Ilshino celebrates the Union’s second goal of the match. (Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)

CHESTER, Pa. — The less said about New York City FC’s game with the Philadelphia Union Saturday night.

NYCFC squandered an opportunity to take over the MLS Eastern Conference lead by playing one of its poorest performances of the season, a 2-0 loss at the Philadelphia Union at Talen Energy Stadium.

The visitors finished the game with 10 players as defender Ronald Matarrita was red carded in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time.

The result left City (14-6-5, 47 points) in third place in the conference, trailing the first-place Red Bulls and Atlanta United FC, who have 48 points apiece. A win would have boosted NYCFC into sole possession of first place. Fifth-place Philadelphia (33) improved to 10-11-3.

NYCFC will host the Red Bulls in the third and final Hudson River Derby match of the regular season at Yankee Stadium Wednesday night.

Cory Burke boosted Philly into the lead in the 57th minute as he latched onto a Borek Dockal feed, maneuvered into the left side of the penalty area and managed to fire a shot to the lower right post past goalkeeper Sean Johnson.

Dockal played playmaker again in the 76th minute as he set up Ilsinho, who had few problems getting past a pair of City defenders before depositing the ball into the back of the net.

NYCFC looked out of sorts and could never get its act together.

Captain David Villa, the team’s all-time goal-scoring leader, was not effective and was subbed out and replaced by Jesus Medina in the 56th minute.

Medina himself could not finish the match after suffered a leg injury late in the match. It appeared he was clutching his hamstring as he limped off the field during play.

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.