Union carrying best MLS record into second half, chasing first Cup

We’ve got a first-place team in Philadelphia. And not just first place, but the best record in the league. The Union are tops in Major League Soccer, leading the league in wins and points and among its top goal-scoring teams.

They're in the middle of an impressive run as the second half of the season is nearing. The Union haven’t lost in nine MLS games going back to April 19, with six victories and three draws in that span following a 4-3-1 start to the season. They've also secured a win and a tie in U.S. Open Cup play, giving them an unbeaten streak of 11 games.

Even after a scoreless tie on the road against FC Dallas last Saturday, the Union (10-3-4) enter Saturday’s club friendly against Atlas FC at Subaru Park with MLS' best record. They lead FC Cincinnati by four points in the Eastern Conference and have two more points than Western Conference leader Vancouver.

Only FC Miami – led by Lionel Messi – has scored more goals than the Union, and no MLS team has more road wins than Philadelphia’s five.

It appears, for now, that their surprising decision last November to fire coach Jim Curtin, a two-time MLS Coach of the Year who had coached the club for 11 seasons, hasn't come back to haunt them. The hiring of Bradley Carnell as their fourth coach in club history has worked out, so far.

Let’s take a look at why the Union have been so successful, where they stand among the MLS elite, and what's on deck for the city's next potential champion:

The Union have a scoring machine

Union forward Tai Baribo is the leader in the Golden Boot clubhouse as he leads all MLS players with 13 goals, including two against Miami on May 24 during a stretch in which he scored at least one goal in four games and six total. No other Union player has scored more than two goals, although seven different Union players have scored at least twice. Nashville's Sam Surridge is the league's next-closest to Baribo with 11 goals, followed by several players with 10. 

Midfielder Quinn Sullivan and defenseman Kai Wagner have been major facilitators, each with seven assists. Sullivan and Wagner are both tied for fourth in MLS in assists, and Wagner’s 80 corner kicks and 46 successful crossers are tops in MLS.

But Are They MLS' Best Overall Team?

Despite having the best record, they're not the best team, according to MLS analyst Matthew Doyle.

At the halfway mark of the season, Doyle has the Vancouver WhiteCaps FC as his pick to take home the Supporters' Shield, which goes to the MLS team with the top overall record by season's end. Doyle does have the Union ranked as his No. 2 team, though.

Doyle has been impressed with Vancouver's depth and would like to see Philadelphia fare better against other good MLS squads. The Union have lost to Nashville (fourth in the Eastern Conference), Miami (third), and New York City (ninth). 

What Could Be Better?

Surprisingly, the Union haven't gotten the production they expected when they reportedly shelled out a club-record fee to land Uruguayan forward Bruno Damiani.

So far, Damiani has produced two goals and one assist in 16 games, although he's second on the team in shot conversion ratio. He has 15 shots on target but just two goals, exemplifying his struggles in his debut MLS season. Perhaps a second-half surge could help the Union fend off Vancouver for the Supporters' Shield.

What’s On Deck?

The Union’s next regular-season MLS game is at home on June 14 against Charlotte before they head to Soldier Field in Chicago on June 25 to play the Fire. But at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, they're slated for a club friendly against Mexican football club FC Atlas at Subaru Park in Chester.

After their games against Charlotte (8-8-1) and Chicago (6-5-4), the Union will play the New York Red Bulls on July 9 in the U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals at Subaru Park.