Photo courtesy Philadelphia Union II communications

Wednesday evening in High Point, NC, Philadelphia Union II defeated the Carolina Core 2-0 on a penalty kick from Nick Pariano in the 3rd minute, and a classic narrow diamond counterattack in the 77th from CJ Olney, on an assist from David Vazquez and an essential dummy run from Jamir Johnson.

Carolina center center back Ibrahim Covi’s obvious two-handed shove that knocked Union II striker Eddy Davis III to the ground near the goal in the box handicapped the hosts for the rest of the night.

The early lead meant the story of Union II’s game was its defending, which is exactly how Philadelphia teaches all its teams to play. The revamped side that is developing and testing new 16 and 17-year-olds took an important step forward last night.

In Advance

Three Union II players were active during and/or immediately after the just completed September international break.

• Cavan Sullivan was with the US U17s at the Vaclaz Jezek tournament in the southeastern Czech republic. He played the full 90 in their 1-0 loss to Germany, the first 60 in their 4-0 win over the Czechs, and the last 30 in their 1-1 drawn against Slovakia.
• Giovanny Sequera was called into Venezuela’s senior national side but did not dress for either their 4-0 loss, at altitude, to Bolivia or their 0-0 draw with Uruguay.
• Neil Pierre was called in to go to Japan with the US U18s, missed the Carolina match Wednesday, and will miss Sunday’s in Miami.

As an independent side Carolina does not have a first team with which to coordinate rosters. Union II’s first team will play in Miami on Saturday. Union II will play in Miami the next evening, Sunday.

Both teams had five games left in the season prior to last night’s match. Carolina lay 10^th in the table four points below the playoff line, while Philadelphia held second place two points behind first.

First half

The Union attacked into the infield end of the Truist Point baseball diamond in the first half. The grass insets seemed extremely well done making no obvious effects on play.

Carolina’s three center back shape encourages it to attack through its flank channels. The early Union lead meant Carolina were chasing the game from the beginning, and also meant they were vulnerable to Union counterattacks from the beginning.

That David Vazquez was in Philadelphia’s right outside channel initially was a good decision, since he is a strong defensive ball-winner. CJ Olney was similarly effective defending in the left outside channel. Kellen LeBlanc as the attacking mid did well with his defensive pressure for the first half, but is only 16-and-a-half and needs to increase his endurance, “engine building” as Earnie Stewart calls it.

The lynchpin of the midfield defense was Nick Pariano (see photo) as the single six defensive mid. Developmental considerations and the need to substitute for the tired  LeBlanc, moved him away from being a single six in the second half, but he was excellent in that role until the change.

The Union’s counter pressure did create some chances, but Carolina was coming off a match against Red Bull II and so was somewhat used to the pressure. Carolina had chances to score, but had not laced on their proper shooting boots.

Second half

Neither team substituted at halftime, and Carolina completely dominated possession for the first ten minutes of the second half.

At roughly the hour mark, Union II coach Marlon LeBlanc substituted his strikers, taking off Eddy Davis III and Markus Anderson and bringing on Sal Olivas and  Johnson. A few moments later midfielder LeBlanc came off for Zach Mastrodimos who moved into what sometimes seemed like a double six, with the other three midfielders interchanging roles fluidly, Pariano being the most defensive of the three.

The new midfield combination began to generate counterthrusts with Vazquez finding consistent joy on the dribble down the left channel. In the 77th he penetrated the end line and crossed for the penalty spot. Johnson dummied his defender out of the way, and Olney clinched the win on a late run out of the midfield.

In the 81st minute coach LeBLanc made his final two subs, rewarding Olney and Pariano with rest for the last ten minutes from Kyle Tucker and Jordan Griffin. Carolina earned two corner kicks and a free kick in the final 10 plus stoppage, but the defense held and preserved the clean sheet.

The total passes statistic below shows how thoroughly the Union forced Carolina, itself a defend and counter team by shape, to play the way the Union wanted them to.

Table positions postgame

The win puts Philadelphia one point ahead of second place Cincinnati, the point being one more shootout win. The loss keeps Carolina in 10th place four points behind Chicago and Chattanooga who are in eight and ninth respectively separated by goal difference.

Next match

Union II next play Sunday in south Florida against Miami II at 7:00 pm, the day after the Union itself plays Miami. That Cavan Sullivan did not dress suggests he may get to play for a few minutes on the same field as Lionel Messi,  reportedly an ancillary ambition for his season.

Three points

1. Goalkeeper Oliver Semmle  debuted in MLS NEXT Pro with a clean sheet.
2. He did so only with stellar assistance from 18-year-old right center back Gavin Wetzel who had two lead-saving tackles in the second half, in the 65th and 67th. The second occurred after Semmle himself had overrun the play. Wetzel then made it possible for Olwethu Makhanya to intervene  and clear.
3. Jamir Johnson’s defensive dirty running in the last half hour was essential to keeping the clean sheet.

 BOXSCORE

Lineups

 Union II (4-1-2-1-2, L-R) 1^st – 7; U II – 5; Am – 8. Starters’ Ave Age = 19.9

 Starters: Oliver Semmle; Frank Westfield, Olwethu Makhanya, Gavin Wetzel,  Jamir Berdecio; Nick Pariano (Kyle Tucker 81′); CJ Olney (Jordan Griffin 81′), Kellen LeBlanc (Zach Mastrodimos 64′); David Vazquez; Eddy Davis (Jamir Johnson 59′), Markus Anderson (Sal Olivas 59′).

Unused substitutes: Alex Smith;  Randy Meneses,  Henry Bernstein,  Leandro Soria.

Carolina (5-4-1, L-R)

Starters: Alex Sutton; Carlos Diaz  (Derek Cuevas 64′), Kai Thomas, Ibrahim Covi, Daniel Chica, Jathan Juarez (Paul Leonardi 81′); Facundo Canete, Santiago Cambindo (Ozzie Ramos 81′), Msunguchi Alenga (Yekeson Subah 68′), Jacob Evans; David Polanco (Joshua Rodriguez 68′).

Unused substitutes: Andrew Pannenberg; Luis Lugo, Juan Rodriguez, Jeremiah White.

Goals

Union II            3rd minute          Nick Pariano (PK)

Union II          77th minute           CJ Olney (David Vazquez)

 Yellow Cards

Union II           15th minute          Olwethu Makhanya (foul)

Carolina           22nd minute        Santiago Cambindo (foul)

Union II           61st minute           Kellan LeBlanc (foul)

Carolina           71st minute           Jacob Evans (foul)

Union II           74th minute          Zach Mastrodimos (foul)

 Stats

 Whistle & Flags

Ref: Alexandra Billeter, AR1: Andrew Charron, AR2: Aaron Riley, 4th: Josiah Parke.