Welcome to a new season of data! And wow is it already looking quite different than our previous seasons as a club. A revolutionary new technical staff will do that for a team. So that is what this first article of the year will be, as I take an in-depth look at the numbers 5 games in to see how the change in style is reflected in the data. (Note that these data will not include the recent Richmond game, as this was all calculated before that game). Let’s dive on in!
We have been Non-Stop Dom’s style is indeed quite different than Jay’s. Let’s first take a look visually:
That’s what last year looked like. Pretty common to what we’ve seen before: Lower passing and possession, hit opponents on the counter, a lot of playing the ball forward to our strikers/high midfielders and wingbacks.
Now, here is what this season currently looks like:
A massive change! 82.2% passing rate? 495 passes per game? 56% possession? We just keep going and going, controlling the ball and moving it around. It definitely makes for what people might call “more entertaining” soccer. Let’s take these different stats one at a time and compare this season to last season to see how that is happening.
First, the possession stat; 56% possession puts us at 2nd in the league behind only One Knox. Remember that 45% from last season? That had us in *last*. Essentially flipping from one side to the other, which we will see quite a bit throughout the data.
Well with all that possession comes a lot more passing. Enough that through 5 games we’ve already made almost 1/4th the number of passes from last year in total! That puts us on track to blow by the previous season’s final number around the 2/3rds mark of the year. In another example of a complete flip, we had 266.8 successful passes per game out of 360.7 total passes per game last season, which was the lowest in the league. This season we are sitting at 406.8 successful out of 495 total passes per game, the highest totals in the league by a decent margin. No one else is at even 450 passes per game and Chattanooga is the only team with a higher passing percentage, 83% compared to our 82.2%. In fact (before last Wednesday night’s games), we had more passes than every team who had played a game more than us!
Need to Make Sure We Don’tBlow Us All Away Another set of data that isn’t shown in the above graphic that I want to look at more is the set of stats labelled “Discipline”. This includes fouls for and against as well as cards. Last year we ranked 10th, second to last, in both yellows and fouls. We had 69 yellow cards for 2.23 yellows per game and 391 fouls conceded for 14.8 fouls per game. Let’s keep those numbers in mind as we look at this season.
We currently sit at 3.4 yellows per game (2nd) and 15.4 fouls per game (3rd). A big turnaround here as well! The most likely reason with the increase in fouls overall is at least in my guess due to us being the ones getting counter-attacked now that we hold the ball more, so we foul a little more to stop those counter attacks. That is something I may look more into for future articles. We can at least take some solace in not being first spot in either, which in both cases goes to newcomer One Knoxville.
Not Afraid to Take My Shot
Lastly I’m going to look at our offensive/defensive comparisons a little in respect to prior seasons. This is a bit harder to quantify right away, as goals are a bit harder to come by than a normal style of play.
The first thing to note here are our total shots and shots on target. Those end up being 12.4 shots per game and 6.2 shots on target per game. Those numbers are higher than any other season, with 2020 being the top shots per game mark at 11.63 and 2021 having the highest shots on target per game with 4.8. So we are VERY willing to shoot.
Unfortunately as you can also see, that means that we aren’t scoring all that much. We’ve only scored 7 goals in the first 5 games, giving that 11.3% conversion rate and 1.4 goals per game. And that is where we haven’t seen as much success yet. 11.3% conversion rate is second worse we’ve had (2021: 17.2%, 2022: 11.6%, 2023, 2020: 10.8%). The goals per game and minutes per goal is better, only behind 2021, but it seems like we haven’t quite found a way to convert more of our plentiful shots to goals just yet.
Another thing I do want to note is our free kick goals. We have 2 already this year, which matches our all-time total from prior seasons. That’s right! We only had 1 in 2021 and 1 in 2022 and have already had 2 this year. Definitely something to keep an eye on as the season continues.
The last note I wanted to make was on the defense, as being more attacking minded has led to us tending to leave ourselves more open to counters. There’s definitely evidence showing up some, but this is another area where I think we’ll have to wait to see more data. Currently we’ve allowed more goals per game than every season but last year, which we are just 0.1 ahead of at the moment.
So that’s the first look into the data of the new system under Dom and the new technical staff. I am SO curious to see how it will play out the rest of the year and hopefully see those increased chances convert to increase goals. Viva Búhos!
UO looks to head into a one week break with back-to-back results
Playing on consecutive weekends for the first time since early-mid April, Union Omaha will travel to a familiar foe in the Richmond Kickers on Friday. With the following weekend off not only does the team hope to make this a statement game before the midseason stretch begins, but UO fans would love a result as a statement against a team that has been a thorn in their side since entering the league. Of the five teams that have been in USL League One each season along with UO, Richmond has historically been the toughest out, with only 5 out of a possible 18 points. Richmond might also be desperate to find some kind of positive rhythm, as they’ve also started their 2023 season with inconsistent up-and-down performances.
