The Philadelphia Union ended a painful eight-game winless run on Wednesday night, beating the New York Red Bulls 3-1 at Chester, Pennsylvania.
Milan Iloski broke the deadlock as early as the ninth minute, setting the tone for a confident Philadelphia performance in a crucial home fixture.
Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath misplayed an arcing ball in front of the net, and Iloski was perfectly positioned to tap home his eighth goal of the season.
The strike proved to be the platform the Union needed, a team that had struggled badly for form heading into the World Cup break.
The Red Bulls responded and briefly drew level, but Philadelphia refused to surrender the momentum they had built from that early opener.
Indiana Vassilev restored the Union’s advantage in the 57th minute with a clinical finish that showcased real quality in front of goal.
Frankie Westfield played an arcing ball in from the right sideline to the back post, and Vassilev’s volley deflected off defender Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty and slipped past a diving Horvath.
Neil Pierre had only just come onto the pitch as a substitute for Japhet Sery Larsen in the 56th minute when he made an instant and decisive impact.
Pierre scored his first career goal in the 66th minute, putting the Union two goals clear and effectively ending any hope of a Red Bulls comeback.
The result gave Philadelphia their first victory since a 2-1 win at Montreal on April 11, ending a wait of more than three months for three points.
The Union came into this match with a record of 2-10-4, making the victory all the more significant for a squad desperately in need of a confidence boost.
Ethan Horvath, despite conceding three times, was kept busy throughout the night and finished with seven saves to his name.
Philadelphia will hope this result marks a genuine turning point as they look to rebuild momentum and climb away from the bottom of the standings.
