(Associated Pre

 No excuses.

 Those were Union boss Peter Nowak's words --- so to speak --- after his club polished off a 1-1 draw Saturday with FC Dallas.

Nowak seemed elated that the Union, who equalized in the second half, came away with a point and ended their three-match losing streak. He also seemed to think that no longer will the Union be able to play the 'we're inexperienced' card any further.

"As I’ve said, there’s still work to do, but we are moving forward as a group and we are going to keep fighting," Nowak said.

"What we tried to change was just the defensive game, which we didn’t have in the first part of  seven or eight games and we’ve tried to make it better. Now we are more dangerous. People are looking at us like, 'What are we going to do?' We made the changes and we get the shots, so the backline is stepping up and creating room and creating the chances.

“Listen. It’s time. It’s the new guys settling in. They know each other.  They play with each other, so now the understanding as a group is pretty good and we’re going to keep fighting."

Those comments surprise me because Nowak, for the better part of three years, has said the Union need experience and that could mean a few things --- that his youngest players literally don't have experience, that his newest players don't have experience playing with this group, that all of players need the experience of playing in Philly, who knows? All three scenarios have left Nowak's lips at one point or another. 

But it seems like Nowak wants a stronger Union, starting with Saturday's match at Toronto FC.

And let's be honest --- the Reds (0-9-0) aren't exactly world-beaters these days. Toronto is easily the most-scored-upon side in MLS, allowing 21 goals in nine matches. And the next closest isn't even close, with FC Dallas surrendering 19 goals in 13 games --- four more than TFC. And the Reds also have scored the fewest goals in MLS, tied with Chivas USA with seven tallies.

If ever there was a time for the Union to need a winnable game on its schedule, this is it.