Omaha’s win last weekend at home against Northern Colorado had lots of positives and negatives to take away; efficient and aggressive first half play, along with accurate passing seems to be a trend that has developed in the first quarter of the season. Meanwhile, sloppy defending in the second half suggests that fans are going to be holding their breath harder and longer than they’ve been accustomed to while holding leads. It was also the first game many new players played at Werner Park, where the dimensions, surroundings and wind patterns are obviously not easy to adjust to with limited experience. Obviously, these aren’t going to be a factor at City Stadium on Friday.
The past few seasons, Richmond has been a pretty predictable side; a team that got out of Emiliano Terzaghi’s way, doesn’t necessarily attempt the extra pass if they can take the shot in the moment, and a defense that essentially forced goalkeeper Akira Fitzgerald to pay close attention for every one of the game’s 90 minutes. This year, while the roster for Richmond might look familiar their play has not been. Fitzgerald missed the middle three games of Richmond’s regular season so far, Terzaghi has scored only one of Richmond’s paltry five goals in five games, and Richmond have taken a league low 43 shots, a paltry 8ish shots per game. By comparison, UO have taken 70 shots in their first five league games.
If you’re looking for a sign early in the game to see which side might be influencing the pace of the game more, pay attention to play in the midfield. UO matches so far have seen more action in the pure middle of the pitch, while Richmond games feature much more possession in the wings, especially in both attacking thirds. UO’s fullbacks will probably need to be more prepared than usual to track back on defense, especially if Richmond play their expected 4-3-3 formation. Given the contrasting styles of the two teams, don’t be surprised to see an early goal that creates a frenetic pace afterwards.
Union Omaha returned to its home at Werner Park on Saturday, and it was a return to the normal routine for a lot of supporters and fans. Tailgates were set up, pups were hanging out with their owners, as “Paws at the Park” was in full effect, the sun was shining and of course the wind was blowing. With the strong gusts of wind and a cold front moving in Omaha didn’t reach its average attendance numbers for last season, but the crowd that was there fully embraced the match and how big of a early season test it was.
Pregaming in the parking lot has been a ritual for me since I started going to any sporting event, and Union Omaha is no different. I pulled into the lot about three and a half hours early and found my usual spot open. Parked, got out the cooler and the chairs and started my pre-match routine of drinking the perfect amount of adult beverages to find my voice for the match. Looking around I was pleasantly surprised by the amount of people doing the same. Had it not been for my fear of being blown away by the wind I would have attempted to stop and talk at every tailgate but there is still time for that this season.
With the parking lots filling up and the match coming ever closer, I decided to make my way into the park and grab my traditional pre match slices of pizza. I was greeted by the sights and sounds we love and remember from last season. The players warming up on the pitch and the crowd finding their way to their seats. Looking at the pre match crowd it was as you would expect for a home match this early, with a few people watching warm ups but most in the lines for the great food and drink options around the park.
Just in time for the match and the fans and supporters in their seats we were treated to the sounds of Parliament and Local 119 chanting and drumming away. As I made my way to my seat to see my friends that I haven’t seen for a few months we picked up like we had just talked yesterday. The sense of family strong yet again this year.
The noise after the Meza goal was unreal. You would have thought we sold out the place. Such a special goal in such a special homecoming for us all. If this was any indication of what we’re going to see the rest of the year, I cannot wait to see you all again really soon to help cheer our team onto another special season at Werner park.
Union Omaha looks to bounce back from Open Cup loss with result against undefeated Hailstorm
St. Louis City SC did not take Union Omaha lightly in their Third Round U.S. Open Cup matchup. Only starting goalkeeper Benjamin Lundt had not already made an MLS appearance for the club this season, and five of their ten outfield players had made at least one MLS start already this season. The end result was a 5-1 St. Louis City win, with Rashid Nuhu’s eight saves keeping Omaha in the match for longer than the scoreline suggests. Experience from a match like this can still be beneficial, and Omaha looks to parlay that into a positive result against Northern Colorado Hailstorm on Saturday at Werner Park. This will be the first match at Omaha’s familiar home ground this season, after playing their first two home matches in the league and their Second Round Open Cup match at UNO’s Caniglia Field and Creighton University’s Morrison Stadium, respectively.
Northern Colorado are also coming off of their own game in the Open Cup against an MLS side, falling 3-1 away to Colorado Rapids. It was the first loss of the year for Northern Colorado, who like Union Omaha are also starting the season with a lighter schedule. Hailstorm have started the league with a win and two draws through only three matches, as they start their season with a sparse schedule on the road as they wait for the availability of their permanent ground at Future Legends Complex. At the moment, Hailstorm are scheduled to play their first game there May 27.
