skip navigation

Marquez Times it Right for First MLS Goal

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 05/21/16, 1:12AM EDT

Share

Former USL standout scores late winner, sends Union top of Eastern Conference


Photo courtesy Philadelphia Union

CHESTER, Pa. – As a defender, Richie Marquez has built a reputation for being in the right place at the right time to thwart opposing attackers.

On Friday night, the former Harrisburg City Islanders standout found himself in the right place in stoppage time to record his first goal in MLS, which lifted the Philadelphia Union to a 1-0 victory against D.C. United at Talen Energy Park.

“I don’t get to score often,” Marquez told MLSSoccer.com’s David Zeitlin after the game. “So now I know what a forward feels like. It feels good.”

Marquez has become a fixture in the Union’s defense over the past two seasons after playing every minute of every game on loan with Harrisburg in 2014. Back then, he helped the City Islanders reach the 2014 USL Championship. Now, he’s playing his part in the Union’s strong start to the 2016 season. Friday’s win saw Philly move to the top of the MLS Eastern Conference as it recorded its third shutout of the season, and move to 4-0-2 at home.

If Marquez’s defensive instincts have served him well at one end of the field, though, it has been to a slight detriment at the other. That led to the Union’s coaches encouraging him to stay forward a little longer after set pieces break down, in case a second opportunity might arise.

“We joked about it this week that a lot of times on corners, because he’s such a defense-minded guy, that initial ball comes in and he hits the ground and if it doesn’t go straight to one of our guys, he’s in retreat mode and he’s running back,” Union Coach Jim Curtin told Zeitlin. “Mike Sorber and B.J. Callaghan mentioned to him to take a little risk and stay up there every once in a while. If you’re not in the box, you’re not going to score.”

That little risk was rewarded on Friday. While United initially cleared a free kick into the penalty area as the clock moved into stoppage time, Marquez’s center back partner for the Union, Josh Yaro, was able to recycle possession quickly and find Sebastian Le Toux. The former USL First Division Most Valuable Player’s cross from the right picked out Marquez at the back post for an uncommonly good finish.

“The coaches were hawking at me that when you go up for corner kicks or free kicks, don’t leave the box right away,” Marquez told Zeitlin. “That’s my first mentality as a defender – to go back and protect my goal. But I stayed alive for the play and the ball came in from Seba and I judged it and was able to get my foot on it.”

As a former defender himself, the finish definitely brought a smile to Curtin’s face.

“I like not to notice my center backs for the most part,” Curtin told Zeitlin. “That means they’re doing their job. I think our center backs right now are playing at an incredibly high level.

"But yes, it’s good to see them rewarded because their names don’t show up a lot on the stat sheet.”