Wagner seemed a smart acquisition for the Union, just six months after they let him go to Birmingham City. Sure, Philadelphia are a side that likes to build from within. But going after such a crucial player who knows the club and was the all-time leader in assists for the club made sense. And, in fairness, it’s not like the already-struggling Union could get any worse.
Few could have predicted how significant the turnaround would be, though. To be fair, there’s a bit of everything involved. Ryan Richter has allowed the team to play with a bit more freedom. Cavan Sullivan is a regular. His brother, Quinn, is finding form after a long injury. Milan Iloski has now scored in a club-record six consecutive MLS matches.
But Wagner’s sweet, sweet left foot has been the architect of many a goal. Such was the case Saturday night. Philadelphia, quite inexplicably, went down 2-0 to a 10-man Atlanta United. But they battled back and scored twice in second-half stoppage time for a 3-2 win. Wagner assisted all two of the three goals. That’s three wins in three, with a not-so-new face leading the charge.