Shorthanded and not, a versatile Union collective keeps finding a way to remain unbeaten

Bradley Carnell might pick the Union’s next starting lineup out of a fishbowl.

Between injuries and international absences, Carnell’s team has been shorthanded for much of June. It was no different on Wednesday night, as the Union entered a match against Chicago without eight players.

With Ale Bedoya starting at right back, the Union beat the Fire (7-7-4, 25 points), 1-0, behind a 10th-minute penalty kick goal from Bruno Damiani. The win is yet another endorsement of Carnell’s ability to figure out a way for the Union (12-3-4, 40 points) to compete, even with a horde of players missing.

The win extends the Union’s unbeaten streak in MLS play to 11 games, the longest active streak in the league. The Union have also won five of their last seven MLS matches.

The Union backline was thinner than it has been since the start of the FIFA international window, as defender Frankie Westfield was out with a sprained ankle. Nathan Harriel is still with the U.S. men’s national team at the Gold Cup. Bedoya, typically a midfielder, stepped up to fill the defensive gap.

“[Bedoya] has shown he’s a real teammate,” Carnell said. “He understands that we’re on a special mission here.”

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Bedoya’s making an appearance on defense is not unheard of, but it is unusual. The Union captain’s last start at right back came in the last game of the 2024 season, a 2-1 loss to FC Cincinnati.

“The plan was to play [Jovan Lukic] at right back,” Carnell said. “The boys came the next day and said, ‘We’ve discussed this, we’ve discussed that, what do you think about [Bedoya] playing right back?’ And I was like, ‘This is awesome.’ For the team to commit to something bigger than themselves, for me this was the ‘aha’ moment that I’ve been waiting for for 18, 19 match days.”

That “aha” moment and the lineup it produced paid off for the Union. The team got off to an ideal start at Soldier Field, with Chris Donovan drawing a handball on a cross into the penalty area early in the first half. The Union were awarded a penalty for the Fire’s offense, and Damiani stepped up to the spot and converted in the 10th minute.

Damiani fired a left-footed shot into the bottom left corner as the Fire’s keeper, Jeffery Gal, dove the wrong way. It’s the third goal across MLS and U.S. Open Cup play for Damiani, who arrived as the most expensive signing in club history in February. The forward had not scored an MLS goal since he scored in the Union’s 3-0 win over D.C. United on April 26.

“His quality of chances are really good, and it just hasn’t fallen his way,” Carnell said. “Now, you score your penalty …that’s his living room. He feels comfortable taking these penalties. We’re hoping that keeps on.”

Damiani’s penalty proved to be enough for the Union to beat the Fire, captained by former Union centerback Jack Elliott.

Both teams struggled offensively. Chicago controlled possession, 56.8% to 43.2%, and took 15 shots to the Union’s 11. But, only two of the Fire’s 15 shots were on goal.

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Andrew Rick saved one shot to pick up his fourth clean sheet in nine starts this season. Jakob Glesnes, who was named to his third MLS All-Star team Wednesday night, made the other save. The centerback got behind Rick and blocked a shot from Chicago’s Brian Gutiérrez in the 92nd minute to preserve the win.

“Jakob was sharp tonight,” Carnell said. “Stepping up and being brave, blocking shots, and doing everything necessary. That’s why he gets the All-Star call-up.”

The Union have a quick turnaround from Wednesday night’s match to their next outing, in Columbus against the Crew on Sunday (8:30 p.m., Apple TV).

Columbus (6-3-7, 34 points) is a higher quality opponent than Chicago, and the Union will still be dealing with a number of absences. Though Tai Baribo, the team’s leading goal scorer, has made his return to the U.S. from Israel, he will likely remain unavailable with a calf injury.

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Andre Blake could make his return Sunday since Jamaica exited the Gold Cup in the group stage, but Harriel and Quinn Sullivan will still be with the U.S., which qualified for the knockout rounds. Glesnes will also be unavailable for selection against Columbus because of yellow card accumulation, as he picked up his sixth caution of the season Wednesday.

On short rest, Carnell will have to figure out what lineup to trot out against Columbus. If the team’s results in June are any indication, he should be able to keep the Union rolling.

“We’ll just put the names in a bowl and see what’s available,” Carnell quipped. “Right now we have more than the 11 [needed], so we’ll come up with something.”