With six official games to look at so far in 2023 it doesn’t seem obvious that manager Dominic Casciato has a week-in, week-out starting XI, but he’s obviously got preferred players that he’s still looking more closely at if he’s still trying to find an every week lineup. In the back there seems to be five players in his favor; Stefan Mueller (whose omission from last week’s roster might be due to injury), Alexis Souahy, Junior Palacios, Shaft Brewer Jr. and Marco Milanese. The combination of experience and flexibility of these players leaves plenty of room for discussion about their usage, enough to probably fill in the time of a tailgate session no matter the length. And in my opinion, if Mueller is healthy we may see a setup where Brewer is the odd man out on Saturday, with Milanese’s inclusion sliding Palacios to the right.
The midfield probably offers the opportunity for more discussion; six midfielders seem to be garnering the lion’s share of time. While the roles of Conor Doyle, JP Scearce, Luis Gil and Pedro Dolabella have been apparent and obvious (the first three being starters, Dolabella being one of the first subs off the bench) Joe Brito and Joe Gallardo’s roles are still being fleshed out. Brito has started multiple games and seems to be given different roles; Gallardo has started every game, but from multiple positions has seemed to always veered up top. With Noe Meza and Steevan Dos Santos seemingly cementing themselves as a starting pair up top, once Omaha’s calendar eases into a routine there might be less opportunities to be flexible with those six midfielders.
As for Northern Colorado, there isn’t much to take out of their five games so far. In league play they’ve yet to concede a goal, though two of their matches were scoreless entirely. They’ve also been without Irvin Parra since their season opening draw at Chattanooga Redwolves, who appears to be injured as he has not been on the 18-player roster since then. In the league they’ve given different looks since then, abandoning their initial 4-4-2 in their next game at South Georgia Tormenta, then falling back to it in the following league game at Richmond Kickers. They appear to prefer playing without the ball, as their least impressive match in the league was the draw against Richmond where they had the ball the longest.
As dominant as their USL League One title winning season in 2021 was (leading the league in both goals scored and goals against, never losing consecutive games and never losing by more than a single goal), Union Omaha received much, much more attention the following year with their run to the quarterfinals in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The third round is when MLS teams are introduced, and it was in this round last year that Omaha defeated its first of two MLS clubs, four-time winners Chicago Fire on the road at Soldier Field. This year, they were once again drawn against an MLS team as early as possible, but this time going against a St. Louis City SC team that is in much, much better form than Chicago were at this stage last year.
For MLS teams, surviving the U.S. Open Cup seems to be more about roster management than anything else. Open Cup scheduling is limited to only the midweek. And in the opening rounds, the vast majority of MLS teams are more worried about their respective seasons than anything else. The Round of 16 and quarterfinal rounds seem to be when most MLS teams become keen to the idea of winning silverware. Until then most of these games seem to revolve around momentum, and whether or not the lower-league side that happens to score first can hold off the MLS team for the remainder of the 90 minutes. Omaha’s cup run might have been a little more special because they bucked this trend, coming from behind in both their victories against Chicago and Minnesota United.
It seems that newer teams tend to prioritize the out-of-league competitions like the Open Cup and the CONCACAF Champions League higher than their predecessors. Last year, for example, out of Austin FC’s top 11 players in terms of games started, four of them started in their third-round match last year against San Antonio FC, including leading scorer Sebastián Driussi. However, Chicago only started two of theirs against Omaha. Either way, we’re likely to see only a smattering of St. Louis City’s regulars on Tuesday. One strategy they could employ would be to start their regular center backs, Kyle Hiebert and Tim Parker, and let the rest of the squad figure out how to score goals, maybe revolving around a player like Tomáš Ostrák, who has played somewhat significant minutes but hasn’t started a match since April 1.
We could very possibly see some faces familiar to USL League One. Aziel Jackson, formerly of North Carolina FC, and Jon Bell of New England Revolution (and their reserve team) are members of the first team squad this year. Goalkeeper Christian Olivares, who briefly signed with Omaha last year after Rashid Nuhu took a knock that led to some depth issues, is on thier reserve squad this year. However, St Louis City 2 played a match this past Sunday, and with a lot of their regular players, so my guess is St. Louis City looks more to their first team’s bench than the reserve squad.
As for UO, a very unorthodox USL League One schedule last week has worked in their favor for this match. Omaha played a midweek game on the road in Charlotte, netting a very frustrating, but well earned draw, after which they had a free weekend for recovery. A Tuesday game also allows them to be a little more aggressive with their starting XI, and perhaps their tactics, since they’ll have the extra day of rest following this game than teams are used to from typical Wednesday games. However, St. Louis are a team that can swarm on the attack in the blink of an eye, so just because Omaha are the more rested team doesn’t mean they don’t have to think defense first. But if Omaha are able to handle a potential St. Louis press early, they have the ability to respond in the counter-attack with multiple different looks.
Who Gives a Hoot does have a group in St. Louis for this one, so keep your eyes posted to our social media accounts for a potential live pregame stream with other Union Omaha fans.
In the long and eventful career that Union Omaha forward Steevan Dos Santos has carried around the world, he’s tasted the foods of different cultures, but none tastes as sweet as the winning ways he’s extended into the present day. From the streets of Mindelo, Cape Verde, a young Dos Santos would soon find himself traveling through multiple continents, learning bits and pieces of different languages, and accomplishing feats many players would dream of including in their biography.
