My initial headline for last night’s 1-0 Union win over Atlanta misspelled Rick as Brick and when asked about it by a colleague my response was that it’s just become instinct at this point to refer to the 19-year-old goalkeeper as Brick instead of Rick. His three saves last night were key to the victory and while Tai Baribo had the goal from the spot off the bench, it really was Rick who was deserving of the Man of the Match nod.

In the email today:

1. ⚡️ Baribo penalty, Rick heroics lift Union into first place

A second half penalty for Tai Baribo off the bench and three key saves from Andrew Rick led the Philadelphia Union to a season sweep of Atlanta United and a 1-0 win at Mercedes Benz Stadium on Saturday night in Atlanta.

Head coach Bradley Carnell rotated his squad and experimented with some different looks in the match that comes in the midst of a heavy month of May that includes another midweek game in the U.S. Open Cup on Wednesday. Bruno Damiani, Mikael Uhre and Chris Donovan all started in the match and it was Damiani who nearly put the visitors in front on a chance that was denied by a finger tip save from veteran Brad Guzan. Rick made a finger tip save of his own in the first half to deny Pedro Almador a volleyed strike reminiscent of Quinn Sullivan’s goal in the previous meeting between the two teams at Subaru Park in April.

Unlike that game – a 3-0 Union win – the three points were not easy to come by in Atlanta Saturday and it was a mistake in the back for the Five Stripes and a penalty called after video review that led to the game’s only goal. Guzan, who had a strong game otherwise, misplayed a ball over the top and Mikael Uhre had his shot on the empty goal blocked by a sliding Luis Abram but the Danish striker immediately threw up his hands calling for a handball. The video review confirmed that the ball had hit Abram’s hand as he slid in and Baribo stepped to the spot just before the hour mark to convert past a diving Guzan for his 11th of the season.

Playing the last half hour with the lead – and fresh legs off the bench – the Union bent but didn’t break under the waves of pressure from Atlanta, which forced Rick into two saves, Nathan Harriel into a key block and had their second bid of the game on a headed chance go wide of the target from Emmanuel Latte Lath. Jamal Thiaré had a free header goes just wide of the goal in the 31st minute.

Nine minutes of stoppage time gave Atlanta multiple opportunities to find an equalizer and it was right there for center back Derrick Williams in the final minute of stoppage time but Rick was able to make himself big yet again and deny Williams a deflating equalizer.

2. ⏳ Social Post of the Day: 2024-2025

3. 💧 Water Cooler: Players Ratings Poll

Weight in on the player performances and share your thoughts on the win over Atlanta in our Player Ratings Poll.

4. 🔗 Link Roundup

• Union II are off this weekend but they played Ocean City Nor’easters in a friendly on Friday at WSFS Bank Sportsplex and won the hard fought match 3-2. Kellyn LeBlanc, Eddy Davis and Isaiah LeFlore had the goals - all in the first half.

• The Doopy Brothers are back with a new episode. Though AJ and Luke are less frequent with their podcasts these days, they’re still a must listen.

• Speaking of the Doopy Brothers, co-host Luke McClung’s poster for the U.S. Open Cup game against Indy Eleven is available for $6.99 (U.S. postage included).

• Former Union player Roland Alberg will be back in the area this summer for a soccer camp in Salem County, N.J.

• West Chester United plays Christos FC today at Bryn Athyn College at 5 p.m. with a trip to the Region 1 Amateur Cup final on the line. West Chester is already playing Father’s Day weekend in the Werner Fricker Cup final and have a chance to add another final to their already packed schedule.

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