The 18-year old goalkeeper Andrew Rick debuts in an effort to give the Union a boost, but it was all for naught. Here are all the sights and sounds of the match:
Fed Up
In an effort to have their voices heard, an emphatic “SELL THE TEAM” chat rang out from the Sons of Ben after Charlotte took a demanding 2-0 lead. A second chat came later in the match to drive the initial point home to Jay Sugarman and company. Sure, there’s plenty of blame to go around, but the one over-arching feeling looms large over this current Union club; little was done to improve and upgrade this roster in the off-season and it simply is not enough to rely on the strength of the club’s academy to get through.
“Winning comes first,” Curtin said. “I’ll stand up here and take the blame, a coach should take the blame, but I will also still continue to work this group and try to turn it around.”
It’s one thing when the players vocalize it, like Kai Wagner did a couple games ago. It’s another when the supporters do. Perhaps the message will finally get through in the event that there are more empty seats in the coming home matches.
Andrew Rick Makes MLS Debut
After a difficult outing on Wednesday in Cincinnati, Jim Curtin opted to sit keeper Oliver Semmle for 18 year-old Andrew Rick for Saturday’s match. Rick played well in his debut, making five saves on seven shots on goal.
“We still believe in Oliver,” Curtin said of the de facto starting keeper. “We wanted to try and give our group a spark. I thought Rick stepped in and did a decent job.”
A long-time standout of the Union Academy, Rick has been in the Philly system since 2022. With three games on the docket this week, the Maryland native had to be ready to step in eventually, especially with the club struggling as mightily as they have been.
“They said be ready to play,” Rick said. “They say that every week, we should be ready to play no matter the situation. I was super excited. It’s a very proud moment for me.”
Elliott, Glesnes Out of Form
Charlotte Striker Patrick Agyemang got loose for both goals in the Union box on Saturday, victimizing defenders Jack Elliott and Jakob Glesnes in the process. On the first goal, there was a blown coverage by Elliott on the play, while Glesnes did not defend well before the ball even went wide. On the second tally, Glesnes got beat soundly one-on-one before Agyemang unleashed a perfectly placed shot past Rick. Despite the rough outing, Curtin still believes in Glesnes and his defender of the year ability.
“He’s had some tough moments individually,” Curtin admitted. “I will always believe in him, he’s a leader, it’s just harder to defend when we’re not confident and on the same page.”
Glesnes underwent sports hernia surgery last October and one has to wonder if that’s had some affect on his play. He’s had too many uncharacteristic moment this season that it’d be fair to ponder.
“I’m not going to use the surgery as an excuse, it was six months ago,” Glesnes said. “We just have to work our asses off to get out this position we are in now.”
They Said It
Andrew Rick on Making His Debut at Home: “It was very special for me because my family was able to come and watch. It’s a proud moment for them too because they’ve sacrificed a lot for me to be in this position. I’m very grateful for them.”
Jim Curtin on Kai Wagner’s hamstring injury: “He started to feel it at the water break so we took him out. Also, he’s on the yellow card so we were proactive in getting him out of there to prevent the injury from elevating.”
Tai Baribo on his chemistry with Mikael Uhre: “We’re still learning each other. It’s different in the games of course, where everyone likes to get the ball and the movement and everything. I’m sure, with time, it’ll get better and better.”
On Deck
The boys in blue will return to action on Saturday, June 29, when they head to Canada to take on CF Montreal. Match begins at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time.
