Blake, Burke get MLS Cup title shot

Reggae Boyz goalkeeper Andre Blake along with his national teammate Cory Burke will finally get their chance at a Major League Soccer (MLS) title, after their Philadelphia Union defeated New York City FC 3-1 in the Eastern Conference Championship on Sunday in Chester, Pennsylvania, in the MLS Cup.

Blake has played for Philadelphia Union for eight years. He has been there since he started his professional career.

The chance at the title for Blake and Burke was presented after Maxi Morales opened the scoring in the 57th minute for New York City, but goals from Julian Carranza in the 65th minute, Daniel Gazdag in the 67th and Burke’s 76th-minute clincher completed a turnaround and booked the franchise’s first MLS Cup final appearance.

Blake, the three-time MLS goalkeeper of the year, admitted that he had to keep it together as the celebrations began, reflecting on the near misses they have experienced, which has made this latest triumph meaningful.

“I’m not an emotional person, but I have to be fighting back tears right now. This club deserves it. The city deserves it. Words just can’t express how I feel,” Blake said in a mlssoccer.com interview after the game.

“Philadelphia is all I’ve known. A lot of close misses in the US Open Cup final last year. So I’m just so happy to finally get to the MLS Cup and hopefully, we can go in a tough place to play and grind out something and win.”

Blake and Burke were among the players that had to watch from the stands because of COVID-19 as the Union lost last year’s conference final at home to NYFC, the eventual MLS Cup champions.

It seemed that history was repeating itself when Morales gave the visitors the lead but head coach Jim Curtin praised Blake’s save on New York City’s next opportunity as the catalyst for the turnaround.

“That’s what big players do. In these types of games, you need your best players to be your best players. I thought Andre’s save kind of catapulted us to our next couple of goals, and when we scored in quick succession as we did, it really deflated a really good quality New York City that know how to win,” Curtin said.

Blake emphasised the importance of keeping a cool head in such situations.

“The game might not go the way we want it, but it is important that we stay calm and stay steady. If they score we just need to not let them score a second goal and we will still be in the game. I was able to make an important save at an important time and the guys scored three really good goals,” Blake recalled.

Blake and Burke will face Western Conference champions and 2022 Supporters Shield winners Los Angeles Football Club in Saturday’s final.