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September 24, 2022 MLSNEXT Pro playoff game...Toronto FC II vs Philadelphia Union II game report (by Rocket Robin)
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Result and details of the Saturday September 24, 2022 MLSNEXTPro league game between Toronto FC II
and Philadelphia Union II played at BMO Field in Toronto at 7:00pm. This was officially a one game league quarterfinal
and/or Eastern Conference semifinal depending on which league story you read.
Toronto FC II (gray socks, red shorts and shirts, white names and numbers)
...........................90 Luka Gavron
58 Kobe Franklin...51 Adam Pearlman...65 Antony Curic...62 Rohan Goulbourne
......52 Alonso Coello (cpt)...72 Steffen Yeates...81 Themi Antonoglou
......80 Paul Rothrock...83 Hugo Mbongue...77 Jordan Perruzza
Subs:...1 Greg Ranjitsingh (gk)...12 Kadein Chung (def)...33 Reshaun Walkes (fwd)...34 Klaidi Cela (def)
...35 Mehdi Essoussi (mid)...71 Markus Cimermancic (mid)...82 Julian Altobelli (mid)...84 Antonio Carlini (mid)
...86 Alec Dias (fwd)
team official:...head coach Gianni Cimini
Philadelphia Union II (light blue socks and shirts, yellow shorts, names and numbers)
............................1 Matthew Freese
39 Francis Westfield...13 Cole Turner...75 Nthaniel Nkanji...24 Anthony Sorenson
55 Bajung Darboe...38 Maike Villero Farinez...52 Boubacar Diallo...50 Juan Perdomo Rivero
.................40 Christopher Donovan...32 Jose Riasco Brizuela
Subs:...76 Andrew Rick (gk)...35 Gino Portella (def)...37 Carlos Paternina Molina (mid)...78 Anthony Ramirez (mid)
...98 Stefan Sojanovic (fwd)
team official: head coach Mario LeBlanc
First Half:...game starts 7:06pm...TFC defends west end. It's already twilight, overcast and the temperature is mild but cooling rapidly.
49 sec...PU Westfield shoots low recovered clearance up middle wide right from 28 yards.
2 min...TFC defenders are able to clear TFC goalie's poor clearance without giving up a shot.
3 min...PU Diallo 60 yard shot down middle bounces wide right.
5 min...TFC Hugo Mbongue GOAL...TFC Themi Antonoglou receives pass at center line on left side and runs up wing
and rolls pass forward to TFC Jordan Perruzza at 25 yard line. Perruzza runs to 15 line on left edge of 18 yard box
and sends low centering cross that has Mbongue slide forward to kick 7 yarder from even with left post to top right corner
of net beyond goalie Matthew Freese.
7 min...PU Rivero gets to ball for 10 yard shot wide right.
8 min...TFC goalie out to 15 yards on right to smother ball.
9 min...TFC Antonoglou rush up left and passes ball forward to TFC Perruzza who gets 15 yard shot near end line that goalie
dives forward to catch.
10 min...TFC Antonoglou rolls centering pass from left that sliding PU Nkanji pushes just wide left of post.
11 min...TFC player's cornerkick from left is whistled dow in box.
12 min...PU Rivero cornerkick from right has PU Brizuela head 10 yarder onto top of net on left side.
15 min...TFC Antonoglou 25 yard freekick on left has ball knocked wide right by crowd of players on right side of box.
17 min...PU Brizuela long run up centre but is checked off ball at 22 yard line.
17 min...TFC Pearlman shanks clearance of cross over own net.
18 min...PU Donovan cornerkick from left has goalie punch ball away in crowd of players and starts fast break out.
21 min...TFC Perruzza blasts 25 yarder up middle in crowd of players that goalie catches.
24 min...PU Turner sends 60 yard through ball pass to PU Donovan who chests ball down at 20 yards but is bumped off ball
in middle.
25 min...PU Sorenson 50 yard cross from left has PU Donovan pop 12 yard header land on top of net.
27 min...PU Diallo pings deflected shot that wins cornerkick.
27 min...PU Westfield cornerkick from right has PU Brizuela head 10 yarder land on top of net.
28 min...TFC Rothrock 25 yard shot crosses to middle and wins cornerkick.
28 min...TFC Franklin cornerkick from left is caught by goalie on right side of box in front of crowd of players.
29 min...PU Westfield 30 yarder up middle through crowd of players is smothered by goalie in center of net.
