Union edge FC Cincinnati 1-0 in playoff opener with Andre Blake and Leon Flach’s heroics

The Union survived a rough-and-tumble opener to their playoff run on Thursday, edging FC Cincinnati with a 59th-minute goal from Leon Flach.

“It’s the toughest game we’ve had here all season,” Union manager Jim Curtin said. “A really high-intensity game, a good playoff game — one that I think our team needs, too.”

That was a reference to the Union having won so many games by lopsided scores at Subaru Park this year. This was their first 1-0 home win since April 9.

Instead of an onslaught of goals, there was an onslaught of crunching tackles — many left uncalled by referee Timothy Ford. But the total performance was enough to advance the home team to the Eastern Conference final, which the Union will host on Oct. 30 against CF Montreal or New York City FC.

The first half was tight. While the Union had the better talent, the players got caught in a trap they also fell into during earlier games this year against Cincinnati: struggling to break through the visitor’s five-player back line.

That defensive setup takes away the kinds of spaces Mikael Uhre and Julián Carranza usually exploit. It’s Cincinnati’s standard formation, but manager Pat Noonan knew it could be especially effective against the team he used to work for.

The Union were correctly patient, probing when they could, but equally concerned about letting Cincinnati’s front three of Luciano Acosta, Brenner, and Brandon Vázquez spring counterattacks. At halftime, there was no score but the Union had seven shots to Cincinnati’s five.

The early stages of the second half were just as cagey. The Union needed someone to break the glass, whether from the starters or a sub.

And in the 59th minute, someone finally found a hammer.

» READ MORE: How Jim Curtin developed a culture of success and style for the Union

In 78 previous games for the Union, Flach had registered all of one goal and three assists. He isn’t anyone’s ideal attacking dynamo, and that’s by design.

But when a loose ball came to him off a pass from a tightly marked Uhre in Cincinnati’s 18-yard box, Flach let instinct take over. He took a first-time swing with his left foot and smashed the ball past Roman Celentano, unleashing an explosion of noise from the packed crowd of 19,289.

Now Cincinnati had to chase the game, and the Union swarmed them. Cory Burke entered for Uhre in the 68th, and the visitors made two substitutions in close succession: Ronald Matarrita for Alvas Powell at right back and forward Sergio Santos for centerback Ian Murphy.

The latter move brought an end to Cincinnati’s 5-3-2 setup, changing it to a 4-3-3. That meant even more space opening up on the visitors’ defense, and the Union swarmed it. But Cincinnati kept coming too.

Ultimately, the game was decided at the other end of the field — and for the 16th time in 36 games this season, the Union’s defense delivered a shutout.

A day after what some people thought was a surprising win of Major League Soccer’s Defender of the Year award, Jakob Glesnes showed everyone why he won it. The towering Norwegian had seven recoveries, three clearances, and one interception, and completed 19 of 22 passes. He even made some big runs upfield with the ball to disorganize Cincinnati’s press.

» READ MORE: The Union’s Andre Blake and Jakob Glesnes win big MLS awards

Fresh off being crowned the league’s Goalkeeper of the Year for a record-setting third time, Andre Blake also had a big game, especially in the second half. Four of his five saves came after halftime, including some full-stretch dives that drew “MVP! serenades from the stands. He also had nine defensive recoveries.

» READ MORE: Why Andre Blake is the most important player in Union history

Ford earned no friends in this game, letting a lot of calls go, even as he whistled 23 fouls — 12 on the Union, 11 on Cincinnati — and gave six yellow cards. He let a whole lot go uncalled, too, and not to the Union’s benefit.

“It was a big spot and a big moment and a big game for everyone, including the referee,” Curtin said. “It’s his first playoff game. I think he could feel that as well.”

But when the final whistle blew, the Union were headed to their second consecutive Eastern Conference final and a long-awaited chance to redeem last year’s COVID-wracked loss in the same game.

The conference final kickoff will be in the 3 p.m. hour (6abc and ESPN Deportes) or the 8 p.m. hour (FS1 and Fox Deportes), depending on the matchup. If Montreal beats New York in the second conference semifinal (Sunday, 3 p.m., ESPN and ESPN Deportes), expect the Union to land in the night slot. If New York wins, it could be at either time.

» READ MORE: Jim Curtin knew the Union could be good this year. He didn’t think they’d be this good.

The “El Tráfico” rivalry showdown lived up to the billing yet again. Cristian Arango scored LAFC’s the winner in the 93rd minute after the Galaxy tied the game twice to propel the Supporters’ Shield winners’ to the Western Conference final against Austin FC or FC Dallas.

Denis Bouanga, one of LAFC’s big-money signings this summer, opened the scoring in the 23rd minute and made it 2-1 in the 80th. Samuel Grandsir scored the Galaxy’s first equalizer in the 44th, and Dejan Joveljic struck a long-range thunderbolt to make it 2-2 in the 85th. But just when it seemed the game was headed to extra time, Arango struck off a corner kick.

The Texas teams will clash Sunday night (8 p.m., ESPN and ESPN Deportes), with the winner to travel to Los Angeles a week later. LAFC has home-field advantage all the way through the championship game, should it get there.