SALT LAKE CITY- It was a season of many successes for the Philadelphia Union Academy, but their time at the MLS Next Cup wrapped up Thursday as the last team standing, the U-15s (playing in the U-16 playoffs) fell 2-0 to Total Futbol Academy in the semifinal.
It was a tough result after a spirited win in the quarterfinals. The game was not streamed unfortunately, and very little information was released during and after the match, which to this writer is disappointing as it was a semifinal. However, the U-15s, led by head coach Ben Moane, have a lot of talented players coming up through that will be worth keeping an eye on.
On Wednesday, the U-16s (playing in the U-17 playoffs) faced off with Atlanta United in the quarterfinals. Last year, the two teams went head to head in the MLS Next Cup U-15 Final, with the Union prevailing, so it involved many of the same players. However, the result would not be repeated.
After holding a 1-0 lead for much of the game thanks to Timoni Gbalajobi’s goal in the 23rd minute, the squad conceded the equalizer in the 87th minute, sending the match to penalties. The PKs went eight rounds, with Atlanta emerging as the victor and ending the Union’s run in the playoffs. It was especially bittersweet for the team as head coach Peter McDonnell is moving on to a new venture. They very deep squad had a remarkable season, and McDonnell proved to be a great leader to the young men.
Also on Wednesday, the U-18s played their final match together in a showcase against Austin FC to wrap up their time in Salt Lake City. For a team that was clearly tight-knit with many having played together for many years, ending with a 4-1 victory sealed the season on a high note.
In the first half, Theo Reed scored a brace, and Gunnar Graham added a goal before halftime. In the second half, Max Owusu-Antwi was shown a red card, rendering the Union down to ten men. However, they were able to add on to their tally thanks to another well-struck PK by Andrew Craig. They conceded a goal before the end, but finished with a victory.
The MLS Next season may have concluded, but many of these players and even a coach will remain in action with Union II as they continue in their season. U-18 coach Chris Harmon, as previously reported, has been named interim head coach for Union II as Ryan Richter shifts to interim head coach for the Union’s first team after the firing of Bradley Carnell.
Expect to see several of the 18s take the field with Union II as the MLS Next Pro season continues, though some will only be there until they depart for college (like Andrew Craig, Nehan Hasan, Lennon Harrington, and Alex Smith). Others like Theo Reed, John Ruf, Tyler Gladstone, Timo Mendoza, and Matheus De Paula, and even U-16s like Abdoulaye Diop, could have a chance to make more of an impact or see more playing time as they often do in the summer. New faces from the Academy that have not yet appeared on the Union II matchday roster could find their way there as well, so stay tuned.
Main article photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Union Academy.
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