MLS: Le Toux De Force as Philadelphia Union Win Home Opener

The founding members of the Sons of Ben had been waiting for this day for three years. Formed before Philadelphia had even been awarded a MLS franchise, the support group was finally getting to take part in the team's home debut. They have Sebastien Le Toux to thank for ensuring that the day followed its scripted fairly tale ending. Le Toux scored a hat trick and led the Union to a 3-2 victory over DC United, in what the MLS hopes will become a heated regional rivalry. The Union's debut season began with a rocky start with a thorough thrashing from the Seattle Sounders two weeks ago, but their first return home was all they needed to right the ship. In front of a boisterous crowd of almost 35,000 soccer-mad Philadelphians, Le Toux turned in a memorable performance that is sure to endear him to the previously professional soccer deprived city. The party had begun long before Le Toux headed home his first goal, only five minutes into the game. Union supporters had been congregating hours before the match's 6 pm starting time, tailgating, singing, chanting, dancing, and drinking to their hearts content in preparation for the memorable event. However, the jubilation was tinged with sadness and manager Piotr ...

MLS News: Philadelphia Union Release Defender David Myrie

On November 25, 2009, Costa Rican International David Myrie was selected by the Philadelphia Union in the MLS Expansion Draft. On March 25, 2010 he made his MLS debut at fullback in the Union's first game of the season. And on March 30, 2010 he was released. Such is the curious case of David Myrie's brief career with the Philadelphia Union. David Myrie was an unusual selection for Philadelphia in the expansion draft. Myrie had been signed by the Chicago Fire two months before, but had not made any league appearances with the club. Regardless, Piotr Nowak and the rest of the Union coaching staff took a flyer on him, hoping to unlock his potential. He played solid if not unspectacular football during the preseason and was a surprise selection in Nowak's starting 11 for the debut game against the Seattle Sounders. Five days later he was released. Starting defender to unemployed in five days is quite a transition. Anyone that watched the game or even highlights of the game would agree that Myrie certainly did not make the best impression. He was repeatedly beaten down the wings by Fredy Montero, often appeared indecisive, and made many rash tackles. Despite this, it still seems odd that it took only one game for Myrie ...

MLS: Philadelphia Union Debut with Enthusiasm, but Lose to Seattle Sounders

  On a wet and dreary Seattle night, the Philadelphia Union proudly marched out onto Qwest Field, into the bright, festive, lime green and aqua—clad crowd and into history, as they made their Major League Soccer debut. What followed was a 90 minute game that I'm sure most of them would rather forget. As it turns out, a team comprised almost entirely of teenagers and rookies played exactly like you would expect a team of teenagers and rookies to do. Perhaps we should have seen it coming when the mohawked captain, Danny Califf, picked up the first yellow card of the season all of 42 seconds into the game. The back line seemed incapable of marking the fast and technically efficient Freddie and Freddy combination, the midfield incapable of holding possession and the strikers incapable of posing any serious threat to Sounder goalkeeper (and balding idol), Kasey Keller. The Philadelphia Union will now make MLS history with the first zero win season and will remain firmly rooted to the bottom of the Eastern Conference. That is the pessimists conclusion from the first game and from visiting blogs and comment sections on the Philadelphia Inquirer, this seems to be a fairly common view. But I am eternally an ...