Photo courtesy Philadelphia Union II Communications

On a sunny windy day at Seat Geek Stadium in Bridgeview, Il, Chicago Fire II defeated Philadelphia Union II 2-1 to secure a home playoff match and drop Philly to second place in MLS NEXT Pro’s eastern conference.

Chicago’s teenage winger Peter Soudan scored a header in the 15th minute on a cross from right back Justin Reynolds. Union II striker Markus Anderson equalized on an assist from fellow striker Eddy Davis III in the 59th. But then Chicago striker David Poreba found winger Omari Glasgow open on the right flank just inside the penalty box and the winger beat Union II goalkeeper Andrew Rick inside the near post for the match winner.

In advance

Internet travel websites indicated there were three early-morning commercial flights from Columbus to Chicago scheduled to arrive before 8 AM on Decision Day.  Head coach Marlon LeBlanc said Thursday he would not know for certain what first teamers might join him in Chicago until after the first team had played Columbus in Columbus the night before.

Direct observation of Union II practice last Thursday showed that Jamir Berdecio, Nick Pariano, CJ Olney, David Vazquez, and Markus Anderson had not travelled with the first team to Orlando and thence to Columbus. The first team’s gameday rosters in Orlando and Columbus identified two that had, Andrew Rick and Cavan Sullivan. Olwethu Makhanya’s unknown location was resolved on gameday.

Were Chicago to have lost, Chattanooga and Columbus could have overtaken them for playoff qualification with wins, especially if Carolina were also to have won while hosting Miami. Chicago needed a result, so Union II expected a hard match.To that end Chicago started only two teenagers, Soudan and US U19 midfielder Sergio Oregel.

First half

Union II began with immediate high pressure all over Chicago’s defensive half. After an early Davis open shot right at Chicago keeper Patrick Los, Chicago’s defense packed the central channel.  They gave up six first half corner kicks but no other significant chances throughout the half.

The crosswind and a slippery grass surface affected several Union II players initially.

After the goal the referee’s distaste for Philly’s desires to restart play immediately reinforced Chicago’s deliberate slowness and toned down the match. The half ended 1-0. Union II could never add the final decisive pass to end its many creative sequences. Chicago seemed always to know where that decisive pass was headed and to intercept it.

Decision Day was the third time the clubs had met, so such understanding of Philly’s patterns is not surprising.

Second half

Neither team made any substitutions at half time. The rest renewed Philadelphia’s pressing energy, but it was applied in spurts rather than continuously.

Fourteen minutes in left back and vice-captain Frank Westfield collected the ball and found Davis facing forward in the middle third. Davis advanced and picked out Anderson on the right flank. Anderson drove his shot past the onrushing Chicago keeper into the left side of the side netting.

But two minutes later Glasgow beat Rick and hindsight tells us the outcome was set.

Philadelphia continued to fight. Immediately after the goal Chicago head coach Ludovic Tallender brought dribble specialist Chris Koffi on to replace Soudan, and Koffi proceeded to takeover Chicago’s offensive left channel. Coach LeBlanc countered after three minutes  with Gio Sequera for Cavan Sullivan, shifting David Vazquez away into the center. The Venezuelan effectively stopped Koffi’s dribbling and was backed defensively by Gavin Wetzel replacing Jamir Berdecio at right back. Berdecio is not the 1 v 1 defender Wetzel is.He is more of a pacey pass anticipator and interceptor than a rock-solid ball winner.

In the 78th Markus Anderson had Union II’s best chance to equalize. Nick Pariano picked off a poor clearance and sent Anderson in behind his central defender slightly to the left of the center line. Chicago keeper Los just grazed the shot with an unknown body part causing it to strike the right post sufficiently squarely that the rebound stayed out, to be cleared by an on-rushing Chicago savior. Half an inch to the left and the match would have been tied.

In the next minute LeBlanc the coach sent on LeBlanc the midfielder for Vazquez who may have been nursing a knock, and Jose Riasco for Anderson as his last moves to affect the outcome. This week there was no miracle comeback, although not for lack of trying, and Union II fell to second place in the table.