Even as a young boy living on the west African island nation, Dos Santos knew he wanted to pursue a professional career in soccer. His home was filled with love for the game – both his mom and dad played at the highest level on their island. While Cape Verde doesn’t have a professional league, his mom played center back and his dad played as a winger in their competitive clubs. Both were successful in their own right, but stopped playing in order to work and support the family. It was with that passion and support that Dos Santos was able to grow and develop into a player that would eventually represent his hometown club.
Young Dos Santos was still plying his trade in a pre-league club when his first opportunity presented itself. “…before the league, we had a small tournament and I was doing well in that tournament and on that team,” Dos Santos remembered. His play garnered the praise of onlookers and he welcomed the attention. One of those clubs was CS Mindelese, a Cape Verdean club and local favorite. “…[CS Mindelese] is the team that I support and when I had the chance to go there, I couldn’t say ‘no’ because this is if not the biggest team, one of the biggest teams in the country.” When the day came for Dos Santos to sign his first professional contract, it was extra special for his dad. “It was kind of like a dream for him – me playing in the team that he supported in Cape Verde,” Dos Santos recognized. It didn’t take long for his newly-founded career to experience that aforementioned sweet taste of victory.
As Dos Santos explained, Cape Verde is made up of ten islands and each island sends their respective league winner to a Champions League-esque tournament to determine the country’s overall winner. In his first season with CS Mindelese, they won the island league and followed it up by winning the inter-island tournament. His career hadn’t even made it to a full calendar year and he was already a champion twice over. As an added bonus, in that short amount of time, he had already captured the enthusiasm of the club president’s friend, who played professionally in Norway for six years. “He was the guy who had connections with Norway and he just spoke with them there,” Dos Santos revealed. “That was when I had the chance to go to Norway for a tryout…,” he continued. Just as he was getting over the rush of signing his first professional contract, he was packing his bags and headed out of the country to fulfill his first European contract.
For two years, Dos Santos played in Norway, notching 21 goals in 49 appearances for both clubs, Ullensaker and Kisa IL. Until living in Norway, Dos Santos had never seen or experienced snow. “Back home, we don’t have snow,” he affirmed. “I would see snow from movies and cartoons and all that. I didn’t know how it was.” He still remembers his first time seeing and touching snow. “I remember when I got to Norway and saw the snow,” he smiled. “I was kind of touching it and seeing how it feels.” He was more than happy to marvel at the majesty of snow blanketing the Norwegian landscape, but kept his distance from any recreational activities involving snow. When asked if he had ever skied or skated, he said, “No, I think that is too much. I think it would be risky for me because I may get hurt and that wouldn’t be good.” While the snow was otherworldly to him, so was the adjustment to living away from home.
At this point in his life, Dos Santos had never been away from home. With his career spanning into an international excursion, he got his first taste of culture shock while living in Norway. “I didn’t speak English at that point,” Dos Santos started. “And to make matters worse, between the players, they just spoke Norwegian. They don’t even speak English between them. I didn’t understand what they were saying. Speaking Norwegian is even harder.” Living in a foreign country, he quickly became resolute in embracing a life of learning off the field, as well. “Secondly, I’m going for it,” he said. “I’m going to start talking and if I’m wrong, I’m wrong.” There were even times when he used technology to further his progress with his surroundings. “When I would go home, I would go to Google Translator,” he recalled. “I would imagine a situation…put it in Portuguese and translate.” In his second year in Norway, he made enough progress to have fun with his teammates. “The second year, I was making jokes with my teammates,” he remembered. Learning the language wasn’t the only source of growth he encountered in his time playing in Norway.
Living abroad also meant that Dos Santos had to become comfortable with himself and even fend for himself. “That was my first time leaving home, leaving my parents, and leaving everything,” he divulged. “You know, it’s hard because I had to learn how to survive, be by myself, and cook for myself. I’ve never been alone for that long. I always had someone like my parents, my brother, my sister, or my friends. Of course, I had my teammates. It was fun there, but when I left the facilities, I would go home and I would just stay there alone. I’d call my parents and my girlfriend, but it’s different. Sometimes you need that person by your side, like when you had a bad day…you can go home and talk with someone and they’ll make you feel better, but I didn’t have that my first year.” His mental toughness allowed him to stay the course. “It was hard for me, but you just have to adapt because if you want to be a professional, it’s what you have to do: make sacrifices.” When his contract in Norway had finished, he had a short spell in Angola before crossing the Atlantic and joining the Rochester Rhinos of the USL. With that signing came more immediate success.
