For the first time in club history, the Philadelphia Union Academy U15 team is headed to the Generation adidas Cup Final after getting past Orlando City SC, 1-0, in a gritty semifinal.
Forward Nehan Hasan delivered the game-winning goal in the 36th minute, finishing off a threaded pass into the box from Mateo Gallegos. With the victory, the Boys in Blue will face off against Austin FC in Sunday’s final that will kick off at 12PM ET only on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
It was a battle of contrasting styles in the semifinal contest with the high-pressing and direct style of the Union facing off against a possession-based Orlando side. The Florida side fired the first shot of the match from atop the box 33 seconds after the opening whistle but goalkeeper Alex Smith collected it with ease.
With Orlando looking to build with a back three, the Union dropped back into a strong defensive shape to counter the move and let the match come to them. Jamir Johnson was active on both sides of the field with timely run on the right flank in the third minute which saw him cut inside for a pass into the box but cleared by the Lions.
The Union continued to attack on the right side with Johnson with a volley over the top to send him into space. Johnson once again cut into the box but was unable to generate a shot.
Orlando finally went direct into the attack in the 20th minute after winning a second ball and quickly rushing into the Union’s defensive third. Philly raced back and wasn’t fazed as they contacted the Lions run without a shot coming near the goal.
With halftime looming both sides turned up the pressure just before the break with set piece chances. In the 26th minute Orlando City intercepted a pass and earned a free kick after Gallegos was forced to make the tactical foul. Nothing but a pair of corners resulted in the effort with the Union defense staying in their positions to negate any chance of a opening goal. The Union followed up the defense with some offense with Jordan Griffin connecting with Cacan Sullivan on the left wing to earn a corner kick in first half stoppage. Floated in by Johnson, Orlando’s keeper got a glove on the cross to punch it out but right to the feet to the Union but the crowded box saw a quick shot unable to sneak through the obstacles.
The Union came out flying in the final period, taking the attack directly to Orlando and dominating possession and chances. Just moments after the play resumed, center back Andrei Chirila sent a pin-perfect diagonal volley to the Johnson on the outside that resulted in a corner for the Boys in Blue. Team captain Anisse Saidi found himself unmarked just outside the swarm of players on the ensuing corner but saw his shot blocked by the Lions. With Philly pressing up high, Orlando jumped at the chance to counter on the left flank and took possession all the way to the Union endline but Chirila raced back to keep it in play and the momentum still with the Boys in Blue.
The early pressure paid off in the 36th minute with defense turning into offense with a bit of Philly flair. Midfielder Peter Doran intercepted a pass at the center stripe and turned looked forward to score. Seeing the play building up, he cut centrally to allow his teammates the chance to get into the attack. With Orlando City shifting to cover Doran’s run, he laid off a pass for Gallegos who sent a rope to the left side. A quick dummy from Sullivan on the pass unlocked a wide open run for Nehan Hasan who smashed it past the keeper for the 1-0 lead.
Orlando City nearly tied it up the match two minutes later with the ball sneaking through Smith however the play was called back for a Union handball outside the box with the referee judging the Lions had lost their advantage with their own handball prior to getting the shot off.
Hasan sought to double the Union’s in the 49th minute with a cut centrally to his right and went for the far post finish but the keeper makes the save. Less than a minute later Hasan was the playmakers with the same move setting up a shot from atop the box by Saidi that too was stopped.
With five minutes left in the final half, Orlando City drew a free kick opportunity from 30 yards out that couldn’t sneak through the Union defensive wall. Crashing off instead, the ball floated near the endline where substitute Gavin DeHart made a great defensive play to not allow an Orlando corner.
As time ran out the Union kept their composure looking to see out the 1-0 result but fans were put on the edge of their seat in the final seconds of stoppage time when Orlando City was awarded a free kick 40 yards out. Bringing up every single player into the box, the Lions opted to keep the ball on the ground with an attempted bicycle kick from the keeper squeaking through for a possible runnier. Union keeper Alex Smith was decisive and made the run forward and jumped onto the ball just before Orlando could fire off a shot.
The U15 final will pit the Boys in Blue against Austin FC who advanced to the championship match after a 4-2 penalty shootout win over Belgian side KRC Genk. The two sides look to hoist the GA Cup with coverage starting at 2:30 p.m. ET exclusively on MLS Season Pass on the Apple TV app.