32 min...PU YELLOW card...Sorenson earns it for tripping TFC Perruzza lining even with defenders at 25 yards for run
behind those players.
33 min...TFC Perruzza blasts 30 yard freekick from slight right high and wide left of net.
35 min...TFC Coello rolls through ball to left for open TFC Perruzza to charge to left end line and sends low cross that sliding
TFC Mbongue knocks wide left from 7 yards. The PU goalie was injured on play and needs trainer. TFC Mbongue shakes
his hand when he recovers.
38 min...play resumes with goalkick.
39 min...PU YELLOW card...Farinez earns it for complaining ab out TFC being awarded a freekick at PU 40 yard line.
40 min...TFC Goulbourne makes key sliding check at TFC 20 yard line to break up PU player's rush who'd deked three guys.
42 min...TFC Mbongue flicks through ball header at 25 yards on left but goalie beats TFC Perruzza to smother ball at 15 yard line
on left.
43 min...TFC Rothrock short pass forward to TFC Mbongue and his shot deflects off PU Turner for cornerkick.
44 min...TFC Antonoglou low cornerkick from right is through and out left side of box.
45 min...TFC Franklin freekick from top right of box has goalie fly to left to push ball away. A 6 yard header is sent
in and defender clears on left end line.
46 min...half ends 7:52pm.
Halftime: The subs are on the field warming up having to battle the sprinklers that are turned on. The temperature
continues to drop.
Second Half:...starts 8:08pm.
45:18...TFC goalie smothers 25 yard bouncer.
47 min...TFC Curic makes key header to clear cross from right.
47 min...TFC Rothrock long run to get to pass on right and then sends high cross over the box.
48 min...TFC goalie cathes 30 yard cross from right.
49 min...PU Donovan breaks up pass at center line and runs in turning play into 3 v 3 and chips 22 yard shot over bar.
50 min...TFC goalie is out to 22 yards on right to clear dangerous ball before PU players and TFC defenders can get to it.
51 min...TFC Franklin pass from center to left and TFC Antonoglou one-touch 25 yard shot that goalie smothers on near post.
52 min...TFC Mbongue is given pass from TFC Yeates and 20 yard shot has goalie palm ball at 7 yards hitting bar and deflecting
over net.
53 min...TFC Franklin cornerkick from left has TFC Goulbourne head 15 yarder that goalie catches.
58 min...TFC Curic makes big stop on low cross from right and teammate clears.
59 min...PU Donovan has 5 yard tap-in on left side of net into net waved off PU cornerkick from right threaded it's way through
players in box. The TFC goalie was injured on the play andan needs the trainer.
61 min...TFC sub...Walkes replaces Perruzza.
..........TFC sub...Altobelli replaces Rothrock before play resumes.
63 min...PU player's long throw-in from right is cleared in the TFC box.
65 min...PU Rivero can't turn header at 15 yards on cross from right and is injured on play.
67 min...PU sub...Molina replaces Rivero.
............PU sub...Stojanovic replaces Darboe.
68 min...PU Stojanovic wins cornerkick on right on cross along end line.
68 min...PU player's low cornerkick from right is cleared by defenders on right.
70 min...TFC Pearlman makes key headed clearance on cross from right sent into box.
71 min...PU Stojanovic is just a step behind pass into box.
71 min...PU Donovan 22 yard chip from left is over bar.
72 min...TFC Franklin pass from center to TFC Walkes on right and shot is blocked and ball pops over to TFC Franklin in middle
who has 30 yard shot is blocked.
74 min...PU Diallo 35 yard freekick from right has defender concede cornerkick.
74 min...TFC goalie catches PU Diallo high cornerkick from right on left side of net ahead of TFC players.
75 min...TFC Walkes rolls 12 yarder across 6 yard box that goalie smothers ahead of TFC Mbongue.
76 min...TFC Coello big slide forward to poke away low cross from right at 15 yards.
78 min...PU Farinez is injured on ccross into TFC box and needs trainer and is helped to limp behind the end line by a teammate.
79 min...PU sub...Ramirez replaces injured Farinez.
80 min...PU Diallo has cornerkick from left cleared bback to him aqnda his recross is also stopped.
80 min...PU YELLOW card...Turner earns it for tackle at TFC 50 yard line that injured player.
81 min...TFC sub...Carlini replaces Mbongue.
............TFC sub...Cimermancic replaces Yeates.
82 min...the Supporters' section gets the Viking clap started spreading it into the main east stand.
