Union coach confident in goalkeeper

It's been a rough first three games for Union goalkeeper Chris Seitz, but team manager Peter Nowak said the thought of pulling the 23-year-old has never crossed his mind.

Seitz has allowed two goals in each of the first three games for the 1-2 Union, who will visit the New York Red Bulls (3-1) at 4 p.m. Saturday in a Major League Soccer matchup.

Asked whether Seitz will be in goal, Nowak didn't hesitate.

"No question," he said after Tuesday's practice.

"I think it's nonsense to ask those kind of questions, knowing he's 23 and didn't play [much for] two and a half years."

Seitz appeared in four games last year as a backup for MLS champion Real Salt Lake.

It wasn't just Nowak coming to his keeper's defense. Defender Danny Califf, who received a red card after elbowing Toronto's Julian de Guzman in the neck during the 34th minute, took the blame for the team's 2-1 loss last week at Toronto.

On the ensuing free kick after Califf was tossed - forcing the Union to play a man down the rest of the game - Toronto's Dwayne De Rosario scored. Seitz got a piece of the shot, which looked eminently stoppable.

"If I wouldn't have gotten thrown out, we wouldn't be talking about this," said Califf, who must sit out Saturday's game as a result of the red card.

Califf was attempting to slow Guzman from getting to the ball.

"My intention was not to elbow and not to be dirty or anything like that," Califf said. "It was a split-second reaction to try to slow him down and give Chris enough time to kick the ball, and it looked awful on TV."

How awful?

"After seeing it, I would have thrown myself out," Califf said.

Nowak didn't absolve Seitz of blame.

"No question he needed to do a better job on that first goal," Nowak said.

Seitz, whose confidence in himself is as strong as his team's in him, was asked if he would like to have that first goal back.

"Sure, you want to take plays back, but at the end of the day you don't and move on," Seitz said.

DeRosario scored the second goal on a penalty kick in the 81st minute after Seitz took down O'Brian White in the box.

That play was the by-product of a defensive lapse and also the fact that the Union were playing a man short.

As for Seitz, he said his confidence hasn't wavered, and he is happy to have such strong support from Nowak and his teammates.

"I am confident in my ability and my defense's ability, and if we stick together in times like this, there will be no problem," Seitz said. "We are all excited for Saturday."