Photo courtesy of Drita Coma
Already in his mid-20s and living abroad for a few years, Dos Santos would soon face another culture shock as he took residence in Rochester, New York. He was a part of the 2015 Rochester Rhinos, who would go on to win the USL Eastern Conference and then the USL Cup after defeating LA Galaxy II 2-1 in extra time. In that season alone, Dos Santos would go on to score eight goals and finish the season tied for the club’s leading scorer. The team finished the regular season with a +25 goal differential, lost once, and amassed 17 clean sheets. Dos Santos is still dumbfounded when looking back on that season. “Yeah, just crazy,” he beamed. “That was unbelievable. My first year in America and I was able to win the league. It’s a very good feeling.” While recalling that season’s on-the-field success, he also revealed the success within the locker room. “When I came to Rochester, I always felt like we were all big friends, like a brotherhood and all of that,” he said. It was an eventful two seasons in Rochester, but in 2017, Dos Santos was picked up by Ottawa Fury. The scenery may have changed, but his ability to succeed did not.
From 2017-2019, Dos Santos competed with the Ottawa Fury, another member of the USL at that time. In his two years, he made 56 appearances and scored 15 goals, leading the club in scoring in back to back seasons. While the club missed out on the playoffs, Dos Santos was receiving a lot of attention as an offensive threat. “It’s personally good, but we couldn’t make the playoffs,” he recalled. “I think our main goal was to make the playoffs and I would be happy not to be the top scorer, but to have the team make the playoffs. You work hard for all those months to have a spot in the playoffs and for us not to make the playoffs twice, we fell short.” Before Ottawa experienced their administrative and legal challenges, which led to the club permanently closing its doors, Dos Santos was able to join the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and Tampa Bay Rowdies, extending his stay in the USL for another four years.
In 85 appearances between the two clubs, Dos Santos was able to score 31 goals and help his respective clubs get closer and closer to excellence. His time at both clubs was revered by not only fans, but pundits and front office staff, as well. Dos Santos spoke highly of his time at those clubs, too. “It was a good experience that I spent there. I had a good time there,” he reminisced. After disclosing some of the well wishes from personnel at those clubs to Dos Santos, he said, “It’s pretty awesome to hear. You know, those kinds of words coming from somebody at your club.” The kind words allowed him to expand a little further into his mindset about joining a club. “I always try to do my best and to be friendly and respectful with everyone,” he explained. “You never know about tomorrow.”
The decision to join Union Omaha wasn’t a difficult decision for Dos Santos and dropping from USL Championship to League One never factored into his thinking. “I got a call from [Head Coach Dominic Casciato] and he said he wanted me to join the team,” Dos Santos said. “He said I would be an important piece on the team. For me, it’s not about League One or USL [Championship]. Everything is about what they want from you.” He was already aware of Union Omaha’s existence, as well as their accomplishments. “I saw that the team won the league two years ago and I’m like, ‘Okay, here’s a team that can win the league. He’s trying to win the league. Here’s a good motivation for you to join them.’” It didn’t take long for him to make an impact in Omaha, either.
In his first start for Union Omaha, Dos Santos scored a second-half goal to help push the Owls into the Third Round of the US Open Cup. So far this season, he’s made five appearances for Union Omaha, scored two goals, and has become a routine target for offensive production. “I want to score as much as I can to help the team,” he revealed. “When the team wins, if I score, I’m happy because we won and I scored, but for me, the three points are more important.”
As he looks back on his career, he reflected on a milestone of which he is very proud. “I have over one hundred goals in my career,” he signified. “With all of the teams I’ve been playing with, it’s a good milestone for me and it’s good that I could help the team scoring goals and everything else.”
Photo courtesy of Drita Coma
While thinking about the past, he couldn’t help but point out the support he’s had from his friends, family, and fiancée. Throughout all of the years and all of the countries, he never missed an opportunity to speak with those that he loves. “The person I spoke with the most, when she’s not with me, is my fiancée,” he revealed. “She’s been living with me for a couple of years now. It’s easier to get through because she’s with me when I come back home. We can talk, we can go out, do something, and it makes it easier on me when I’m not home. I talk with my parents, but they have jobs and the time difference…”
Dos Santos doesn’t know what the future has in store for him and he hasn’t totally ruled out a future as a coach, but does know one thing for sure: he wants to return home to Cape Verde. “When I finish playing, I’m going home,” he said. “If tomorrow, something changes, we can adjust. If we have the chance to stay for some reason, why not?” With all of the achievements he’s accomplished and all of his years abroad, that seemingly incomparable sweet taste of victory will ultimately never compare to the sights and sounds of the hiking trails in Mindelo, his mother’s home-cooked feijoada, and the warmth of love found at home. Game days will come and go, but family and feijoada live on.
It may have been a scoreless draw, but it was an action-packed 90 minutes as Union Omaha earned a point against league-leading Charlotte Independence. In what was largely regarded as a litmus test for both clubs, it was goalkeepers Austin Pack (Charlotte Independence) and Rashid Nuhu (Union Omaha) who performed more dazzling aerial moves than a Cirque du Soleil show to earn their respective clean sheets.
