Photo: Paul Rudderow

An undermanned Philadelphia Union II side lost to Chicago Fire II at Subaru Park early Sunday evening, 5-2.

In the 18th minute of the first half,  Chicago defender Noah Egan sent an 80-yard ball down the central channel for the first time in the match, taking Union center center back Hugo Le Guennec by surprise as striker Alex Monis got an unrecoverable step behind him and lofted a soft chip over on-rushing goalkeeper Brooks Thompson for a 1-0 lead.

After halftime when a pair of quality Chicago first-team reserves had substituted into the match, in the 47th minute first-team veteran homegrown striker Victor Bezerra found first team veteran reserve midfielder Sergio Oregel perfectly on a lofted early cross for the easy second score. Union II right center back Nathan Nkanji anticipated the run and ran with Oregel, inadvertently keeping him onside on the play.

In the 54th Union II attacking midfielder C.J. Olney, unexpectedly not with the U17s at MLS NEXT Cup, dribbled to the left end line and found Luciano Sanchez for a close tap-in. But in the 60th Bezerra took a flick feed from Michael Flores into the outer left part of the box and slotted firmly past Thompson just out of reach of left center back Carlos Rojas to the far post for what turned out to be the match winner.

In the 70th, Anton Sorenson committed an obvious penalty kick foul inside the box and Bezerra buried the shot for his brace. A minute later Oregel matched that brace on a through ball from Bezerra that put Oregel alone in front of a helpless Thompson, and Chicago was done scoring. Bezerra ended with two goals and two assists.

In the 74th C.J. Olney delivered a Union corner kick to the head of defensive central midfielder Boubacar Diallo for a perfectly taken second consolation goal.

For reasons unknown, three Union II professional players and one academy player who has been a U II fixture for two years did not even dress. Coach LeBlanc achieved his minimum required roster size with Jose Riasco from his own roster and three others from the Academy’s Union Development Squad. LeBlanc did not make his second substitution of the match until stoppage time when Luciano Sanchez cramped up, having run hard for 90 minutes.

In advance

At Philadelphia Union II’s halfway point of the 2023 MLS Next Pro season, they would miss the playoffs were they to start now. The two division winners and the other five clubs the conference with the highest total points qualify.

Before tap-off Union II lay eighth on 17 points from four wins, seven losses, three draws, and two shootout wins. Chicago lay tenth on 13, 3-5-4 with no shootout wins.

Neither first team had a game over the weekend. Union II played Wednesday, losing to Crown Legacy 2-0, while Fire II played Thursday, defeating Orlando City B 1-0.

Both Philadelphia’s and Chicago’s academy U17 sides played on Saturday in Frisco, Texas in the first round of MLS NEXT Cup’s playoffs. Both MLSNP teams could have received extra first team reinforcements needed to cope with squad rotation in the absence of their U17s. Chicago did, five goals and four assists’ worth. Union II did not.

First half

Coach LeBLanc did not have the personnel available to play his customary 4-2-2-2 “empty bucket.” He began in a 3-5-2 that did an effective job holding Chicago, aside from the Union-like long-distance strike. They caught Chicago offside seven times in the first half.

In the 41st minute Thomspon had an excellent sequence of two good saves one right after the other to keep Fire II close.

Second half

The combination of Chicago’s two first-teamers off the bench, together with their three other sets of fresh legs put a result out of reach for the game but tiring boys in blue.

It is worth noting that for the first time since the opening game of last season, after the 57th minute LeBlanc deployed a 4-4-2 narrow diamond. It was a necessity. With Francis Westfield, Maike Villero, and Pedro Alvarez unavailable for unknown reasons, and Alex Perez in Texas with the U17s, Diallo was his only DCM to hand.

The third missing Union II pro was center back Gino Portella who had been initially listed on Twitter as starting, but was in fact replaced by Nkanji.

Next match

In ten days Union II plays away to Orlando City B Wednesday, June 28, at 7 p.m.

Three points

1. Earlier Sunday in Texas the Union Academy U17s defeated Portland Timbers 2-0 in the round of 32 of the MLS NEXT Cup playoffs. They will play in the round of 16 today. All five of the ’06 birth years from Union II, Goalkeeper Andrew Rick, center back Daniel Kreuger, defensive center midfielder Alex Perez, and attacking midfielder David Vazquez are part of the squad.
2. Saturday the U15s were eliminated by Baltimore Armour on penalty kicks 5-4 after a 2-2 draw in which Baltimore jumped ahead 2-0 in the second half and the baby snakes tied it on a late brace from Lennon Harrington in the 66^th and 85th minutes. Last October they had beaten Baltimore 6-0.
3. That Olney was held out of the U17s’ tournament, and that he once again played the full 90 indicates what the organization thinks of him. He has the most effective magic feet of any Union II player.

BOXSCORE

Union II Lineup (3-5-2, L-R): Starters: Brooks Thompson; Juan Castillo, Carlos Rojas, Hugo Le Guennec, Nathan Nkanji (Jose Riasco 57′), Anton Sorenson;  Boubacar Diallo, C. J. Olney, Stefan Stojanovic; Luciano Sanchez (Francis Castillo* 90+1′), Nelson Pierre. Unused substitutes: Gavin Atkinson*; Alexandru Zama*. *=Union Development Squad. 1^st – 2, U II – 8, Acad – 5.

Starters’ ages

Chicago Lineup: (3-5-2, L-R): Starters: Mihailo Miskovic; Andres Ueland, Lamonth Rochester, Noah Egan (Erik Leonard 79′); Charlie Ostrem (Sergio Oregel HT), Javier Casas (Victor Bezerra 40′), Henrique Gallina, Richard Flemming, Justin Reynolds (Michael Flores HT); Alex Monis (Michael Nesci 74′), Luka Pipa. Unused substitutes: Adrian Giron; Edson Rocha, Billy Hency, Matteo Kidd.

Goals

C II       18th minute       Alex Monis (Noah Egan)

C II       47th minute       Sergio Oregel (Victor Bezerra)

U II       54th minute       Luciano Sanchez (C. J. Olney)

C II       60th minute       Victor Bezerra (Michael Flores)

C II       70th minute       Victor Bezerra (PK)

C II       71st minute       Sergio Oregel (Victor Bezerra)

U II      74th minute      Boubacar Diallo (C. J. Olney)

Cards

U II       52nd minute       Yellow       Nathan Nkanji (foul)

U II       83rd minute       Yellow       Hugo Le Guennec (dissent)

Stats

Whistle

Ref: John Matto, AR¹: Alexandru Focea, AR²: Patrick Casey, 4^TH: Adam Mitchell.