Photo courtesy of Union II

Pre-Match

Philadelphia Union II came into the game sitting atop the Eastern Conference in MLS Next PRO with a 9-3-3 record. They are also tied for best goal difference at 13 with North Texas in the West. Union II boast the most goals scored with 30 and are tied for least allowed (in conference) with 17. 

TFC II had only allowed 19 goals but their offense is among the least threatening in the league with only 16 goals to show through 16 games. Toronto FC II resided in 11th out of 15th with a 5-6-2 record. 

Kyle Tucker returned to the starting lineup after being logged two substitute appearances.

Mike Sheridan made his second start of the season, replacing Holden Trent between the posts. 

Despite dressing for the first team game in Montreal on Saturday, Makhayna and CJ Olney both started for Union II after making the journey between the two Canadian cities sometime in the intervening 20 or so hours between matches. 

Adisa De Rosario started in net for TFC II. Adisa is the son of legendary Canadian soccer player Dwayne De Rosario. He assumed the starting role following 5 appearances for TFC II last season. 

First Half

Union II had the vast majority of chances in the first half of action, scoring three goals in the first twenty minutes before Ed Davis got his second in the 31st minute. 

Union had a brighter start than Toronto and it was not long until they took the lead.

Captain Kyle Tucker scored a rebound in the 8th minute. A well worked move sprung by Westfield, saw Olney’s cross find the head of Ed Davis. His header hit the upright and was turned in by Tucker. It was Tucker’s third goal of the season, first in open play, and his first since the April 28th loss in Cincinnati.  

Union had the beating of Toronto early and kept up the pressure. In the 12th minute, Ed Davis scored on the assist from Olney. The move started from Leandro Soria pressuring a TFC defender. His pass attempt was intercepted by David Vazquez, who played a simple forward ball to Olney. Olney’s short outside of the foot pass found Davis, who was just inside the box between two defenders. He controlled, and easily finished with his left foot past the keeper.

The floodgates had opened and it was not long after the second that Union II found a third. Frankie Westfield got on the scoresheet. After making a trademark forward run, the young left back stayed high on the TFC backline. Soria played him into the box and Westfield deftly strafed past the defenders and the onrushing De Rosario before slotting home, marking his 4th tally of the season. 

Westfield almost got an assist shortly after has his long pass found Soria around the top of the 18 but the Argentinian striker’s shot went wide 

In the 31st minute, however, Westfield would get his assist. Davis found a second goal, this time via a half volley. Westfield’s over the top ball was dropped in a bucket behind the backline and the young striker chased it down in the box before putting the ball past Rosario for the Union’s fourth of the half. The goal was Davis’s 8th of the season and sees him tied for second in the Golden Boot race. It was also Westfield’s 5th assist of the year.

Aside from a wild attempt from the center circle, which posed no threat to Sheridan, TFC hardly threatened the Union goal. 

A yellow card shown to Sanders Ngabo was the last meaningful action of a lopsided first 45 minutes.

Second Half

No changes at halftime for Marlon Le Blanc’s side but TFC opted for a double switch at midfield with Mark Fisher and Markus Cimermancic in for Charlie Staniland and Charlie Dumitru.

Naturally, Union II took their collective foot off the gas somewhat and were content to sit deeper and defend their 4 goal lead. 

There was little to note in the preceding 45 minutes. With Union II’s freedom to hang back and see the game out, they produced fewer notable attacks. Despite this, Toronto were unable to generate much offense even with more possession. 

In the 68th minute, Head Coach Marlon Le Blanc made his first changes of the match, a line change in midfield. LeBlanc brought in Sullivan, Berdecio, and Pariano for Ngabo, Soria, and Tucker. It appears following this that Olney and Vazquez moved up top to operate as dual forwards with Sullivan at the 10 while Berdicio slotted into defensive midfield.

Sullivan looked energetic and clearly wanted to get on the scoresheet as he sprung a few attacks forward after coming on. He nearly got the assist on what would have been Davis’s third goal after slipping him inside the 18, but a TFC defender was there to make the sliding tackle after Davis tried to cut past him.

Goalkeeper Mike Sheridan was not called upon until the 75th minute when he stopped a long range effort from Tornto’s Stojadinovic. In the 82nd minute he faced a deflected shot from a free kick that was just outside the box which he collected with ease. 

