Philadelphia sports fans have been treated to some unforgettable game-ending wins in recent years: Desean Jackson’s Miracle at the New Meadowlands; Bryce Harper’s grand slam against the Cubs; and, of course, Philadelphia Union captain Alejandro Bedoya’s stoppage time winner against FC Dallas. What could be better than making the play that leads your team to a win in a crucial late-game moment? Ask the Union’s first homegrown signing Zach Pfeffer.
Pfeffer says he felt “pure joy” when he led his hometown club to a stoppage time victory over DC United in 2015.
The scene: former Union fullback Fabinho drives a low cross in from the left. The club’s all-time leading scorer, Sebastien Le Toux is first to it in the box.
“I don’t know if I gave him a shout, but probably in the back of my mind, whether I did or not, I was hoping he would [see me] since I was in a pretty good position. But either way he let it go through and I reacted quick enough and slotted it home,” Pfeffer told PhiladelphiaUnion.com recently.
Pfeffer doesn’t remember all the details from that special night, but he will never forget the feeling of scoring a stoppage time winner in front of his hometown crowd.
“Everything happened so quickly. It was a packed stadium at night under the lights and I scored a goal and didn’t know exactly what to do at first. I heard all the cheers from the fans and just tried to run I think going over to the corner but got tackled before I could make it over there.”
Though he signed his first pro contact with the Union at the tender age of 15 (during the club’s inaugural campaign in 2010), the Dresher native had only appeared in nine MLS games prior to his breakout 2015 season. The then-20-year-old amassed 21 MLS appearances including 11 starts that year, a reward for his hard work in preseason and training. At the end of a hard-fought game against a close rival and with his team on a poor run of form (the Union had lost four straight heading into the match), Pfeffer’s goal was cathartic for both players and fans.
“Just a moment of pure joy, of relief as well in that I had been working so hard in prior seasons and in that preseason to really try to come up through the ranks and establish myself as an important contributor to the team.
“I remember after I got up from under that pile from all of my teammates I kind of put a hand to my chest and the crest basically saying this is my team and this is for the club.”
As the Union’s first homegrown player, Pfeffer blazed a trail a select few have now been able to follow. He acknowledges that the experience has changed since he climbed the ranks (for example, the Union’s Pathway to the Pros didn’t exist yet), but Pfeffer remains an eager observer of the Union academy and some of the young talent it’s producing.
“I’ve been back plenty of times, I have a close relationship with (Union minority owner) Richie Graham who has helped a lot with the academy. I’ve gone back to the school and spoken with the kids there and it’s great to see. I knew Auston Trusty, I knew Mark McKenzie, I knew Derrick Jones, I knew all those guys that came up and followed after myself and it’s nice to see them come through and really make a big difference.”
The Union’s focus on developing players has certainly continued and intensified since Pfeffer’s departure from soccer – he retired after the 2016 season to pursue a career in finance. With current homegrowns now making their own memories, the future of the Union Academy looks brighter than ever. That future is heavily influenced by the past, and Pfeffer’s electric moment showed fans how special it feels when a local kid comes good. So when Brenden Aaronson scored his first goal at Subaru Park, Philly’s faithful knew exactly what to do.
