Brenden Aaronson first current Union Academy player to make USL Team of the Week

After becoming just the second active academy player to score a goal for Bethlehem Steel FC, 17-year-old Brenden Aaronson became the first in the Philadelphia Union Academy to be named to the USL Team of the Week on Tuesday.

The attacking midfielder from Medford made his first start since breaking his collarbone in a match against FC Cincinnati in April and did not disappoint, setting up Aidan Apodaca’s first professional goal in the first half and opening his scoring account with a strike of his own off a deflected cross in the 71st minute.

In addition to his contributions on the score sheet, Aaronson was a handful leading a Steel FC attack that was dominant in the second half, creating several chances with his passing and vision.

His goal was only the second for an academy player on an amateur deal with the team. Ben Ofeimu became the first when he scored against North Carolina FC back in early June.

Aaronson’s accolade is the first of his career and Steel FC’s seventh of 2018. The Indiana University commit joins Drew Skundrich, Santi Moar (twice), Brandon Allen, Derrick Jones, Fabian Herbers and Chris Nanco as players to collect the league’s weekly accolades in 2018.