Photo: Courtesy of Philadelphia Union II communications

In a match delayed more than an hour-and-a-half by a Central Florida phalanx of thunderstorms, Philadelphia Union II shut out Orlando City B 3-0 Wednesday night.

Chris Donovan’s poised finishing was the difference.

In the 11th minute, he beat Orlando’s goalkeeper Javier Otero to the near post off a perfectly lofted feed from Juan Castillo. And ten minutes later his defensive aggression contested a long clearance out of the Union II’s deepest right channel, creating a squirter. C. J. Olney in turn challenged Thomas Williams’ attempt to play the squirter, causing it to remain out of control. It fell to Donovan who was unmarked, dribbled in, and hammered home past Otero, again.

In the 86th minute with Orlando throwing caution to the winds, substitute Stefan Stojanovic found fellow substitute David Vazquez alone in the center for the clincher.

In advance

The summer transition of the academy to its next seasonal cycle has begun.

• Birth year 2007s will come under evaluation for developmental minutes with Union II, commensurate to well-needed end-of-season time off such as family vacations.
• Graduated birth year 2005s are transitioning to the NCAA, including enrolling in summer school to be eligible for summer soccer activities under NCAA aegis and may no longer be eligible to play with Union II.

Union II’s first team plays this coming Sunday in Atlanta, 875 of miles away and three hours earlier than U II’s Sunday match on Long Island.

Because of recovery time, last night’s first team reinforcements beyond loanees Anton Sorenson and Nelson Pierre had to be planned with Sunday in mind. They included left center-back Brandan Craig,  attacking midfielder Jeremy Rafanello, right midfielder Quinn Sullivan, and striker Donovan.

Orlando City B’s first team reinforcements were not constrained by scheduling or geography but may have been by recovery time as they play Saturday at home.

Before tap, OCB lay fifth in the conference table on 24 points with a 7-5-2 record; Union II lay tenth on 17 from 4-8-3.

Union II lost the season opener to OCB at Subaru Park 3-1. Meanwhile, Orlando had been undefeated at home.

First half

The half was interrupted twice—a three-minute hydration break occurred at the 29th minute and an hour-and-forty-minute weather delay began at the 41st.

Orlando dominated possession and spent much of it in Union II’s defensive third. They seemed to have speed and quickness advantages when on the ball but relied heavily on individuality. Union II goalkeeper Andre Rick had to make four saves, and his defense produced multiple clearances and blocks.

The quickness of Union II’s counterstrike ability was decisive.

In the 11th minute, after a nice individual dribble forward of his own, Juan Castillo lofted an excellent feed to Donovan on the left side of the penalty box for a worm burner lasered to the net. Surprised Orlando keeper Otero had no chance. Ten minutes later, Donovan contested Orlando’s heading of a long Union clearance from deep in the defensive right channel, The ball deflected to Orlando center-back Thomas Williams who was challenged for it by Olney. The challenge caused the ball to squirt towards Donovan who was onside and unmarked, and two touches toward the onrushing keeper he finished clinically to double the lead.

Orlando had 70% of possession for the half, 247 passes to Union II’s 103, and 15 total shots to Philly’s four. But only one statistic matters.

Second half

Possession, total passes, shots, shots on target, and so forth continued to favor Orlando throughout the second half.

But none of their shooters displayed the poise and precision of Union II’s Donovan, and then David Vazquez in the 86th minute. There seemed to be an over-reliance on individual brilliance rather than offensive teamwork. At least one wide-open score-creating pass was passed up in favor of personal ego.

Orlando’s frustrations boiled over a few times, reinforcing the idea that their poise had frayed. Perhaps they had believed their own press clippings too much, being undefeated at home and scoring 18 home goals in seven matches with more than one comeback.

Whatever the case, they suffered their first home defeat and first home shutout of the season. Union II’s mentality was better than theirs.

In the 90th minute Union II head coach Marlon LeBlanc made his third and final set of substitutions sending on Nelson Pierre and Boubacar Diallo, and giving what were almost certainly soccer-style curtain calls to Donovan and defensive midfielder Carlos Rojas.

Honoring Donovan was obvious.

But having Rojas take a bow requires explanation. The left-footed center-back did not play in the defensive line. For the first 70 minutes, he played as a lone defensive center midfielder. Orlando’s much-trumpeted striker Jack Lynn was shut out by a zone 14 triangle of Rojas and center-backs Hugo Le Guennec and Brandan Craig.

When Rafanello went off for Alex Perez in the 69th, Perez seemed to join Rojas in defending the center more than Rafanello had done, changing the shape closer to LeBlanc’s usual 4-2-2-2 empty bucket. Rojas’ role in the clean sheet deserved soccer’s traditional recognition for an excellent game.

Finally, both coaching staffs and players deserve credit for maintaining focus and purpose throughout the 100-minute lightning delay. The extra reinforcements from the first team set the stage for the win, no question. But maintaining the mentality that brought success credits everyone.

Next match

Union II play away to NYC FC II at 7 p.m. on Sunday, July 2.

Three points

1. Francis Westfield and Gino Portella were team mainstays earlier this season, but for two consecutive matches, they have been absent.
2. Daniel Kreuger started at right back and played the full 90, including a half volley from distance in the 74th minute that forced a great save from keeper Otero.
3. The first-team loanees: That Nelson Pierre sat on the bench behind Donovan makes a great deal of sense. Less obvious is why Kreuger started ahead of Anton Sorenson at right back, but there can be no arguing with the results.

BOXSCORE

Union II Lineup (4-4-2 narrow diamond (for the first 70 minutes), L-R)

Starters: Andrew Rick; Juan Castillo, Brandan Craig, Hugo Le Guennec, Daniel Kreuger; Carlos Rojas (Boubacar Diallo 90′),  ; C. J. Olney (David Vazquez 69′), Jeremy Rafanello (Alex Perez 69′), Quinn Sullivan; Luciano Sanchez, (Stefan Stojanovic 58′) Chris Donovan (Nelson Pierre 90′).

Unused substitutes: Brooks Thompson; Nathan Nkanji, Anton Sorenson.

1^st – 6, U II – 8, Acad – 5.

Starters’ ages

OCB Lineup (4-3-3, L-R)

Starters: Javier Otero; Franco Perez (Moises Tablante 61′), Thomas Williams (Alejandro Granados 30′), Nabilai Kibounuchy, Alexander Freeman; Juninho, Cristian Medina, Jorge Almanguer (Wilfredo Rivera 81′); Jhon Solis, Jack Lynn, Shakur Mohammed (Favian Loyola 81′).

Unused substitutes: Dominic Pereira; Tahir Reid-Brown, Zakaria Taifi, Fernando Sanchez, Cristofer Acuna.

Goals

U II       11th minute       Chris Donovan (Juan Castillo)

U II       21st minute       Chris Donovan (C. J. Olney)

U II       86th minute       David Vazquez (Stefan Stojanovic)

Cards

U II       10th minute       Yellow       Carlos Rojas (foul)

U II       36th minute       Yellow       Luciano Sanchez (foul)

OCB      40th minute       Yellow       Jack Lynn (foul)

OCB      56th minute       Yellow       Franco Perez (foul)

U II       56th minute       Yellow       Anton Sorenson (bench infraction)

OCB      74th minute       Yellow       Moises Tablante (foul)

U II       88th minute       Yellow       Stefan Stojanovic (foul)

OCB      90+3 minute       Yellow        Juninho (foul)

Stats

Whistle

Ref: Amiel Aleman, AR¹: Rhett Hammil, AR²: Albert Escovar, 4^TH: Daniel Gutierrez.