Two Late Goals Sees Union II Bounce Back and Beat Huntsville City 2-0

Union II were back home this weekend as they looked to bounce back from their first defeat of the 2024 season. Huntsville City FC were the team coming to Philly in this one and they were looking for their first win of the season.

Union vs Huntsville City recap

Marlon LeBlanc made a few changes to his side’s starting XI. Chris Donovan was back with the team as he partnered new signing Leandro Soria up top, with both Sal Olivas and Eddy Davis III dropping to the bench. Club captain Kyle Tucker was also introduced into the starting XI, after his unbelievable free-kick goal last weekend.

Union II wasted no time attacking Huntsville from the opening kickoff and almost found the back of the net within the opening 2 minutes, Kyle Tucker looked to carry on from where he left off last weekend, but his shot cannoned off the bar.

Tucker was involved with Union II’s next chance around 20 minutes into the game, he put a brilliant ball in across the face of the goal, but Donovan couldn’t quite reach it and he sent the ball wide.

Philly on the front foot in the 1st half

David Vazquez should have had a goal to celebrate his new homegrown contract after he stole the ball off a Huntsville defender and was through on goal with just the keeper to beat, but the young attacker couldn’t get his shot on target.

The game calmed down a little after the Vazquez chance and Huntsville enjoyed a little spell of possession with Andrew Rick being called into action for the first time in the game.

Vazquez had a shot from distance too but it would have been a certified goal of the season winner if it went in. The final chance of the first half fell to Philly, vice-captain Frankie Westfield put the ball across the Huntsville goal, but no one could get any sort of contact on it to divert it home.

A two-goal 2nd half

The second half got underway and Marlon LeBlanc’s side needed to capitalise on all the possession and chances they were having. Kyle Tucker had a half chance in the opening minutes of the half, but he couldn’t keep his shot down.

The start of the second half was chaotic from both sides, Vazquez found Soria with a great pass but the new striker couldn’t beat the Huntsville keeper with his shot. Gavin Wetzel then saved Philly from going 1-0 down, after he made a great goal-line clearance from a Huntsville corner.

Philly had the final chance during the mad opening 10 minutes of the second half when Chris Donovan ran down the right wing, skipped past his man, and then found CJ Olney with a beautiful ball but Olney couldn’t fire his shot on target.

It was slowly looking like Union II was destined to just not take their chances as the mad rush stopped after Olney’s chance and both teams made changes. Soria and Tucker left the field for Eddy Davis and Giovany Sequera.

Olney puts Union II up 1-0

Vazquez found Chris Donovan with a great cross into the box, around 70 minutes in, but Donovan again couldn’t hit the target from inside the area. Vazquez was in the thick of the action right before coming off the field when he saw his effort denied by a Huntsville defender on the line, it all looked like it wasn’t going to be Union II’s day until the 80^th minute struck.

After some patient buildup play by Philly, Sequera cut inside from the right flank and found CJ Olney on the edge of the box. The young attacking midfielder hit it first time and curled it beautifully into the bottom corner to finally put Union II 1-0 up.

Westfield doubled the lead from the spot!

Huntsville suddenly woke up when Olney’s shot went in and they threatened after the kickoff, coming extremely close to restoring the tie between the two teams, but just like Kyle Tucker earlier in the game, their close-range shot crashed off the bar.

Philly quickly realized they needed to find another goal if they were to go on and secure all 3 points, and as they were searching for that goal, Sanders Ngabo ventured into the box and was brought down by a Huntsville defender, the ref had no other option but to point to the spot.

Vice-captain Frankie Westfield stepped up to the spot to take the penalty and after a slow run-up, he slotted the ball confidently into the bottom right corner to secure all 3 points for his team and put them 2-0 up with minutes to go.

Philly’s back on top in the east!

Philly would go on to win the game, after coming close to a 3^rd but a solid save from the Huntsville keeper denied them that, and return to the top of the table, tied on points with both NYRB II and Chattanooga.

Union II will have a bye week this coming week, so it’ll be 14 days before we see Marlon LeBlanc’s men back in action, which is an away trip to New England to face Revolution II.