Photo courtesy Philadelphia Union II Communications

In a match punctuated by an hour-and-a-half weather delay Thursday night in Chester, after conceding two counterattacking goals to visiting New England Revolution II, Philadelphia Union II scored twice in the space of seven minutes to secure a 2-2 draw. They won the consequent penalty kick shootout 7-6. They earned two points and remain third in their conference holding three and four games in hand respectively on their higher placed conference competitors.

The match turned on substitutions made in the 61st minute by Union II head coach Ryan Richter, when he added defensive mid Nick Pariano and left-attacking mid CJ Olney to his midfield for Henry Bernstein and Kellen LeBlanc. Those substitutes’ reunification with starters David Vazquez and Cavan Sullivan reconstituted the 2024 midfield that won MLS NEXT Pro’s 2024 Eastern Conference championship. The quartet produced two goals, one almost immediately and the other seven minutes later.

A key game determinant had been the delay undergone by the first team’s return flight from its Chicago match the night before. The Union II regulars who had flown back from providing first team bench depth arrived between 4:30 and 5:00 AM. They faced New England on limited sleep.

Cavan Sullivan scored Philadelphia’s first goal on an assist from neophyte right back Gio Sequera (see photo), And seven minutes later the night’s captain, left center back Rafael Uzcategui, scored the equalizer from a head flick by striker Sal Olivas that originated from free kick service by Sullivan.

In advance: Union II

The rosters of the Union and Union II interchange fluidly to maximize game minutes for younger players. Right now that principle, first team roster unavailabilities, and the organization’s combined schedule provide challenges.

Both teams have matches that tap off four days after their previous finishes. The first team’s two matches are both away, while Union II’s two are both home. Head of Team Operations Josh Gros and Manager of Union II Operations Ryan Sanders are both earning their salaries this week arranging plane flights and bus rides while returning from Chicago to Chester, and then going back to the Midwest again.

The first team played Wednesday night in Chicago without nine (9!) players due to either injury or Gold Cup duty. Since in Columbus they will still be missing at least seven of those nine plus the suspended Jakob Glesnes, the peripatetic Union II regulars will fly west again, this time to Ohio.

Neil Pierre will no longer remain an off-roster Homegrown player, since his dressing for the Columbus match would require a seventh MLS regular season game short-term agreement. Six is the  limit.

Other Union II reserves returned to Chester from MLS NEXT Cup to provide Union II with reserve depth thus ending the sequence of Union II matches with only three field player reserves available on its bench.

Also, although MLS NEXT Pro has reached the halfway point of its season, Union II has not. The match against Revs II was Philly’s 12^th of the season, meaning they have 16 of the 28 remaining, not 14.

In advance: Revs II

New England’s first team hosted Nashville the day before Revs II visited Philly, so probably Revs II will not have access to many ad hoc reinforcements. Historically New England’s first and second teams have been much more clearly separate from each other than Philadelphia’s.

First half

Union II dominated possession for the first 20 to 25 minutes, but then New England grew into the game jumping the passing lanes at the top of their defensive third.

Offensively New England played for counterattacks via speed at both outside mids, especially from Gevork Diarbian on the left. Union first-time right back Gio Sequera showed his inexperience. He did not anticipate the sprints from Diarbian as well as a more experienced right back might have.

New England was playing a high restraining line to compact Union II’s space in midfield. Only Sal Olivas threatened that green space. Stas Korzeniowski holds up play well but is not a speed merchant. New England almost always conceded possession to Philly throughout the half.

As Philly began to tire, New England began to generate more counterattacks (see the offside stats below), Union II goalkeeper Pierce Holbrook did a nice job collecting a dangerous counter in the 30th minute.

Halftime featured a weather delay in which no rain fell for the first half hour, let alone any lightning being manifest. The wind did change direction and the temperature did drop. And after 40 minutes rain began to fall.

Second half

New England head coach Richie Williams  replaced striker Michael Tsicoulias with Joe Buck at halftime. His counterpart coach Richter replaced center back Neil Pierre with Oscar Benitez, and hold-up striker Stas Korzeniowski with the pacier Eddy Davis.

New England seemingly slipped a dagger into Union II’s chances in the 54th minute when center midfielder Javaun Mussenden overlapped into the far right corner of the display board end and shot for the near post. The shot skipped off the wet grass a foot or so in front of Union II goalkeeper Pierce Holbrook and over his arms to find the back of the net. Holbrook would certainly be the first to say that he was too far off his near post anticipating a cross from the shooter rather than a shot from an “impossible” angle.