83 min...PU YELLOW card...Molina earns it for injuring TFC Coello at TFC 50 yard line.
90 min...TFC Walkes trips PU Stojanovic for freekick at TFC 25 yard line. PU Diallo is injured earlier in the play.
91 min...PU sub...Portella replaces injured Diallo.
91 min...PU Sorenson freekick from 30 yards on right has TFC Cimermancic head away.
92 min...PU player can't win Penalty kick on him leaning over defender for header at 6 yards.
92 min...TFC sub...Chung replaces Franklin.
93 min...game ends 8:56pm.
Final Score:....Toronto FC II.......1.........Philadelphia Union II.........0........
Attendance may have edged 1000 people in the stands with only the east side open along with a small section of the south end for the supporters. Best to keep them away from the more family-centric fans in the east. They kept their chants going and drums beating the entire game and organized the Viking clap at 81 minutes. Admission was free and this was the first time (except for the two home games held at BMO Field after MLS games) that the management activally encouraged fans to come to a game. The games at York Lions Stadium were 'officially' closed to the general public except: starting from a guest list of family of the players to a more relaxed roll call of fans pressed up to the iron gate to finally a more unofficial 'let everybody in' the last few games of the season. I was worried of the line that I was that started going through security upon signal at 6:00pm (one hour before game time, so no different then the MLS side) as there was only one gate open with two arches for security checks which moved so slowly. I left my binoculars at home to avoid problems and like other guys pulled out my keys and coins before going through to not trigger the alarm. Still by the time I got through, the line had doubled then tripled in length. No seats were assigned nor was there any check to see who had reserved a place on their website. I sat near where I held a season ticket for the MLS club's first twelve years but in the center of the row where I wouldn't be disturbed. Years of sitting too close to the aisle was a pet peeve. TFC played with a front three of Paul Rothrock, Hugo Mbonge, and Jordan Perruzza which was quite aggressive. Although they only got the one goal, they posed a danger for more and the team kept up the pressure with Reshaun Walkes and Julian Altobelli coming in for Perruzza and Rothrock at 61 minutes. Mbonge came out at 81 minutes for midfielder Antonio Carlini as maybe TFC switched to slightly more defensive. Mbongue had a few other good chances. He took a shot from 20 yards that the goalie got a hand to at 7 yards and deflected up and hit the top of the crossbar. 75 minutes had TFC Reshaun Walkes roll at ball from 12 yards across the 6 yard box that the goalie smothered in front of Mbongue waiting for a tap in on the left post. Hugo Mbongue has not gone unnoticed has he as recently been awarded an MLS contract as the 35th ever homegrown player signing. His older brother Ralph Priso Mbongue was the 25th ever homegrown signing and was traded to MLS Colorado Rapids in the Mark Anthony Kaye deal early this year (MAK is another former TFC Academy player). Luka Gavron had the shutout for TFC II. While he didn't have a lot to do on a day (officially three shots on goal per the league site) that would have had all the league watching, he was efficient in catching crosses and making those saves. Big help from today's defensive line of Kobe Franklin, Adam Pearlman, Antony Curic, and Rohan Goulbourne. Great shot blocks and headed clearances. Gavron must be given a fair chance at the TFC training camp next season especially with the rumour that the MLS club is ready to shake up their goaltending tandem. Philadelphia had a ball into the net at 59 minutes from Christopher Donovan but it was eventually waved off after their celebration. The league feed says the goal was not awarded on a handball from PU Bajung Darboe...must have been on the cross inside the 6 yard box. Their other good chances were at 12 minutes when PU Jose Riasco Brizuela headed a 10 yarder from a cornerkick onto the top of the net. At 27 minutes Riasco did it again when he headed a 10 yarder on a cornerkick onto the top of the net. PU Christopher Donovan also popped a 12 yard header from 12 yards that landed on top of the net. I'd read earlier in the week that Philadelphia II had problems getting visas for some of their players to enter Canada. Sure enough their bench was thin with only four outfield subs and a back up goalie. The MLS teams are mostly not playing this week during the international break but Philadelphia scheduled an exhibition game at home against Pachuca. That would give some of the II players somewhere to play. Bajung Darboe (age 