Union Academy teams challenged, but prevailed against PDA in unbeaten Saturday

Players Development Academy has been a tough out for Philadelphia Union teams since they joined the Development Academy five years ago and last Saturday’s games against the New Jersey club were no exception.

While the Union teams went unbeaten on the day with wins from the U19, U17, U14 and U13 teams and a draw in the U15 game, the results were hardly foregone conclusions.

The seven-goal thriller in the U19 game is a perfect example.

The Union fell behind three times and scored twice in the final six minutes to take a 4-3 lead. Brenden Aaronson, playing in his second game this season for the U19s, had another brace with equalizers in the 8th and 84th minutes while Axel Picazo scored his third of the season and Ryan Becher found the winner off a corner kick in the 89th minute for his first goal in DA league play.

The U17 game was a little more comfortable in the score line, but the Union struggled at times to break through the PDA defense despite controlling the possession until Julian Anderson was able to dance through the box and connect with Patrick Bohui for the first of his two goals on the evening in the 35th minute.

Left back Zephyn Brockert-Kress doubled the lead in the 59th minute and Bohui added his team-leading 7th goal of the season 20 minutes later. The defense in front of goalkeeper Lukas Burns, featuring a Union debut for former Crew Academy center back Maxwell Brown pairing with Dante Huckaby and Cole Sotack at the other outside back position, did well to limit PDA’s chances and earn the team’s fourth shutout of the season. Since conceding twice to New York City FC in the first match of the season, the U17 defense has only allowed two goals since.

Quinn Sullivan had a goal each side of halftime to twice tie the game in the U15 game. Sullivan’s profile continues to grow with the performances he’s putting in both in league play and during the Generation adidas cup qualifiers last month. He is tied with Zion Scarlett for the team lead with six goals through nine games but does a lot of things well that don’t make it onto a box score.

Marcelo Maazzola made it nine goals in 10 games in the U14 game while Dominic Dubon added to his team lead in goals with 12 in 12 games and Jordi Guifarro connected with his first goal of the season in a 3-1 win.

Dominic Wilson had a brace and Henry Bernstein scored his fifth of the season and Julian Ramirez his first of the season in a 4-1 win for the U13s. Wilson is rostered with the U14s but has played all but one of his games down with his own age group so far this season. He has six goals in six games this season for the U13s.

The Union Academy teams host Cedar Stars Academy and Baltimore Armour on back-to-back days this weekend for their last league home games for 2018. The U15, U17 and U19 teams will play at Power Training Complex in Chester both days while the U14 and U13 teams will host games at YSC Sports.