Philly native John McCarthy denies Union the MLS Cup

LOS ANGELES — John McCarthy had been there before, albeit on a smaller stage, back in the 2015 Open Cup quarterfinals.

McCarthy, who played his college soccer at La Salle, wore a Union uniform back then, and he went into the penalty shootout against a former team of his, the Rochester Rhinos.

Fast-forward to 2022 and the MLS Cup final, a rip-roaring 3-3 game after regulation and extra time. With an untimely injury to Los Angeles FC’s starting goalkeeper, Canadian international Maxime Crépeau, McCarthy again found himself in goal facing his former team.

» READ MORE: Union lose MLS Cup final heartbreaker to LAFC in penalty kick shootout after 3-3 tie

He didn’t falter. He saved every shot that came his way. But Kai Wagner’s miss meant that the Union lost their first MLS Cup opportunity.

“To be a Philly kid, playing against my hometown, it’s their first final ever, it’s something special. I’d root for them any day of the week, except today,” said McCarthy with the MLS Cup MVP trophy he’d won sitting beside him during the postgame conference. He also wore a “Champions” ballcap in LAFC colors.

Union coach Jim Curtin acknowledged the painful irony. “Johnny is a great kid, a Philly kid. The soccer gods have a funny way of working.”

The surprise element of the Union’s getting victimized by two players who seemed relegated to the bench wasn’t lost on Curtin, either. “We didn’t have Johnny and Gareth Bale as the ones who did us in,” he said.

“That’s Gareth,” said Steve Cherendolo, LAFC manager, about Bale’s ability to enter a match and be instantly effective. He added that he hoped Bale wouldn’t be as effective against the U.S. men’s national team in the World Cup, where the teams are set to meet in group play.

» READ MORE: For Jim Curtin it’s ‘a heartbreaking loss,’ but appreciates the Union’s all-time effort

Curtin noted that the play that led to Bale’s goal in the 128th minute (the latest goal in MLS Cup history) was partly caused by the Union players’ failing to clear the ball out of Andre Blake’s goal area.

“Fatigue kind of set in and we didn’t get the job done,” Curtin said.

Bitterly disappointed at how close the Union came to lifting the first MLS Cup in team history, Curtin wasn’t pleased that the match came down to penalty kicks.

“PKs are a tough way to end the game,” he said. “It’s dumb. It’s not the sport. Once it goes there, anything can happen.”

» READ MORE: Another Philly team, this time the Union, loses to another Philly expatriate

Curtin was ultimately philosophical about the outcome, stating it was only the second time after a loss that he ever told his players he was proud of them.

“You can have a great season, but the season only ends perfect for one team,” Curtin said. “This was an incredible game.”

No part of the game was more unexpectedly amazing than McCarthy’s contribution, but he was ready when his moment came.

“John is one of the heartbeats of this team, emotionally,” Cherundolo said. “He’s great on penalties. He came up big.”