Wearing the lightning yellow kits with black shorts, Union Omaha wasted little time in applying pressure to the undefeated hosts. From the opening kickoff, the Owls showed a sense of urgency to not only take residence in North Carolina’s half, but to also test the backline of the Jacks. Forwards Noe Meza and Steevan Dos Santos routinely pressed high, while midfielders JP Scearce, Luis Gil, and Joe Gallardo provided a layer of support.
Charlotte, donning the pure blue kits, had their own arsenal of threats. Off-season signing and USL star Dane Kelly paired up with Gabriel Obertan to give chase in Union Omaha’s half. The Jacks also started a loaded midfield with names like Omar Ciss, Tresor Mbuyu, and Miguel Ibarra.
Union Omaha’s earliest quality chance on goal came in the 25th minute of play. After Charlotte’s Mbuyu tried to force a pass into Union Omaha’s box, JP Scearce was able to collect the ball and start the counterattack. He was able to find Joe Gallardo, who was able to connect with Noe Meza on the left flank. Having Meza along the sideline attracted defenders toward him, affording Luis Gil the opportunity to find space at the top of the box. As all of this was happening, Scearce snuck up the field without a defender tracking him and received a pass from Gil just outside the penalty area. With a one-touch shot on goal, Charlotte’s Austin Pack had to go horizontal in order to save the scoring opportunity.
In a surprising adjustment to tactics, Búhos Nation saw Union Omaha channel a lot more of their attacks through the middle of the field. The Owls have the height to win the air from crosses along the flank, but seemed to operate more on the ground with their threats.
By halftime, both sides had their fair chances on goal, but it was Union Omaha who seemed to be the aggressor. The Owls carried 60% of possession, with 87% overall passing accuracy and 82% passing accuracy in Charlotte’s half of the field. While the visitors had six shots, only one was on target. They did well to vary their attacks, as fans witnessed seven crosses, four shots from outside the box, and two shots inside of Charlotte’s box.
The second half seemed to belong to Union Omaha, as the Owls unleashed a total of 14 shots, 8 of which were inside the box. Union Omaha also had two shots inside Charlotte’s goal area. It was 45 minutes of almost pure offense for the Owls, but the heroics of Austin Pack kept the Jacks in the game. An example of this came in the 51st minute.
After Union Omaha’s Junior Palacios cleared a Charlotte goal kick, Joe Gallardo wound up with the ball at his feet and dribbled toward the Charlotte penalty area. With four defenders surrounding him, he was somehow able to evade any challenges and put a shot on frame. Austin Pack parried the ball away, only to find it land in the path of an incoming Steevan Dos Santos. His follow-up shot wasn’t as strong as he would’ve liked and the Jacks were able to escape another quality chance on goal from the visitors.
The draw keeps the Jacks undefeated and alone at the top of the league standings, while Union Omaha dropped three spots to finish Week 5 in 7th place. The Owls will have nearly a week off before traveling to St. Louis on Tuesday, April 25th for a US Open Cup showdown against MLS club St. Louis CITY. The next league match for Union Omaha will be on Saturday, April 29th, when the undefeated Northern Colorado Hailstorm come to town. That match will be the first held at Werner Park this season. The promotional night for April 29th is “Pups at the Pitch,” so don’t forget to sign up and bring your dog to the stadium.
Union Omaha look to bounce back after first loss of 2023
Union Omaha are facing adversity for the first time in 2023. Following their first loss of the season this past weekend against North Carolina FC, they now have to deal with Charlotte Independence, who hold the top of the table at this early stage of the 2023 season, on short rest on the road.
Even at this early stage of the season, it probably isn’t going far to say that this will indeed be a test for UO. Even as a fringe playoff team last year, Charlotte was still the second-best team in the league at home. It’s been Charlotte’s returning players that have provided strong performances so far this campaign, most notably veterans Gabriel Obertan and Miguel Ibarra. Charlotte also had the luxury of not having to play last weekend, getting a respite following three straight matches on the road, where they accumulated seven of a possible nine points.
With slight differences in the lineup last weekend against NCFC, how much (if any) was a result of lineup rotation with this short turnaround in mind? It is, of course, next to impossible to say this early in the season. Marco Milanese’s first career professional start was a mild surprise, while the omission of JP Scearce from not only the starting XI, but also the bench was the biggest surprise of all. This author has no knowledge of whether or not this is rest, injury or something else.
We’re no closer to discovering what manager Dominic Casciato’s preferred starting XI is, both in personnel and where they are positioned. Scearce’s absence provided more evidence to this, as he was one of the few consistencies of Casciato’s starting XI’s at this early stage of the season. Scearce was listed as a right-midfielder in both of the first two league games, and favored the right side in those games. Joe Brito, listed as Scearce’s replacement, technically started at left-forward at UO’s game the weekend before at Central Valley Fuego. However, it was obvious Brito favored playing on the right side that night, which was also the side the team favored attacking from that night.
