Union’s second-half spark arrives far too late in hapless road loss to Orlando City

When Jim Curtin went to his bench midway through the second half and brought on midfielder Quinn Sullivan and defender Nathan Harriel, it was the right move for a team that desperately needed a spark in its Wednesday night tilt against host Orlando City.

However, the Union would suffer a 2-1 defeat inside Inter&Co Stadium, but not before Sullivan would make things interesting with a 73rd-minute goal and Harriel missing three glancing headers off restarts by mere feet — the last one in second-half stoppage time, hitting the post.

“[Nathan] is usually our best header of the ball, which makes it weird that he got three free ones in this game,” Curtin said postgame. “On a different night he scores those chances, if I was to put money on our best header of the ball in terms of just attacking it, it’s Nathan, but for whatever reason, timing-wise we didn’t get the contact on it to get it past [goalkeeper Pedro] Gallese.”

But by the time the pair entered in the 63rd minute, it was already a wrap for a Union side that allowed Orlando to find its legs after a dismal first half.

Just how bad? Despite having a good chunk of the possession and going on the attack, Orlando City couldn’t buy a shot on target. So bad, in fact, that if the rafters of its supporters’ section was the goal, Orlando would’ve had a blowout in the first half.

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But the Lions’ win clinched them a playoff spot, while the Union, who entered the match nestled at No. 8 of nine qualifying spots in MLS’ Eastern Conference, has dropped out of playoff contention for now and is sitting in the No. 10 position.

All on the same night in which Lionel Messi and Inter Miami became this season’s winners of the Supporters’ Shield, given to the club with the best overall record in MLS.

Adding further insult was that Orlando forward Facundo Torres scored his 14th goal of the season and his 45th in all competitions, setting a club record as the all-time leading goal scorer, past Canadian stalwart Cyle Larin.

There’s little evidence that would suggest anything other than the Union hurting themselves. A listless first half found strikers sitting on an island forced to beat multiple defenders (just ask Daniel Gázdag and Tai Baribo) and a team that looked almost afraid to push the button on getting a shot off at Gallese.

Gallese didn’t have to come out of his line or even attempt to make a save until the 21st minute when Baribo had the club’s first shot on goal. It was an uncharacteristic night for players like Gázdag and Mikael Uhre, who were essentially absentee — though it should be noted that Gázdag played the ball into Sullivan from the corner for the assist.

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Not much changed in the second until Sullivan and Harriel entered for defender Olivier Mbaizo and midfielder Alejandro Bedoya. These are interesting choices, considering that the latter typically tend to enter the match late, but it was how they matched up that seemingly forced Curtin’s hand to flip the script.

“The thinking tonight was to keep them together as they’ve partnered up really well on the road,” Curtin said when asked about giving Mbaizo and Bedoya the start. “Obviously, tonight, it didn’t go well [as] both goals came down that side … these things happen, but the thinking was our road performances with those two in the lineup has been good, we just didn’t get a solid performance tonight.”

Mathematically, the Union are far from being on the outside looking in at a spot in the postseason, especially when you consider that the club is tied on points and goal differential — the first tiebreaker — with Toronto FC, currently in the ninth spot and Montreal is just three points ahead in the No. 8 position.

However, the final two games will put the Union’s desire and prowess to get in to the test, starting with a red-hot Columbus team on the road to close out three games in a seven-day stretch on Saturday (7:30 p.m., Apple TV, MLS Season Pass), followed by the final game of the season, a home match against Cincinnati — most likely for all the marbles — on MLS’ Decision Day the final day for every MLS team on Oct. 19 (6 p.m., Apple TV, MLS Season Pass).

“It was unlucky tonight but we can’t feel sorry for ourselves here,” said Curtin. “We have to regroup and find a way to get result in our last few games of the season.

“Whether we deserve it or not, we’re still in control of our own destiny and if we aren’t able to win a game down this stretch then we don’t deserve to be in the playoffs. I’ve said this to our group already and I know we have a quality group that if we get in we can beat anybody, but we have to execute on the field and do a better job.”

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