Union II won the second game of their road stretch on Sunday night, defeating rival New York City FC II 3-1 at Belson Stadium.
Similar to the team’s midweek match against Orlando City B, the contest was delayed by weather, starting nearly thirty minutes late due to nearby storms in the area. After it passed and the game began, it only rained goals – Union II forward Jeremy Rafanello dominated the first 20 minutes of play with a brace.
Scoring opened in the ninth minute, when the Union attempted a cross that was defended by a NYFC II header. The ricochet met an eager Rafanello, who didn’t hesitate to boot the ball straight through the clogged box, right past New York’s keeper making the score 1-0.
It wasn't long until he'd extend the lead even further. In the 18th, Rafanello notched another one, claiming a brace less than halfway through the first 45 minutes. This time, the forward converted a chance from the penalty spot with a graceful right footed shot to the bottom right corner of the net.
Union II prevented their opponent from any score through the first half and into the second. It wasn’t until the 55th minute that New York earned its first points – forward Matt Myers slipped the ball past Union keeper Andrew Rick after a series of quick passes near the net.
As time ticked down, a Luciano Sanchez breakaway sprint toward the goal secured the Union’s lead. Sanchez darted down the field, putting the game away with a 84th minute goal, marking his third of the MLS Next Pro season.The Union maintained their lead until the final whistle, stifling any additional offensive attacks from their opponent.
In his second game starting in the net since the team announced his new MLS NEXT Pro contract, Rick made 6 saves, remaining alert as New York maintained possession for 69.5% of the match.
Union II will look to complete its road slate with another win, taking on Toronto FC II on July 12th.