Will that be how UO approaches this game on Wednesday? It may very well be up to them to choose, as Charlotte have yet to out-possess an opponent this season, even as they’ve finished two of their four games with one-man advantages. That isn’t to say that Charlotte will necessarily just let UO attack and respond with the counter, as this same strategy also led to them outshooting Richmond 17-3 in their season opening draw. Omaha hasn’t had to face that kind of an offensive onslaught yet this year, but the potential for the defense to face an intense test is certainly there. With no match this upcoming weekend, there is also little chance that UO are overlooking this match before their Third Round U.S. Open Cup match at St. Louis FC. So this game has real, real potential to be a very competitive one for the full 90.
Despite a late surge, Union Omaha was unable to find the equalizer in a 1-2 loss to North Carolina FC. The loss is the first of the calendar year for Union Omaha, the first for Union Omaha Head Coach Dominic Casciato, and first-ever loss at the hands of North Carolina FC.
Just prior to kickoff, the heavy, ominous clouds opened up and unleashed a brief period of pebble-sized hail. Though both clubs had to contend with the elements, North Carolina started the match strong and were rewarded for it within the first few minutes of the match.
Within the first 30 seconds of the opening whistle, as Union Omaha possessed the ball deep near their own goal line, North Carolina’s Jaden Servania applied high pressure and forced a turnover in the box. Servania’s teammate Oalex Anderson was the first to get to the ball and turned to face the goal. Despite Union Omaha defender Junior Palacios there to cut off the angle of any shots, another Union Omaha defender, Marco Milanese challenged Anderson from behind and sent him to the ground. The man chosen to finish the penalty kick is no stranger to Union Omaha history.
After the ball was placed on the penalty spot and North Carolina midfielder Rafa Mentzingen waited for the referee to blow the whistle, there were no doubt some fans reeling at the sight of Mentzingen shooting the ball. For those that don’t remember, Mentzingen played for the 2022 Chattanooga Red Wolves and scored the match-winning goal in extra time of the playoff quarterfinal match, ending Union Omaha’s season. Once the referee blew the whistle, Mentzingen slotted it home for the early lead.
That scoreline held until the 43rd minute, when North Carolina would double their lead. After an errant pass from Union Omaha’s Luis Gil, North Carolina players quickly collected the ball and went on the counterattack. In the video below, you can see the Union Omaha players on that side of the field outnumbered as the visitors worked the ball up the field. Another point to watch is Union Omaha defender Marco Milanese. As North Carolina’s Chris Lue Young receives the pass near the right flank, Milanese is caught overcommitting to the challenge and Louis Perez floats into the space previously held by Milanese. Once the ball was placed at the feet of Perez, he was off to the races, operating in space with little challenge. As Perez approached Union Omaha’s penalty area, he slightly angled his attack toward the center of the field and took a shot. Unfortunately for Union Omaha, the ball took a deflection off defender Alexis Souahy’s outstretched leg and caught goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu off balance, unable to adjust to the sudden incoming ball. The goal was Perez’s first of the season and first with North Carolina.
It wasn’t all doom and gloom for the Owls at halftime. Despite being down 0-2, Union Omaha held an impressive 75% of the possession with 89% passing accuracy. Even the passing in North Carolina’s half was impressive, with the Owls carrying 73% accuracy. Union Omaha also had more shots, more shots on goal, and had an 80% tackle success rate. There were also four chances created, two of which came from midfielder Joe Gallardo. While some fans at Caniglia Field had reached their weather limit and opted to leave at halftime, those who stayed around would be treated to an early threat from the Owls in the second half.
In the 53rd minute, Union Omaha defender Shaft Brewer Jr. carried the ball into North Carolina’s half, along the right flank. His pass inside to Joe Gallardo saw the midfielder surrounded by three defenders, yet he was still able to turn over his right shoulder and gain a central lane and space to operate. After a couple of touches, Gallardo unleashed a beautiful shot that caught North Carolina goalkeeper Nick Holliday flat on his feet. It looked as though the deficit was about to be cut in half, but the ball slammed into the upper left corner posts, echoing loudly inside the stadium. Fans were let down by how close they were to a goal, but continued urging on the home side.
The last 15 minutes of the match saw Union Omaha stepping up their urgency and forward movement. All of that effort finally came to fruition in the 84th minute, when the Owls were able to get within one goal of North Carolina. After a free kick was called just outside of the North Carolina penalty area, Union Omaha’s Joe Gallardo stepped up to take the kick. The ball curled toward Nick Holliday, who reacted quickly to punch the ball overhead. Fortunately for Union Omaha, Holliday was still under the crossbar, so the attempted clearance went directly into the bar and ricocheted into the back of the net. The goal was as close as Union Omaha would come to equalizing and the match soon finished with the victory going to North Carolina FC.
