OaM Player Ratings: Philadelphia Union

CARLOS CORONEL - 5.2

Lenz Ong: Game ended up being an advertisement for most of his flaws and strengths. Three big saves to show the shot-stopping ability and clean long balls up top as usual, but looked a tad slow coming off his line on the goal and showed that annoying tendency to punch. No surprise that Philly’s game plan seemed to be directed at driving crosses across the face of his goal then.

Brit Byrd: Shaky commanding his area and when punching/catching crosses, but held it together over all in a game that ended with only one goal.

AMRO TAREK - 4.2

Mike Battista: Directly involved in the early goal play and injured not long after. Not much to say but hope he recovers quickly.

Juan Mesa: Bad decision-making in the lead up to the goal.

Brit Byrd: Albeit in his second choice position, seemed to be a vulnerability early on and had some reckless forays into the center. Being forced off by injury probably saves him from a harsher rating.

AARON LONG - 6.0

Lenz Ong: I really hope that the injury at the end doesn’t mean a prolonged absence because the other options we have at center-back this year have not really inspired a lot of confidence in me this season.

Ben Cork: Dreading the thought of Kyle Duncan being tried out at center back next.

SEAN NEALIS - 5.6

Brit Byrd: Lucky to get away with a hospital ball or two but kept his poise and was vocal in trying to organize his part of the backline.

KYLE DUNCAN - 3.8

Ben Cork: Very confused at how he’s consistently stayed on the pitch under three consecutive managers, let alone been mistaken for Superman by all of them. Already a somewhat unreliable right back, seemed to take the shift to the left side as an excuse to tune out and unravel. Several bad positioning moments and poor body language - often a lack of urgency in collecting the ball.

Brit Byrd: Initially responded well to some early adversity, but seemed to start pouting immediately upon being switched to the left. Lowlight of the night was stopping to complain at the ref during the run of play during a second half sequence, which is completely inexcusable and should earn a benching.

SEAN DAVIS - 6.2

Lenz Ong: Probably the best pick of what was an overmatched midfield today. Tried his best, but I think ultimately his steady, unassuming contributions weren’t enough to overcome the deficit.

Brit Byrd: Composure on the ball and active direction from the captain kept the squad on the brink of an equalizer all night.

CRISTIAN CASSERES - 6.3

Brit Byrd: Best performance of the season, strong on the ball and in finding space. Could have been a touch more lethal in letting loose a through ball, but almost always earned a foul even when he held onto the ball too long anyway.

Ben Cork: Probably his best performance of the year, his running on the both sides of the ball kept Philadelphia honest even at moments when the team as a whole wasn’t clicking.

CADEN CLARK - 5.2

Ben Cork: Oddly enough given Philly’s relative youth, this was first game of the year where he seemed significantly outmatched physically. Team was often too stretched to provide him with immediate passing options and he got stripped often.

FRANKIE AMAYA - 5.3

Brit Byrd: Struggled to assert himself on the game.

Mike Battista: Chemistry between him and Clark vanished as they created very little.

DANIEL ROYER - 5.0

Juan Mesa: Performing well in substitute situations isn’t the same as being able to start.

Ben Cork: The same obsolescence that could be observed in the season opener against Kansas City reared its head in this starting effort. Not quick enough (at least not anymore) to find space at top of formation and secure long balls.

FABIO - 6.9

Lenz Ong: Probably the most consistent attacking outlet for us the whole game. Continues to impress with his hold-up play and ability to bring his teammates into the play. Think he and Klimala will be a very fun strike partnership.

Mike Battista: No goals but more shots on net. In that rough first half he had a few looks on net and had a solid connection with Cristian Cásseres.

SUBSTITUTES

TOM EDWARDS - 5.7

Lenz Ong: Decent first showing from the Stoke loanee. Flashed some playmaking ability with some incisive passing from the right hand side. Clear that he hasn’t built chemistry with the rest of the side yet, but have to figure that he’ll be an asset once he learns his attacker’s tendencies.

PATRYK KLIMALA - 6.7

Ben Cork: The difference in class between him and the team’s incumbent strikers was apparent almost immediately after his entry. Quick decision-making and assertive running led to several chances coming out of seemingly nothing. Can’t wait to see him get into more of a rhythm.

Lenz Ong: If you haven’t heard by now, Patryk is here. Timing of his runs were very good, and wasn’t afraid to shoot and continuously hunt the ball. And this is despite only training with the team for five days. Promising debut in a tricky tie on the road.

OMIR FERNANDEZ - 5.6

Brit Byrd: Made a notable improvement when entering for a misfiring Amaya.

DRU YEARWOOD - 4.6

Lenz Ong: The red card will be the talking point, but his drive and vision in midfield will definitely intensify calls for him to start. Also, good on him for sticking up for his teammates. Was a very surprising development considering his rather shy media demeanor up until this point.

Brit Byrd: Hard to spin two yellow cards as a substitute as anything short of a cardinal sin. A consolation point for sticking up for a teammate rather than being totally stupid.

Juan Mesa: Sad we’re not going to see him against New England.

CAMERON HARPER - 5.5

Ben Cork: Continues to show ideas and energy in short cameos. Interested to see if he begins to take over Royer’s first-choice creative substitute status as season moves forward.

MANAGER - GERHARD STRUBER - 5.5

Brit Byrd: Despite an extremely frustrating night and result, most of Struber’s changes seemed to accurately, if not sufficiently, respond to a real area of need on the pitch. Next week could tell us a lot about our new manager, particularly whether Tom Edwards, Patryk Klimala, Andres Reyes or even John Tolkin earn starts in the wake of injuries and rough individual performances this week. To be honest, most of my questions for management land at the desk of Kevin Thelwell, most prominently: after bringing in an entire new squad of players, how is the left back position still stuck on Kyle Duncan’s Wild Ride?

Mike Battista: He’s trying new things, both by choice and circumstance. I’m starting to get a little suspect of the Diamond with Amaya up top and starting Royer was a bold move. Neither worked tonight. Another week of rest and the starting XI should change again. Can’t fault his sub choices with an early injury.

What were your scores for the New York Red Bulls this week? Sound off in the comments below...