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Union Prove Too Good for Kickers

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 06/05/18, 9:06PM EDT

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Philadelphia notches four-goal first half on way to Open Cup victory


Photo courtesy Philadelphia Union

CHESTER, Pa. – The Philadelphia Union cruised to victory against the Richmond Kickers in the Fourth Round of the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as a strong opening half led to a 5-0 victory at Talen Energy Park on Tuesday night.

The Union took the lead in just the third minute as Jack Elliott put home a delivery by Haris Medunjanin from a corner kick on the left, and Elliott threatened again from a corner in the 17th minute only to be denied by a good save by Kickers goalkeeper Trevor Spangenberg.

The Kickers tried to get back into the game as Raul Gonzalez tried to find forward Luiz Fernando with a cross that was picked off by Union goalkeeper John McCarthy in the 23rd minute, but the hosts doubled their advantage four minutes later after former Bethlehem Steel FC standout Cory Burke was brought down in the penalty area and David Accam converted from the spot.

Philadelphia added to its lead a minute before halftime as Anthony Fontana wove through the Kickers defense and had enough on his shot that Spangenberg wasn’t able to keep it from finding the net, and in the second minute of first-half stoppage time Marcus Epps made it a four-goal lead as he shook his defender after a through-ball by Burke before putting home his finish into the left corner.

The Union didn’t take long to find a fifth in the second half as substitute Jay Simpson put away a chance created by Derrick Jones four minutes after the break, and while the Kickers looked for a late consolation goal a free kick by Gonzalez that hit the crossbar with a minutes to go the hosts comfortably saw their way through to the Round of 16.

Scoring:
3’ – PHI – Jack Elliott (Haris Medunjanin)
27’ – PHI – David Accam (penalty kick)
44’ – PHI – Anthony Fontana
45+2’ – PHI – Marcus Epps (Cory Burke)
49’ – PHI – Jay Simpson (Derrick Jones)

Philadelphia Union: GK John McCarthy; D Keegan Rosenberry, Jack Elliott, Mark McKenzie, Matthew Real; M Haris Medunjanin, Derrick Jones, Marcus Epps (Michee Ngalina 61’), Anthony Fontana (Auston Trusty 83’), David Accam; F Cory Burke (Jay Simpson 46’)

Richmond Kickers: GK Trevor Spangenberg; D Alex Lee (Fred Owusu Sekyere 62’), Oscar Umar, Mekeil Williams (Conor Shanosky 89’), Austin Yearwood; M Brandon Eaton, Neil Hlavaty (Chris Osei-Wusu 74’), Raul Gonzalez, Matthew Bolduc, Scott Thomsen; F Luiz Fernando

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