Photo Marjorie Elzey

In a match with strong playoff ramifications for both sides, Philadelphia came back to beat Toronto 2-1.

Toronto FC II laid down a strong challenge to Philadelphia Union II, scoring a deserved penalty kick in the 27th minute from its oldest player Mark Fisher.

But in first half stoppage time CJ Olney intercepted an attempted Toronto build-out pass and found Stas Korzeniowski uncharacteristically wide open on the edge of the penalty box. The U Penn man struck his third worm-burner to the left post in three consecutive games to knot the score. Then, after the Union flipped the pattern of the match in the second half, in the 84th on a corner kick Oscar Benitez lined up at the righthand intersection of the “D” and the penalty box and ran straight onto the center of the six to head a perfectly delivered corner to win the match and secure all three points.

With the loss, Toronto’s playoff chances are now subject to the results of the rest of the weekend, while Philadelphia remains in the hunt for the top seed.  Philly will need Red Bull II to stumble, but they have now secured at least one home playoff game being guaranteed to finish no lower than fourth in the east.

In advance

For its next-to-last game of the regular season, Union II played in York, Ontario, Canada against Toronto FC II the day before the first team was away to D. C. United. Thus there was no possibility of players serving double duty. They were at either one game or the other. Before tap Union II held second place in the eastern conference, while Toronto II held seventh.

Toronto II also played the day before their first team would;  both Toronto games were home.

According to Bradley Carnell in his Thursday pre-DC press conference, Union II right back Gio Sequera had worked out with the first team in Frank Westfield’s absence and had showed acceptably at that level. Center back Neil Pierre continues to be described as at the “earliest stages” of his first-team development.

George Marks was expected to start in goal for Union II. Given Westfield’s absence, Neil Pierre was perhaps not expected to travel to Canada, nor was Cavan Sulllivan. Eddy Davis was also away as a practice player for the US U20s and was unavailable. Nick Pariano, CJ Olney, Markus Anderson and Sal Olivas were expected to travel north with the second team.

A month previously Toronto II and Union II had tied in Chester with the visitors winning the consequent PK shootout 8-7. A little more than a month before that Union II had defeated the Canadians in Chester 5-0. In the draw Toronto II head coach Gianni Cimini had played his younger players.  The older ones had gotten smoked in the first match, particularly after their outstanding starting goalkeeper Adisa De Rosario had come off the pitch injured.

First half

Toronto came off the tap on the front foot and stayed there for most of the half. Philadelphia would develop some dangerous counterattacks, but the half was characterized by the hosts winning almost all second balls.

Until stoppage time, the Canadian side was the better of the two sides. Their playoff status meant that a win could see them clinching a playoff position, and they played with that intensity of purpose. Head coach Gianni Cimini had also seen Philadelphia twice before, and set up his personnel to negate some of Philly’s attack.  In particular they negated Philadelphia attacking through the right outside channel.

Then in the 46th minute CJ Olney found Stas Korzeniowski as described earlier.

Coach Cimini deserves full credit for having his side playing with intensity and discipline and giving Philadelphia as much as they could handle. There is no question the visitors missed Cavan Sullivan. But Oscar Benitez’s ground coverage and tackling was a Philadelphia bright spot deputizing for Neil Pierre.

If Philly were to secure choice of opponent in the playoffs, based on the first half we doubt that they would choose Toronto.

Second half

Neither coach substituted at half time, but the intermission transformed the match. Its pattern reversed almost exactly.

Philadelphia came out on the front foot and stayed there, even with coach Richter making his usual late game developmental substitutions. Whereas Toronto had held the more of possession in the first half with Philadelphia creating occasional counter thrusts, in the second half Philly held most of the ball with Toronto doing the counter-thrusting.

Kellan LeBlanc in particular reversed his match. He had had little impact on the first half, but asserted himself much more effectively after the break until he left in the 76th minute.

Oscar Benitez continued his stellar play, and in the 84th scored the game winning head ball directly from a corner kick served by CJ Olney who collected two assists on the night..

Head coach Ryan Richter

Since the final game of the season’s reports will probably focus on the coming 324playoffs, it seems appropriate to discuss Ryan Richter’s first season as Union II head coach. He managed the transformation from a narrow diamond midfield shape to the empty bucket midfield very well.  He continued Union II’s streak of never missing the MLSNEXT Pro playoffs. He is a worthy successor to Marlon LeBlanc.

His discipline in making late-game developmental substitutions paid off on the night because Toronto developed no noticeable offensive pressure once the subs began to appear. That was not the case earlier in the year.

He has made three positional moves with his roster that seem well-judged. Former defensive mid Oscar Benitez may become a good center back.  Former flank attacking mid Gio Sequera may become a good attacking wingback/outside back. And CJ Olney may become a defensive midfielder in a double pivot.

Next match

In the regular season’s last game, i. e.,  Decision Day, Union II will host New York City FC II at Subaru Park at 1:00 PM Sunday, October 5^th. All eastern conference games will tap off at the same time.

Three points

1. In addition to his goal Benitez showed improvement in his offensive distribution and was amazing in his ground coverage while defending and tackling.
2. We have seen distinctly fewer than a handful of games with former attacking midfielder CJ Olney playing as a double six, but it seems to fit his personality. He will need at least a year more of playing there to evaluate the fit properly, but it has begun with real promise.
3. In spite of committing the penalty kick foul, Gio Sequera continues to do well at right back, in this match particularly as an attacking wing back.

B O X S C O R E       

Lineups

Union II (4-2-2-2, L-R). Head coach Ryan Richter. 1^st  — 5+0; U^II – 5+6; AA – 1+1. Starters’ Ave Age = 20.6

Starters: George Marks^1st;  Jordan Griffin^AA, Rafael Uzcategui^UII, Oscar Benitez^UII, Gio Sequera^Uii; CJ Olney^1st, Nick Pariano^1st; Markus Anderson^1st, (Willyam Ferreira^UII 67′), Kellen LeBlanc^Uii  (Jamir Johnson^AA 76‘), Stas Korzeniowski^UII,(Leandro Soria^UII 88‘), Sal Olivas^1st (Malik Jakupovic^UII 67′) .

Unused substitutes: Lou Liedtka^UII; Kaiden Moore^Uii, Noah Probst^Uii.   

Toronto II (3-5-2). Head coach Gianni Cimini. Starters’ Ave Age = 2o.2

Starters: Adisa De Rosario (20); Stefan Kapor (16) (Micah Chisholm (20) 64′), Mark Fischer (24), Ythallo (21); Nate Edwards (22) (Reid Fischer (21) 76′), Antone Bossenberry (17) (Constantinos Iliadis (19) 76′), Timothy Fortier (16) (Lucas Olguin (20) 64′), Marko Stojadinovic (21) (Patrick MacDonald (22) 85′), Hassan Ayari (22); Dekwan Barrow (21), Michael Sullivan (22).

Unused substitutes: Shafique Wilson (24); Lazar Stefanovich (21), Richard Chukwu (17), Josh Nugent (18). 

Goals

Toronto II           27th minute           Mark Fisher (PK)

Union II.             45+1 minutę          Stas Korzeniowski (CJ Olney)

Union II              84th minute           Oscar Benitez (CJ Olney)

Yellow Cards

Union II             27th minute            Gio Sequera (foul)

Toronto II          71st minute            Nate Thompson (foul)

Toronto II          80th minute           Micah Chisholm

 Stats

Whistle & Flags

Referee was said to be Louis Malita. The others were undiscoverable amidst contradictory information..