Philadelphia Union II found itself in another thrilling contest against its biggest rival that saw nine goals, two penalty kicks and a red card during the 90 minutes of action but ultimate see New York Red Bulls II emerge with a 5-4 win on their home turf.
Union II midfielder and future Union homegrown Jack McGlynn continued to showcase his talent that has the organization’s attention with the first brace of his career to tie the club’s single game record. Making just his second start of his USL Championship career, Union Academy forward Caden Stafford showed off his passing skills to tie the team’s record with two assists as well.
Red Bulls II jumped out to an early lead with yet again more goals from forward Omar Sowe. After netting a hat trick against the Boys in Blue in the previous matchup, Sowe kept on scoring with back-to-back goals in the 13th and 19th minute of play.
Down a pair of goals, Union II turned up their defensive pressure and pressing and it paid off with a ball over the top setting Axel Picazo free behind the New York defense but a foul from Lema outside the box saw the home side down a man for the final 53 minutes of the contest. Craig nearly made Red Bulls II pay for the found but saw his right-footed set piece glance off the right post in the 40th minute. Two minutes later more action was spotted by the referee in the New York box and rewarded Union II a chance from the penalty spot. Future Union homegrown Jack McGlynn made the most of the opportunity, sending the keeper the wrong way for his team-leading third goal of the season.
Union II come out of the break looking to take advantage of their man advantage and did so as Stafford found Picazo in the 55th minute. The forward collected the ball near the sideline and flicked a cross into the box that Picazo beat his man to at the near post for his second goal of 2020.
Momentum continued to swing and went into New York’s favor as they scored two goals in two minutes for a 4-2 lead. Union II fired back on a must-see sequence as Stafford back-heeled a pass to McGlynn with the 17-year-old rifling a right-footed blast into the back of the net to make it 4-3 on his final touch of the night.
Both sides weren’t done scoring with Red Bulls getting an important insurance goal off a set piece in the 86th minute to claim once more a two-goal lead but more contact in the box saw Union II cut it to 5-4 as Academy midfielder Danny Flores netted his first USL Championship goal in the dying moments of the contest.
Union II wraps up the month and its 2020 home schedule on Wednesday, September 30th, against Hartford Athletic. Kick off from Subaru Park is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. and will be broadcast on ESPN+.