15) and Francis Westfield (age 16) were two players here tonight in the starting lineup. Scoring leaders (after Christopher Donovan with 8) who were not here included Jesus Bueno (6), Nelson Pierre (5), Paxten Aaronson (5), Matt Real (4), and Quinn Sullivan (3). Tonight was the third time TFC beat Philadelphia in NXT. June 11th I had seen them win 1-0 at York Lions Stadium with Nakye Greenidge-Duncan scoring at 91 minutes. July 18th in Philadelphia, TFC won 2-1. So a perfect record in their first season. Referee Michael Venne (who it appears I've only seen once and that was at the final TFC II game of last season which they won but were passed by other teams later in the weekend to miss the playoffs) officiated tonight and gave out four Yellow cards (all to PU players) including two in the last ten minutes for tackles that injured TFC II players. Otherwise he hardly needed to get involved in a game that had good patches of end to end action. So this was the last home game for TFC II this season. I had been able to keep track of the Columbus vs Rochester semi-final which started at 3:00pm. Columbus the top seed in the East beat fourth seeded Rochester 4-1 with Jacen Russell-Rowe scoring three goals. That means they will now host next weekend as their 55 points beats TFC's 41. What I wasn't sure of were the Western teams. Their games are on Sunday. St Louis, Tacoma, and Houston all finished with 49 and North Texas had 46 so no way could TFC host the Saturday October 8 league final even if they staged the big upset. As soon as the game ended the field was stormed by....children! Security mostly ignored this pitch invasion until some adults joined in either to jostle the players or to retrieve their own kids. The adults joining in got the PA announcer's voice to tell fans to return to their sections. Best was some of the TFC II players coming over and into the stands to hug their relatives and friends. One of the friends was Rocco Romeo who said he'd been given permission to stay in Toronto a few extra days after his CPL Valour FC team came to town to play York United FC on Friday night. I was at that game too. Romeo had played for TFC II team as recently as 2019 and I'd seen him work his way up from TFC III (when they had a League1 Ontario team) since 2016. A wave from Paul Rothrock and a hello from Jordan Perruzza and me getting to thank again 'Tiger Woods' 2005 lookalike' who waved me in at a lot of those York Lions Stadium games was enough for me to not have a scowl on my way home. The TTC transit system had cancelled Yonge Street subway service as they do every third (or second?) week to build their crosstown LRT line for the past five years and this week was one of them. I ended up driving to get the University line subway and parked ironically at York Univeristy (well actually the free-on-weekends TTC lot north of Steeles) which is where I park for TFC II home games! I expect the school needs weeks in advance to rent out their facility and is most unlikely now that their school year has started. It was a long 7.5 hour day with all the travelling. I was 11:20pm when I got home and put off writing a report until Sunday. I got to read the 'pros' who haven't been to a game all year beat me too it. Next week for TFC II is Columbus. Their lineup includes Canadians Ryan Telfer (who played for TFC II and TFC), Mo Farsi from Montreal who played 2020 and 2021 for CPL Cavalry FC, and Jacen Russell-Rowe who was a TFC Academy player (TFC II in 2019) who got away and is the MLSNEXT Pro league's Golden Boot winner and would have had more if not called up for the Crew MLS team.
Rocket Robin
robing@eol.ca
twitter @RocketRobin01
Toronto FC II starters
Philadelphia Union II starters
TFC Hugo Mbongue (83) tgakes opening kickoff.
Phil Francis Westgfield (39) takes throw-in.
TFC Jordan Perruzzo (77) starts rush up wing.
TFC Jordan Perruzzo (77) shot on freekick top to him is wide left.
Phil trainer has helped PU goalie Matthew Freese.
PU Jose Riasco Brizuela (32) takes second half kickoff.
TFC Kobe Franklin (58) lines up throw-in.
Philadelphia rush breaks over center.
TFC goalie Luka Gavron is down with an injury.
Phil freekick sails into box.
PU Anthony Sorenson (24) is watched by TFC Kobe Franklin (58).
Some TFC fans charge out to greet players.
More fans enter the field.
TFC Reshaun Walkes (33) actually came into the stands.
Game statistics from MLS NEXT Pro website:
TFC II Philadelphia Union II
Statistics
Possession % 46.1% 53.9%
Shots 12 11
Shots on goal 7 3
Blocked shots 3 2
Total passes 375 430
passing accuracy % 73.3% 75.8%
Corners 5 7
Crosses 6 16
Offsides 4 3
Duels won 62 37
Tackles won 14 9
Saves 3 6
Clearances 16 6
Fouls 6 17
Yellow cards 0 4
Red cards 0 0
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