Then Richter reunited last season’s champions. The match’s character turned. And the dominance Union II displayed in the first 20 minutes re-asserted itself.

Sullivan came off in the 77th minute for young speedster Jamir Johnson, and the champions’ reunion was necessarily diluted. Oscar Benitez’s closing speed proved useful more than once. His future growth opportunity to become a long range distributor was equally obvious.

After the referee called time, the match went to a draw’s standard shootout.

In the shootout’s eighth round keeper Holbrook redeemed his earlier mistake by making his first Union II shootout save, and was swarmed by his teammates.

Cavan Sullivan

On the night Keystone Sports’ prize youngster proved how far he has come in roughly a year.

He had the best ball control on the field for either team. His mix of dribbling and combination passing was ideal. His physicality absorbed New England’s challenges effectively.

His goal came from 17 1/2 yards and beat New England keeper Weinstein to the near post. It is a legitimate candidate for goal of the week. And his free kick found Olivas’s head in the melee that produced Uzcategui’s goal.

Sullivan’s remaining challenge is to acquire the endurance and stamina of an adult. We cannot confirm that the technical staff had designated him for 75 minutes with Union II Thursday night in advance of the first team’s Wednesday game in Chicago. But it would have been logical. As coach Richter reminded us in conversation a week ago, Cavan Sullivan is “still only 15.”

He was the best player on the pitch Thursday night. When reunited with familiar teammates, he and they turned the match in less than ten minutes.

 Next match

Union II next play in four days, at Subaru Park against Orlando City B at 3:00 PM Monday afternoon June 30^th.

Three points

1. While inexperienced as a right back, Gio Sequera may well have shown that coach Richter is onto something by playing him there. He will have to acquire experience and prove himself reliable as a ball winner, but it was a promising start.
2. Oscar Benitez needs to follow Aston Trusty’s footsteps from long ago after practice. The Bethlehem Steel FC man did myriad extra work delivering long diagonal passes. Director of Individual Development Plans Anthony Flores is undoubtedly already part of Benitez’s daily existence.
3. While this observation requires the continuous touching of wood to avoid a commentator’s jinx, David Vazquez has improved his physical resiliency so far this season.

B O X S C O R E                           

Lineups

Union II (4-2-2-2, L-R) Head coach Ryan Richter. 1^st – 5+3; U II – 5+4; A – 1+1.

Starters: Pierce Holbrook^{U II}; Isaiah LeFlore^1st , Rafael Uzcategui^{U II}, Neil Pierre^1st,(Oscar Benitez^{U II} HT), Gio Sequera^{U II}; David Vazquez^1st , Henry Bernstein^A  (Nick Pariano^1st 61st), Cavan Sullivan^1st (Jamir Johnson^A, 77′), Kellan LeBlanc^{U II} (CJ Olney^1st 61′)); Stas Korzeniowski^{U II} (Eddy Davis^1st HT) Sal Olivas^1st. Starters’ Ave Age = 19.5

Unused substitutes: Mike Sheridan^{U II}; Leo Soria^{U II}, Willyam Ferreira^{U II}.

Rev II (3-4-3) Head coach Richie Williams.

Starters: Max Weinstein, Victor Souza, Hesron Berry, Gabriel Dahlin (Aidan Reilly ‘81) ; Damario McIntosh, Cristiano Oliveira (Damorney Hutchinson 81’), Javaun Mussenden (Malcolm Fry 63’), Gevork Diarbian; Marcos Dias, Liam Butts (Eli Ackerman 73’), Michael Tsicoulias ( Joe Buck 45’).  Starters Ave Age = 21.4

Unused substitutes: JJulian Chapman, Judah Siqueira.

Goals

Rev II            26th minute            Marcos Dias (Gevork Diarbian)

Rev II            55th minute             Javaun Mussenden (Marcos Dias)

Union II        61st minute              Cavan Sullivan (Gio Sequera)

Union II        68th minute             Rafael Uzcategui (Sal Olivas, Cavan Sullivan)

Yellow Cards

Rev II             2nd minute            Javaun Mussenden (foul)

Rev II            67th minute            Joe Buck (foul)

Rev II            73rd minute            Liam Butts (foul)

Rev II            90+1 minute           Marcos Dias (foul)

Rev II            90+1 minute           Richie Williams (dissent)

Stats

Whistle & Flags

Ref: Salvador Flores; AR1: Ariel Raban; AR2: Andrew Charron; 4th:Marie Durr.

Shootout