RW- Roger Torres
The diminutive Colombian went on to provide the first assist to a Union player in the following game, an epic 3-2 win against DC United which is memorable enough to warrant its own article. On loan from America de Cali at the time, he joined Union permanently in 2012, spending a total of 4 seasons in Philly before going back to Colombia, where he has played in the domestic top-flight ever since.
He currently wears the number 8 shirt for Atletico Bucaramanga, who are based in the mountainous North of the country.
MC- Toni Stahl
We move on to the recipient of the aforementioned red card, a defensive midfielder from Finland who gained a scholarship to play college soccer for the University of Connecticut. His college career was a success, which prompted Union to select him in the second round of the Superdraft. For the crime of being sent off 39 minutes into the franchise’s existence in competitive soccer, he was banished to the Union’s USL-2 affiliate on loan, and was released in 2011.
Three years in the NASL followed with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers and the Carolina RailHawks before he retired from soccer at the tender age of 29. Readily available information about his career and whereabouts since then appears to be at a premium.
MC- Andrew Jacobson
With 8 years of regular appearances in MLS under his belt, Jacobson proved a slightly more accomplished central midfielder, having appeared 25 times for Union in their debut season, after being selected in the Expansion Draft. A steady career in MLS included spells at Dallas alongside Chris Seitz, as well as NYCFC and Vancouver Whitecaps, retiring in early 2018 and opting to spend at least the first part of his retirement away from soccer.
ML- Sebastian Le Toux
A man synonymous with the Union and who had by far the most successful time in Philly with a half-century of league goals which included the first three goals Union ever scored. Le Toux was a shrewd selection in the Expansion Draft, having not been protected by the previous year’s expansion team, Seattle Sounders. His first spell at the Union ended at the conclusion of the 2011 season, when he was traded for allocation money to Vancouver, after an unsuccessful trial with English Premier League club Bolton Wanderers.
The prodigal son of Ben would however return a year later, continuing to be a consistent source of goals for three more years, before being traded to Colorado in 2016 and winding down his career with DC United.
He recently helped cover the opening game in the MLS Is Back Tournament against Orlando on Philadelphia iheartradio, and still appears regularly in media produced by the franchise.
Continued on the page below.
Photo Credit: Philadelphia Union
