Marlon LeBlanc and his Philadelphia Union II side headed into Monday evening with a rivalry game against NYCFC II, with a win not only securing a playoff spot for the 3rd time in 3 years, but a win would also put them into a much better spot to clinch the number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
Union II make history
The lineup that LeBlanc selected for this game is arguably the best Union II has to offer, with Eddy Davis and Markus Anderson leading the line, CJ Olney, Cavan Sullivan, and David Vazquez in midfield, and Neil Pierre back to partner Makhanya at the back. Andrew Rick returned in between the sticks too.
The first half started the way everyone was expecting, with both teams keeping it simple and not looking to concede an early goal. Well, that lasted around 10 minutes in when Cavan Sullivan dispossessed NYCFC in midfield and slipped CJ Olney down the left wing. Olney put a great ball back across the box and found Markus Anderson who hammered home to put Union II 1-0 up.
NYCFC didn’t waste any time going right back at the Union II and was piling the pressure on, looking for a quick reply. The visitors got that reply in the 20th minute when Wetzel got beat down the left wing and the cross found Taylor Calheira for his 14th of the season.
NYCFC II didn’t stop there and found a 2nd goal to take the lead shortly after. Wetzel, once again, got beat down the left wing way too easily and while Andrew Rick pulled off a great save to stop the initial NYCFC II effort, Jonathan Jimenez was there to put the rebound past him and give the visitors the lead.
Just past the half-hour mark and the visitors weren’t done as after some great work around the edge of the penalty box, NYCFC II managed to find Jonathan Shore on the left side of the box, who curled a great shot into the far bottom right corner to extend the visitors lead to 3-1.
Things were looking very bleak for the boys in blue and their hopes of securing a playoff spot and putting pressure on the other teams fighting for the number 1 seed, but there was a slight glimmer of hope right before halftime. Eddy Davis was taken out in the box and Nick Pariano slotted the resulting penalty into the bottom right corner to make the scoreline 3-2 and end a crazy first half at Subaru Park.
Philly piled the pressure on from the off in the 2nd half and they got a reward almost instantly after the restart when NYCFC II made a huge mistake while trying to play out from the back, gifting Eddy Davis the ball in the box and Union II’s top goalscorer was never going to miss. 3-3 and that playoff spot was getting closer to being secured.
Union II almost grabbed a 4th and their 2nd lead of the game after a beautiful counter-attack from Markus Anderson, Cavan Sullivan, and Eddy Davis, but the latter couldn’t find the back of the net.
Astonishingly, Union II completed the incredible comeback from 3-1 down after a brilliant free-kick delivery was headed home by co-captain of the side Frankie Westfield. Now they need to just hold on to secure their playoff spot but with how this game has gone, who knows what’s going to happen next.
Just before the 70th minute mark, Marlon LeBlanc made his first 2 changes of the game, with David Vazquez and goalscorer Eddy Davis making way for Giovanny Sequera and Sal Olivas. A few minutes later and another goalscorer leaves the game, with Markus Anderson being replaced by Jose Riasco, the first time he’s been seen in Philly for a long time after he returned from his loan spell away around a month ago.
8 minutes from time and Marlon LeBlanc makes his final 2 substitutes of the game, with Cavan Sullivan, who capped off a great performance with an assist to Westfield’s lead taking goal, and penalty scorer Nick Pariano being replaced by Kellan LeBlanc and Jamir Berdecio.
Union II managed the remaining minutes of the game and fully completed an incredible comeback from 3-1 down to beat rivals NYCFC II 4-3. Marlon LeBlanc’s men have now become the 2nd ever team in MLS Next Pro history to secure a playoff spot in all 3 of the years that the league has been running, and also sit just 2 points behind #1 seed team FC Cincinnati, with 2 games to go.
Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