After the match, Union Omaha midfielder and goalscorer Joe Gallardo shared his thoughts on the day. “It was one of those days where things didn’t happen for us, unfortunately,” Gallardo said. “But I feel like we still played good as a team and we’re just very unfortunate with the early penalty and the second goal that hit off our player and went in.” Regarding his goal, Gallardo said, “I just wanted to test the goalie and tried hitting it hard at him and thankfully it went in.”
Union Omaha forward Steevan Dos Santos also shared his thoughts. “Tough day for us, but I think overall we had a good game,” Dos Santos said. “It’s just learning from our mistake, the penalty, and it’s like the second goal was a deflection off our defender and there was nothing we could do about that, but we have to learn from our mistake and try to do better next game.”
Head Coach Dominic Casciato provided some insights, as well. “Disappointed to start a game that way,” Casciato said. “I think after that, we really controlled things. But then they get another goal off a deflection right before halftime. Second half, we were pushing, but we just didn’t do enough to get a second goal. We let ourselves down.” When asked about returning to Werner Park, Casciato said, “It’s been tough for us going from one location to the next and it’s really like an away game all the time. We’re not familiar with the surroundings. It’ll be good to get back to Werner Park and be at home.”
With the loss, Union Omaha dropped 3 spots to finish Week 5 in 7th place. The Owls turn around quickly and travel to American Legion Memorial Stadium on Wednesday to face top-ranked Charlotte Independence. After that, Union Omaha will have nearly a week of rest before traveling to St. Louis on April 26th to face off against MLS club St. Louis CITY.
Match Summary
Attendance: 1,665
Goal Summary:
3’: NC – Rafa Mentzingen (PK)
43’: NC – Louis Perez (assisted by Mikey Maldonado)
UO can get to within 1 point of idle Charlotte Independence with win over NCFC
Union Omaha’s win against Central Valley Fuego last weekend broke a nine-match winless streak within the league, and seemed to verify that the previous match against El Paso Locomotive was more indicative of how the team will play for Dominic Casciato than the season opener against Forward Madison. Looking more and more like a team that’s found its identity, UO will host a team it has never lost to this weekend in North Carolina FC. NCFC come into the match with a level 1-1-1 record, and will be playing their first league match away from WakeMed Soccer Park this season.
That identity appears to be one where the starting formation disappears pretty much after the opening kickoff. The last two matches featured a starting back four from left to right of Stefan Mueller, Junior Palacios, Alexis Souahy and Shaft Brewer Jr. In actual practice, Conor Doyle almost becomes a third center-back when UO are on the attack. This allowed Brewer to constantly press high, sometimes almost to the point of leaving Souahy and Palacios a little exposed to the counter-attack if they aren’t able to communicate assignments to each other quick enough. Brewer was also mixing with what can only be described as a collection of constantly moving parts in the upper middle-third. Joe Brito and Noe Meza were the announced and actual starting forwards, but it can’t be argued that Joe Gallardo was actually Omaha’s most forward pressing player last weekend. He, Meza, Brito and JP Scearce (along with eventual subs Alex Steinwascher and Steevan Dos Santos) seemed to be taking turns at the top, each of them waiting for the right time to either start the counter-attack following a Fuego mistake, sometimes even creating the opportunities on their own defensively.
However, we did see Luca Mastrantonio make his Union Omaha debut. We can’t say for sure whether or not his appearance was planned (it was a halftime substitute, but he did sub on for the already booked Brewer), but Union Omaha’s look in the back was distinctly different because of it. Palacios shifted to his more natural position on the right, and as a player that plays a little bit more of a physical style, it led to a little bit less of the controlled chaos we had seen the previous 135 minutes.
Given NCFC’s style of play, a defensive lineup that averages being positioned further back might not be the worst idea. North Carolina have either out possessed each of their opponents this season, or been on the right side of a 50-50 game. They also love, and I mean love to cross the ball. They’ve put in an incredible 59 crosses over their first three games. By comparison, Omaha have made only 23 in their two games. A performance like the last one for the Omaha defense might be necessary, a performance that included 23 clearances.
NCFC’s stable start to the season hasn’t been what we’ve been used to seeing the past couple of years, but it might be due to the bevy of players they brought in that are very familiar with the league. North Carolina made additions like Mikey Maldonado, Devin Benton, Daniel Navarro and Rafa Mentzingen this past offseason. Those four players alone have combined to play all but 13 minutes so far this season. They have, however, handed this year’s starting spot at goalkeeper to the young Nicholas Holiday. Holiday has started all three games so far, after starting only 13 the previous two seasons. He has, however, only seen six shots on target in those three games, allowing half of those into the net.
And finally, the weather could certainly play a factor this weekend. A cold front moves in Friday night bringing a line of thunderstorms that will turn into steadier showers with colder, more sustained winds than we’ve seen in the metro the past several days. The turf itself shouldn’t be impacted a whole lot, but the conditions themselves might slow down play considerably and perhaps force NCFC to keep the ball low to the ground more than they’d like. In general, look for UO to face a stiffer challenge from this weekend’s opponent than they have typically in the past.
Who Gives A Hoot? 