McCarthy was not short of well wishers
Photo: Diego Muya
Local lad McCarthy in winning debut for Union
by John Bancroft
There were lots of questions from both teams as they prepared for this game.
For NYCFC, a new team in the league they will be trying to established themselves in a important away game at PPL Park. The Union who have been playing inconsistently, badly needed a hero or two to emerge with the energy and passion to drive home a win.
The Union’s first goal of 2015 at PPL Park came when Andrew Wenger raced down the sideline and played a sweet cross to Sebastien Le Toux, who beat a sliding tackle from Jason Hernandez to get to the end line. Two more artful touches in the box and Le Toux handled the ball in box then pushed it across the mouth of goal, putting it on a platter for Eric Ayuk and Zach Pfeffer. Ayuk got the first touch on it, bungling it towards goal, and celebrated with a few backflips, but the goal was later given to Pfeffer since it deflected off his leg before crossing the line, the second career MLS goal for Pfeffer (Another hometown player from Dresser, PA).
Pfeffer was back in Philly’s starting lineup after serving a two-game suspension. Trailing 1-0 at halftime, New York City found an equalizer early in the 55th minute with Villa netting his second of the season following a beautiful sequence of one-touch passes that featured Khiry Shelton, Adam Nemec and Josh Williams. Villa, who started the sequence with a nifty back-heel, essentially dribbled it into the net after Williams made the final pass. Villa had missed the team’s last game with a minor injury.
Very late in the game and in front of a sellout crowd at PPL Park on Saturday afternoon, Vincent Nogueira scored the stoppage-time winner to lift the Union to a dramatic 2-1 victory over New York City FC in the first-ever meeting between the new Eastern Conference rivals. This win was the first of the season for the Union and now they go to NYC for next Thursday game.
Villa nets for NYCFC
Photo: Diego Muya (Prost Amerika)
After the final whistle came bot relief and a great moment for John McCarthy, the young Philly keeper, home town hero, and a standout at North Catholic where he played HS Soccer, a four year starter at LaSalle, and 2014 USL Rookie of the Year as well as 2014 USL Goalkeeper of the Year. Add to that list, a MLS winner on his debut.
Against NYCFC he was ready to do whatever it took to help bring home the teams first victory of 2015. Forget nerve,s he was completely in the zone and ready to win.
It was not a great statistical game for McCarthy. Nor was his play not without fault. It didn’t need to be. He was the statistic. Fans came here early to watch him practice before the game, they cheered fanatically ever time he touched the ball, with three saves to add to his stat sheet. He was on a mission and was not going to lose. After the game his fans swarmed him; as did his friends from LaSalle and North Catholic, and another band of friends and well wishers. It doesn’t get any better than this for a young player. His face lit up when his new fans – those kids of 8,9,10 years old – put him on a pedestal. He responded graciously to every single one.
This was a game where all the Union players stepped up a home game coming on the heels of an abysmal loss in Kansas City. Any team with no wins coming off of a game like that could just hang their heads, but not so. The entire Union team played with intensity. The Philadelphia Union’s winless streak is no more.
The two teams will meet again this week, with NYCFC hosting Philadelphia at Yankee Stadium on Thursday night. They will both be ready.
