Philadelphia Union Sign Four Bethlehem Steel FC Players To Short-Term Agreements
Academy products Ben Ofeimu, Issa Rayyan, Zach Zandi, Shanyder Borgelin available for selection during tomorrow’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Fourth Round match at D.C. United
CHESTER, Pa. (June 11, 2019)– Philadelphia Union announced today that they have signed four Bethlehem Steel FC players to Short-Term Agreements: defender Ben Ofeimu (pronounced: Oh-FAY-moo), midfielders Issa Rayyan (EE-sah RAY-yann) and Zach Zandi (ZAN-dee), and forward Shanyder Borgelin (Shah-NIGH-dur BOR-jeh-lihn). The agreements permit all four Union Academy products to be available for selection by Philadelphia for tomorrow’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Fourth Round match at D.C. United. The contest kicks off at 7:00 p.m. ET from Washington’s Audi Field (ESPN+).
Ofeimu, 18, has appeared in 13 matches (13 starts) for Steel FC this season, his debut professional campaign. A towering 6’4” centerback, he has scored one goal, at Swope Park Rangers (April 6) and also added one assist in the same contest. He became the first Academy product in Union club history to sign from the team’s residency program when he inked his first professional contract on January 23, 2019.
Rayyan, meanwhile, became the second residency program alumnus to sign a professional deal with the organization when he joined the Steel from Duke University on February 26, 2019. For Steel FC, he has appeared in 10 matches (nine starts), contributing one assist.
Zandi is Steel FC’s leading assist provider, having totaled three helpers with one goal over 10 appearances (eight starts). He scored in the team’s first match of 2019, at Birmingham (March 10), earning USL Championship Team of the Week honors. He originally signed with Steel FC on January 8, 2019 following four seasons at Villanova University.
Another Union residency program alumnus, Borgelin has appeared in nine matches for Steel FC this season (three starts) after signing on April 5, 2019. He is the second-youngest player signed to a professional contract by the Steel, trailing only midfielder Selmir Miscic.
Per the Major League Soccer roster rules and regulations, a club may sign players from their USL affiliate to Short-Term Agreements (up to four-day contracts) for Concacaf Champions League, Canadian Championship, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, and exhibition matches. A club may sign a player to a maximum of four Short-Term Agreements each season (maximum of 16 days).
TRANSACTION: Philadelphia Union sign defender Ben Ofeimu, midfielders Issa Rayyan and Zach Zandi, and forward Shanyder Borgelin to Short-Term Agreements on June 11, 2019.
Name: Ben Ofeimu (pronounced: Oh-FAY-moo)
Position: Defender
Height: 6’4”
Weight: 200
Born: September 30, 2000
Hometown: West Bloomfield, MI
Citizenship: USA
Name: Issa Rayyan (pronounced: EE-sah RAY-yann)
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 150
Born: August 24, 2000
Hometown: Grand Blanc, MI
Citizenship: USA
Name: Zach Zandi (pronounced: ZAN-dee)
Position: Midfielder
Height: 5’6”
Weight: 145
Born: July 18, 1996
Hometown: West Chester, PA
Citizenship: USA
Name: Shanyder Borgelin (pronounced: Shah-NIGH-dur BOR-jeh-lihn)
Position: Forward
Height: 6’3”
Weight: 195
Born: October 19, 2001
Hometown: North Lauderdale, FL
Citizenship: USA
