Jim Curtin urges Philadelphia Union not to 'get too high' on win over NYCFC

Philadelphia Union head coach Jim Curtin is looking for calm heads after his side beat reigning MLS Cup champions NYCFC 2-1 on Sunday evening.

The 2020 Supporters' Shield winners had endured a run of one win and four draws in their last five MLS matches, with that 2-0 victory over the Portland Timbers their only one in 10 games across all competitions.

Naturally, beating the defending champions will be seen as a statement by the rest of the league, not least because they did so in the 96th minute after Taty Castellanos had equalized from the penalty spot in the 89th minute.

But after a game of late drama, a red card for a member of the Union's coaching staff, and Philly climbing back to the top of the East, Curtin has urged his team not to 'get too high' on the win.

"If we lose today and then Red Bulls knocks off LAFC, all of a sudden we're sitting here talking about us being in fifth or sixth place and it feels negative," Curtin said after Sunday's match. "So the margins are tiny. You can't get too high. I do stand by [thinking] New York City is the most talented team in our conference, but every team goes through highs and lows during a season."

It's the second time this season Philadelphia have beaten NYCFC following their 2-0 victory on the road back in March. It was the perfect way for the Union to get back on track, especially given the 'playoff feel' of Sunday's match, in Curtin's own words.

"We went through a tough spell where we tied a lot of games, when we thought maybe we deserve wins. Again, to take two games off of the defending champs is not easy in this league," said Curtin. "Every win is so valuable. It's so hard to win games in this league. And when you had that streak of ties, you kind of had the feeling like, 'God, we want that winning feeling back.' So it was a great battle today, a playoff feel, playoff intensity, a strong opponent.

"We're happy to be at the top of the Eastern Conference, but we're not naive and we know that if we're not prepared and ready to go again against Chicago, you get punched in the teeth in this league and you get humbled very quickly."

Philadelphia's trip to the Chicago Fire comes on Wednesday evening.