BOX SCORE
CHESTER , Pa. -- Trying to cash motivation for result points against the rival New York Red Bulls on Saturday afternoon at PPL Park, the Union hoped the spirited season finale would give them all the juice needed to head into the off-season on a high note.
The Red Bulls had different plans.
Led by two first-half goals, Kenny Cooper and the playoff-bound Red Bulls easily squashed the embarrassed Union, 3-0.
?It is not a good result, we know that and we understand that,? said Union midfielder Danny Cruz. ?It?s a catch-22. The season is over and we?re not in the playoffs, but it?s that much closer to 2013.?
Ending a nightmarish 2012 campaign, the loss was a franchise-high 18th of the season for the Union, surpassing their loss total of 15, earned as an expansion team in 2010. The Union also move into the off-season on a three-game losing streak, giving them an overall record of 10-18-6 -- good for eighth in the Eastern Conference.
?Three losses is not what you want, anytime,? said Cruz. ?To be fair, we played three very good teams. We have a young team and though people are probably tired of hearing that, it?s an opportunity for us to grow. This offseason will be extremely important and we?ll do everything we can to be prepared for it.?
Despite holding possession for a majority of the opening 10 minutes, the Union were victimized by good in-zone play by the Red Bulls on the counter. Trying to defend a well-played cross to Red Bulls midfielder Tim Cahill, Union captain Carlos Valdes got tangled up at the feet with Cahill and called for the penalty.
Capitalizing on the call, Cooper stutter-stepped to the ball before placing the penalty kick to the left of goalie Zac Macmath, giving the Red Bulls the 1-0 advantage in the 13th minute.
?The first goal off a PK, it sunk our spirits a little bit,? said Union defender Amobi Okugo. ?We were trying to play catch-up from then on.?
The Red Bulls doubled their lead in the 35th minute, when Thierry Henry stole the ball from Michael Lahoud in the midfield and tore in on the recovering Union backline. Twisting Valdes around in the middle of the box, Henry easily scored his 15th goal of the season.
?The second goal was an awful deflection,? said Okugo. ?Henry did the rest. We came out strong in the second half but we never got the quick goal we needed. They weathered the storm.?
Union striker Jack McInerney and midfielder Keon Daniel both worked to cut the Red Bulls lead by one, as the first-half time waned. But despite a multitude of chances, the Union were unable to benefit and headed into the half with a mountain to climb.
The Union finished the contest with 15 attempts on goal but only two were on target.
?We couldn?t catch a break and we couldn?t capitalize on our opportunities,? said Hackworth. ?It?s frustrating.?
Despite the Union?s effort to cut their deficit, Cooper scored his second of the game in the 66th minute on a turnover from Union midfielder Brian Carroll. It was his fifth of the season against the Union and made the score, 3-0.
?Kenny and I have a good relationship,? said Hackworth. ?I?m mad at him because he victimizes us every single time. He?s a great player. He does what he needs to do and he?s done it to us a lot.?
Notes
For the second straight match, high-priced Union midfielder Freddy Adu was left off the active roster as a result of coach?s decision. Adu is under contract for one more season with the Union ... Union prospect Zach Pfeffer made his 2012 debut in the 86th minute. The 17-year-old local product replaced Keon Daniel.
E-mail Ryan Bright at ryanbright13@gmail.com
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