Cavan Sullivan

We cannot confirm that Sullivan, Rick and Makhanya got up really early and took a puddle jumper flight from Columbus to Chicago early Sunday morning. We know Sullivan and Rick were in central Ohio Saturday night, and that Makhanya was not in Chester last Thursday, so something comparable seems likely.

Sullivan played energetically and offensively for the approximate hour he was on the field.  He was integral to the offensive pressure Union II created in that first hour. Chicago’s old experienced defense was clearly aware of him and never let him get free to create real danger.

We can only guess that his coach took him off from a combination of travel fatigue and needing strong individual defense against the Chicago style change on their left flank.

Playoff picture

 Union II could have finished no lower than second place and they did so. They will choose their playoff opponent second, after FC Cincinnati 2 has picked. After Decision Day, the pool of eastern conference away teams comprises Crown Legacy (8^th), Columbus, (7^th), New York City (6^th), and Orlando (5^th). Philadelphia’s fellow eastern conference quarterfinal hosts are Cincinnati (1^st), Miami, (3^rd) and Chicago (4^th).

Here are Cincinnati’s and Philadelphia’s records against the four away seeds this season.

Next Match: Eastern conference quarterfinal

The date and venue will be Sunday, October 20 at Subaru Park. Both Union II’s specific opponent and the match’s exact tap-off remain to be determined.

The top three eastern conference seeds will choose their opponents on Tuesday, October 8^th at 2:00 PM ET, to be broadcast live on  MLSNEXTPro.com and the League’s X and Instagram channels. Fourth seeded Chicago will host the remaining away seed.

Exactly when Philadelphia’s match will start will be announced sometime after Apple TV learns who plays whom in each conferences’ quartet of quarterfinals.

Three points + 1

1. Each team’s leading scorer, David Poreba (18) and Eddy Davis (13), was held scoreless, but each had an assist on the day.
2. Apple TV’s announcer was poorer than the Ancient Greek author who composed the Iliad and the Odyssey because Homer got his names right, whereas today’s person unprofessionally called Union II’s left back “Westerfield” all day.
3. During the October international break
   1. Neil Pierre, David Vazquez, and Andrew Rick will be in Valencia, Spain with the US U19s for a camp that includes two friendlies.
   2. Gio Sequera will be with Venezuela’s U20s.
4. To qualify for the playoffs Jose Riasco will need Union II to file for an exemption since he has appeared only three times.

 BOXSCORE

 Lineups

Union II (4-1-2-1-2, L-R) 1^st – 8, U II – 8, Acad – 4.

Starters: Andrew Rick; Frank Westfield, Olwethu Makhanya, Neil Pierre, Jamir Berdecio (Gavin Wetzel 73′); Nick Pariano; CJ Olney, David Vazquez (Kellen LeBlanc 81′); Cavan Sullivan (Gio Sequera 65′); Eddy Davis III (Jose Riasco 73′), Markus Anderson (Sal Olivas 81‘).

Starters Average Age = 19.0

Unused substitutes: Mike Sheridan; Carlos Rojas,  Kyle Tucker, Jamir Johnson.

Chicago II (4-3-3)

Starters: Patrick Los; Lamonth Rochester, Diego Konincks, Jaylen Shannon, Justin Reynolds ((Vitaliy Hlyut 81′) ; Javier Casas, Luka Prpa, Sergio Oregel (Juan Zapata Calle 81′); Peter Soudan (Christian Koffi 62′), David Poreba, Omari Glasgow.

Unused substitutes: Patryck Stechnij; Romain Blake, Harold Osorio, Christopher Cupps, Jason Shokalook, Jean Diouf.

Goals

Chicago II           15th minute          Peter Soudan (Justin Reynolds)

Union II             59th minute           Markus Anderson (Eddy Davis III)

Chicago II          61st minute           Omari Glasgow (David Poreba)

Yellow Cards

Union II             26th minute           Neil Pierre (delay)

Chicago II           28th minute           Diego Konincks (high foot)

Chicago II           end of half              Unknown

Chicago II           89th minute           Luka Prpa (foul)

Union II              90+4 minute          Nick Pariano (dissent)

Chicago II           90+5 minute          Patryck Los (delay)

Stats

Whistle & Flags

Ref: Muhammad Hassan, AR¹: Christopher Slane, AR²: Audra Fullen, 4^th: Igor Bych.