Photo PSP Archives

On a hot, extremely humid night in Ft. Lauderdale four nights after having played in High Point , NC,  Philadelphia Union II lost 3-2 to Inter Miami CF II.

Miami Striker Yuval Cohn scored in the 41st minute off a Gavin Wetzel deflection to create a 1-0 halftime lead. Union II’s CJ. Olney found Frank Westfield in the 64th to tie it with Union II’s first shot on target of the match. Then in the 86th, a Dairon Reyes endline cross inside the six found Miami’s  Ryan Sailor for the go-ahead header.

And Reyes clinched matters six minutes later by drawing and scoring a penalty kick. An excellent through ball had put him in alone on Union II goalkeeper Oliver Semmle who brought down his trailing foot after the ball was away for the foul.

Philly striker Eddy Davis III created a frisson of excitement a minute later when Markus Anderson passed back while central inside the box to its top for Davis to score with only Union II’s second shot on target.

Westfield’s header on the game’s ending free kick arced just wide to the left and the final whistle blew, meaning the the boys from Philly had failed to earn their play-off clinching point.

In advance

Union II played Miami on the fourth day after their match against the Carolina Core. It was their last short-rest regular season match of the season.

Before tap, Union II knew a draw would secure them a place in the eastern conference playoffs through the first tiebreaker (wins in regulation). Click here. Injuries to Andre Blake and Holden Trent gave Oliver Semmle the start in goal. Neil Pierre remained away in Japan with the US U18s. Other first-team reinforcements were as usual.

Both Miami II and Union II played 23 ½ hours after Miami and the Union themselves had played on the same field. First-team reinforcements above and beyond the usual were unlikely for either team because of the game frequency both first teams face.

Miami tends to have a stronger separation between the rosters of its two professional teams. They also use much older players. Former Bethlehem Steel stalwart from before the Ernst Tanner era Nyk Sessock still starts as Miami II’s right back.

First half

Both teams managed to circumvent the other’s midfield defenses successfully.  Miami dominated the half’s possession numbers. Neither team had their shooting boots laced up.

Given travel, heat, humidity, and game frequency, head coach Marlon LeBlanc properly rotated his squad at key positions. All his new starters had played substantial substitutes’ minutes four days before in High Point.

But the speed and precision demanded of starters at the beginning of a match is greater than that demanded of subs sent on 60 or more minutes into play. The late summer transition for his academy players meant that one rotation piece was making his starting debut and another had done so only once. There is no substitute for experience, and getting it for his youngsters is coach LeBlanc’s primary task.

Union II made all the right reads and all the right runs. Efforts were commendable, but group cohesion was disjointed.

Wetzel’s properly attempted block of Cohen’s shot unfortunately chipped Semmle, but neither team had looked especially dangerous. Miami was well prepared for Philadelphia’s direct play and rendered it singularly ineffective. They also concentrated defensive numbers in the central channel blunting Philadelphia attacks and answering with their own. They were well prepared for their visitors.

Second half

Coach LeBlanc changed a striker and the defensive midfielder at halftime. Markus Anderson replaced Jamir Johnson in the attack, and Nick Pariano came on for Zach Mastrodimos at the single six.  He also flip-flopped CJ Olney and David Vazquez from each’s normal channel, although the fluidic interchange of those two with Cavan Sullivan meant the change was not applied rigidly. Philadelphia’s play improved.

Miami head coach Frederico Higuain — yes, long-time MLS fans, formerly the well-known Columbus attacking midfielder — made his own game affecting substitutions. Of particular note game-changer Dairon Reyes came on in the 64th,

Coach LeBlanc replaced Vazquez with midfielder Kellan LeBlanc and Olivas with fellow striker Eddy Davis III in the 67th after Westfield’s goal, so the team that had beaten Carolina was on the field with Cavan Sullivan in place of Vazquez.

Unfortunately, on the night the reunion fell short of its objective.

Cavan Sulllivan

These days to call the Union’s most celebrated 14-year-old a 14-year-old obscures the fact that his 15th birthday occurs 13 days after the Miami  game. He played well in the build up to the final third. He has not had large quantities of time together with all of those with whom he started. As that variable improved, the cohesion of the group and his play within it did likewise.

He showed he was Philly tough. He took an elbow to the ear in the second half necessitating a new jersey to replaced the bloody one, but as soon as he was bandaged and newly attired he returned to the pitch.

Playoff picture

The race for the eastern conference playoffs remain tight. Cincinnati beat Columbus and clinched its spot. The Union dropped to second. Orlando won and is in third. Miami jumped to fourth from eighth, ahead of fifth place NYC FC II on the first tiebreaker, wins in regulation. Only six points separate second from eighth. Decision Day will probably live up to its label.

Next match

Union II next play in eight days at home to New York City FC II, on Monday, September 23^rd at 4 PM at Subaru Park.

Three points

1.  Diego Rocio was called into the Mexican U18 side during the September international break.
2. CJ Olney’s assist to Westfield was his team-leading eighth of the season.
3. Gavin Wetzel continued to look solid as a center back.

BOXSCORE

Lineups

Union II (4-1-2-1-2, L-R) Starters: Oliver Semmle, Frank Westfield, Olwethu Makhanya, Gavin Wetzel, Jamir Berdecio; Zach Mastrodimos (Nick Pariano HT); CJ Olney, David Vazquez (Kellan LeBlanc 67′); Cavan Sullivan (Kyle Tucker 88′); Sal Olivas (Eddy Davis III 67′), Jamir Johnson (Markus Anderson HT). 1^st – 8; U II – 4; Am – 8. Starters Average age = 19.0

Union II Unused Substitutes: Gavin Atkinson; Carlos Rojas, Henry Bernstein, Jordan Griffin.

Miami II Starters (4-3-3): Cole Jensen; Samuel Basabe, Giovanni Marchetti, Ryan Sailor, Nykolas Sessock; Jose Casas de Abadal, Ricardo Montenegro, Lawson Sunderland (Dairon Reyes 64′); Ryan Carmichael, Cohen Yuval (Mateo Seja 77′), Alejandro Flores (Idoh Zeltzer-Zubida 74′).

Miami II Unused Substitutes: Owen Finnnerty; Tyler Hall, Byron Destin, Cesar Abadia-Reda, Derrek Martinez, Mateo Turletti.

Goals

Miami II          41st minute           Yuval Cohen

Union II.          67th minute.         Frank Westfield (CJ Olney)

Miami II           86th minute         Ryan Sailor (Dairon Reyes)

Miami II           90+1 minute         Dairon Reyes (PK)

Union II           90+3 minute         Eddy Davis III (Markus Anderson)

Yellow Cards

Union II          26th minute           Zach Mastrodimos (foul)

Miami II         27th minute           Lawson Sunderland (foul)

Union II          37th minute           Olwethu Makhanya (foul)

Union II           45+2 minute         Frank Westfield (foul)

Union II           51st minute            Nick Pariano (foul)

Miami II          55th minute          Jose Casas de Abadal (foul)

Miami II         76th minute          Ryan Sailor (foul)

Union II          87th minute          Kellan LeBlanc (simulation)

Union II          90+1 minute         Oliver Semmle (foul)

Stats

Whistle & Flags

Ref: Kyle Johnston, AR¹: Logan Reeves, AR²: Carlos Morales-Lastra, 4^TH: Preston Joyner.