) on May 31. The Union then returns to PPL Park to host Vancouver on June 7 (7 p.m.) in the final MLS match before the League breaks play for the upcoming FIFA World Cup in June.

BOX SCORE

 New England Revolution 5, Philadelphia Union 3

 Saturday, May 17; 7:00 p.m. ET

 PPL Park

 Chester, Pa.

 SCORING SUMMARY

 NE: Soares 13’ (Tierney)

 NE: Fagunduz 26’ (Bunbury, Nguyen)

 PHI: Nogueira 36’ (Cruz)

 NE: Nguyen 49’ (Kobayashi)

 NE: Tierney

 NE: Mullins 67’ (Fagundez)

 PHI: Williams 76’ (Berry, Le Toux)

 PHI: Le Toux 90+2’

 DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

 PHI: Berry 67’ (yellow)

 PHI: Okugo 78’ (yellow)

 PHI: Maidana 82’ (red)

 NE: Nguyen 88 (yellow)

 UNION STARTING 11

MacMath, Williams, Wheeler (Hoppenot 52’), Berry, Gaddis, Okugo, Nogueira, Fernandes (Pfeffer 73’), Maidana, Wenger, Cruz (Le Toux 61’).

REVOLUTION STARTING 11

Knighton, Farrell, Barnes, Soares, Tierney, Kobayashi (Caldwell 59’), Nguyen, Dorman (Nuemann 75’), Fagundez (Rowe 69’), Bunbury, Mullins.