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Philadelphia Union

Union Fall to United in Final Preseason Matchup

February 23, 2013 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Philadelphia Union News Release


Orlando, Fla. (Feb. 23, 2013) - Philadelphia Union fell 2-0 to D.C. United at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando, Fla. in the final match of their 2013 preseason, as goals from Dwayne De Rosario and Lionard Pajoy proved the difference.

The opening 30 minutes showed good spells of possession from both sides, with the Union unable to capitalize on some opportunities created on goal. After 19 minutes of play, Sheanon Williams was a step behind a ball played behind the United defense by Sebastien Le Toux. D.C. goalkeeper Bill Hamid got to it first which resulted in a collision. In the 21st minute, Jack McInerney had space just wide of goal thanks to an outside pass from Michael Farfan, but the forward was unable to get a clean shot off, and United then cleared it away.

The game changed in the 36th minute, as Union defender Bakary Soumare slipped on the ball around midfield, allowing D.C.'s Lionard Pajoy a breakaway on goal. Philadelphia goalkeeper Zac MacMath caught Pajoy's foot as the United forward darted to his left, with the referee awarding the penalty. MacMath, initially shown a red card, was allowed to stay on the field after the referee reduced the card to a yellow.

"I thought we played a really good first half. We had a costly mistake where a guy slips at midfield and it amounts to the penalty. But certainly I was pleased with the way that we played and the chances created," Hackworth said after the game. "We have to take advantage of those chances, and you have to execute when you create them like that."

Another crucial moment occurred when Dwayne De Rosario was sent off with a straight red card in the 59th minute after the United goal scorer was involved in a physical confrontation with Philadelphia's Danny Cruz. D.C. was allowed to bring on another player in his place, as Marcos Sanchez entered the game shortly after.

Sanchez then helped create United's second goal in the 67th minute, as he played a ball to an oncoming Lionard Pajoy, who put the ball into the corner of the net with his first touch, past Union keeper MacMath.

The Union were unable to find the back of the net in the last 20 minutes, as United held on for the 2-0 victory.

"In the second half, they were up a goal, and we needed to play harder - which was one of the reasons that we dictated the first half - and we didn't raise our game and take it to them," Hackworth said. "Instead we made a couple of silly mistakes, they got a second one, and that was all she wrote."

The next time the Union take the field will be March 2 in the season-opening match of the 2013 season, a 4 p.m. contest with Sporting KC at PPL Park.

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