In the 86th, CJ Olney nearly added a 5th after a TFC defender misplayed a long ball by Makhanya. Olney anticipated the misclear and flicked the ball forward with his head. Just after entering Toronto’s box he ripped a shot with the laces but it was high and wide.

The last significant action came in the 87th minute. Nathaniel Edwards sent a good cross into the box for TFC, which resulted in a headed shot on target. Sheridan was equal to the task and ended up making a simple save.

After three additional minutes, the referee blew his whistle to end the match and finalize the 4-0 victory for Union II. Sheridan achieved his first career clean sheet with Union II. This result sees the Union remain atop the Eastern Conference in Next Pro. Union II will finish June with a 3 W – 2 L record. 

Union II returns to action on July 6th at 7pm at Gillette Stadium against New England Revolution II. That match will be broadcast on Apple TV/MLS Season Pass.

3 Points

Dominance– After a lopsided 4-1 blowout to NYRB II on Wednesday, it was good to see a positive response from the group. Union II played positive football while staying true to the identity of the press that is so important to the organization. They made it look easy for 45 minutes and only stopped because they didn’t have to score any more. 

Frankie Westfield – Amid rumors of becoming the next HGP signing for the first team, Westfield has nearly made it impossible to not get an offer. Despite a commitment to Penn State in the fall, it seems increasingly likely that it is in both parties’ interest for the young left back to continue developing and playing within the Union structure. Not only does he provide goal contributions- a hallmark of the modern fullback- he’s defensively stout and one of the leaders of the team. He leads MLS NXP in minutes played starting and finishing all 15 games so far.

League Leaders? – Following ST Louis 2’s loss versus Vancouver, Union II are one point away from 1st overall. While there is not a ‘Supporters Shield’, there is a ‘Regular Season Champion’ which is of course the team in first place. The 2023 Regular Season Champ was Colorado Rapids 2 with 66 points (19 Wins) and a + 38 goal difference. One match past the halfway mark for this season Union II have 32 points on 9 wins and there is no reason to think they won’t remain in contention for first overall. St Louis sits at 10-3-2. Standings can be viewed here. 

Player Spotlight

Ed Davis: 2 Gs on 4 Shots (2 on target), 6/12 passes completed, 83 minutes

Frankie Westfield: 1 G on 1 Shot, 1 Assist (2 Key Passes), 33/41 passes completed, 90 minutes

CJ Olney: 1 Shot, 2 Assists (2 Key Passes), 1 cross, 25/36 passes completed, 2 fouls suffered, 90 mins

Note: Olney was credited with the second assist on Westfield’s goal, giving him two total for the match. This moves him up to lead MLS NXP in assists with 8 total on the year, so far. 

Box Score

Officiating Crew

REF: Mazzen Black

AR1: Joey Filipic

AR2:  Kurtis Nozack

4TH: Fabrizio Stasolla

Weather: 65 degrees and cloudy.

 GOALS/ASSISTS

PHI – Kyle Tucker 8’

PHI – Edward Davis (Olney) 12’

PHI – Francis Westfield (Soria) 20’

PHI – Edward Davis (Westfield) 31’  

DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY

TOR – Hassan Ayari (caution) 25’

PHI – Sanders Ngabo (caution) 32’

PHI – Gavin Wetzel (caution) 73’

LINEUP

Philadelphia Union II: Mike Sheridan; Francis Westfield, Olwethu Makhanya, Neil Pierre, Gavin Wetzel (Carlos Rojas 90’); Sanders Ngabo (Jamir Berdecio 68’), CJ Olney Jr., Kyle Tucker ( Nicholas Pariano 68’), David Vazquez; Leandro Soria (Cavan Sullivan 68’), Edward Davis (Randy Meneses 83’).

Substitutes not used: Holden Trent, Giovanny Sequera, Alex Perez, Ryan Zellefrow.

Toronto FC II: Adisa De Rosario; Ythallo, Adam Pearlman, Nathaniel Edwards, Theo Rigopoulos (Matthew Catavolo 69’) ; Marko Stojadinovic, Lucas Olguin, Charlie Staniland (Markus Cimermancic 45’), Hassan Ayari, Andrei Dumitru (Mark Fisher 45’) ; Dékwon Barrow (Richard Chukwu 83’).

Substitutes not used: Abraham Rodriguez, Luca Accettola, Noah De Blasis, Tristan Pusztahegyi, Kristjan Fortier.