Chris Donovan couldn’t have drawn up his first Major League Soccer goal much better than the way it unfolded at Subaru Park on Saturday night against New York City FC.
“It’s something I’ve been waiting for and got a great opportunity tonight, so it feels great,” he said after the game.
Donovan has been with the club since 2022, and in that span, he’s had 17 appearances and three starts on the first team, while often contributing on Union II. He's a local guy through and through – his soccer resume includes four years of varsity soccer at nearby Conestoga High School, four years of collegiate play at Drexel University, and now he’s part of the hometown club.
“I was hoping that my first MLS goal would be here, it’s just better to score at home.”
In the 75th minute, the 22-year-old forward entered the game, replacing midfielder Quinn Sullivan. Within moments, his fresh legs and unrelenting press re-energized the Union, helping to demoralize their waning opponent in the sweltering heat. By the 81st minute, Donovan found himself directly in front of the net with nothing preventing him from extending the team’s lead to 2-0.
Donovan beat a New York defender to recover a missed pass, tapping it straight ahead to Daniel Gazdag facing opposite the net. Gazdag immediately pushed it towards the net without looking, where Donovan sprinted to receive it, dodging two defenders and a drawn out goalie in Luis Barraza. With no obstacles and only an empty net in sight, Donovan powered it into the top right corner, claiming his first ever pro goal.
“It's always easier the less minutes you have in your legs. When you come into a game like that, the instructions are just run and do the extra work because you know Danny and Mikael might be tired because they've been playing 70 minutes already,” said Donovan.
“I just had to do a little extra, and it paid off.”
It paid off with a win, as his goal pushed the Union ahead, securing the lead they’d maintain for the rest of the game.
Sage Hurley - @SageHurl
