It was barely over a month ago, but Philadelphia Union II will be heading back up to Smithfield, Rhode Island where they dealt New England Revolution II a 4-0 thumping behind an Eddy Davis hat trick on July 5. In their first meeting, at home in May, Union II conceded late to fall 1-0. Now they face each other for the third and final time in the regular season on Sunday. Union II will be looking to keep momentum going after their 2-1 victory over FC Cincinnati 2, which was their first win since the aforementioned match at Revolution II.
Looking back at their latest win, coach Chris Harmon was proud of how his squad defended and were effective in their pressing. When I spoke with him prior to the upcoming match, he noted how they are looking to build consistency in that, as well as being a little more aggressive and throwing numbers forward to be more dangerous in the attack.
Photo: Emily Wallace-Sutton.
They will not have the firepower of Davis as he has gone on loan to Loudoun United, but Union II have plenty of options on the attack. With the first team playing at NYCFC at 6:00 PM the same evening (break out the multiple screens!), if they are not needed for that match, Stas Korzeniowski and Malik Jakupovic are strong contenders, along with Sal Olivas, Theo Reed, and John Ruf.
Harmon shared that he was really happy for Davis to have the opportunity:
“We always say that our space… this is what our space is for. It’s for the guys to prove themselves and to get opportunities. And Eddy did that for sure. So we’re really happy for him. We think it’s a really positive step in his career, and hopefully he continues to get more and more games, and then can come back and prove it here. So really happy for him.
“Obviously, it’s a loss for the group, but for us, that’s what our space is about. It’s the next man up, and how we can fill the hole there is by collective effort and making sure that we’re really good in the areas that hurt New England last game. So I think for us it’s trying to make sure that in transition again, we can be really lethal.”
Several in the group saw action for the first team in their Leagues Cup match against Santos Laguna on Thursday, and it was a great opportunity to test themselves. Korzeniowski and Rafael Uzcátegui got the start, with the latter making his first team debut and playing the full 90. Jakupovic, Finn Sundstrom, and Kellan LeBlanc—also making his first team debut—subbed on during the match.
“Yeah, really proud of them,” Harmon said of that opportunity. “Obviously, Rafa to play 90 minutes, yeah, he’s somebody who, for me, he fully deserves the opportunity. And you can just see and how he plays, even at that level, he gives everything. His commitment to the team and his commitment to making sure he’s doing everything possible to help the group is what showed through for me. So really happy for him.”
First team interim head coach Ryan Richter had made similar comments about Uzcátegui after that match, saying “He puts everything into every game, and you’re never gonna walk away from a game thinking that he didn’t put everything he could into it.”
Harmon added, “And then for the other guys, I think everybody showed well. I think that everybody was brave when they came on. Everybody showed moments where they wanted to express themselves and show themselves in a good light.”
“So I thought Kellan off the bench was bright,” Harmon continued. “You know, Stas got some really good minutes, and yeah, Malik, again, same thing. Now for him to get these minutes is really important. Finn coming in and playing a part at the back. These are all valuable experiences for these guys, and they need to feel the pressure of the lights and playing at Subaru Park, so I think for us it’s massive for sure. When they come back down, or if they come back down, they’ll be better off for it.
Richter, who has known LeBlanc since he joined the Union Academy at 10 years old, said after the Santos Laguna match that “[Kellan] needs to produce a little more in the second team games” but that he was “happy with the way he approached [the game], and wasn’t afraid of the moment.”
LeBlanc made his first actions on the ball memorable when he ripped a shot on goal off a volley from the top of the box, forcing a save by the Santos Laguna keeper. “I think as a number 10, you’re ultimately judged on goals and assists,” he said with regard to LeBlanc. “And for us, you know, I spent a lot of time with Kellan in terms of what can he do to make himself more dangerous. And again, you can see just the chance that he takes last night. Yeah, the eagerness to just really put your stamp on the game. And again, I think he’s embraced that.”
LeBlanc has been quite involved in Union II’s attack, but has not always had the goals and assists to show for it. “I think for him, sometimes, that the assist column doesn’t always get a tick,” Harmon said. “You know, if we miss a chance when he’s been able to put a really good ball in, but he needs to continue to push himself in that area for sure to have an impact with us a little bit more. But we’re happy with how he’s progressing, and I think those opportunities will continue to come if he keeps pushing himself in the right way.”
LeBlanc’s only goal this season was, in fact, in that July 5 match at Revolution II, and he also has three assists on the season. Along with other players who have been key in helping create chances like Willyam Ferreira, Jordan Griffin, Tyler Gladstone, and Matheus De Paula, LeBlanc will surely be an important piece in Union II’s attack on Sunday.
Photo: Philadelphia Union II
Union II will, unfortunately, be without Giovanny Sequera for the second straight game as he serves a yellow card accumulation suspension, but Óscar Benítez will be back and available for selection, so he could possibly be paired with Timo Mendoza, another player showing a lot of promise, allowing De Paula to possibly be at right back.
Philadelphia currently sit in 12th at 8-10-4, and will take on a New England squad that is in third place (11-4-6) and is in a good run of form since the last time the teams met.
On what he has seen from Revolution II, Harmon shared, “They’ve changed shape since they’ve played us. They’ve been a little bit more difficult to break down since us. They’ve made some adjustments. So I think now it’s going to be a little bit of a different game in terms of the spaces that we’re going to try to exploit, but just like everybody, you know, they have points in the season where they’re in form and points in the season where, you know, it’s a little bit… I wouldn’t say easier, but you know, for us, I would say we’re coming off of two better results.”
Harmon has confidence in his squad, who are only four points out of a playoff position, but every point matters as they go on the final stretch. “I think it’s going to be a great matchup on the road again. The good thing is, is we were just there. We’re going to stay in the same hotel and play on the same field. These little things matter for us. Having a little bit of familiarity on the road, it definitely helps.”
Tune into the YouTube livestream through MLS Next Pro or on OneFootball to see Union II battle Revolution II at Beirne Stadium on Sunday, August 16 at 7:00 PM.
Main article photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Union.
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