FC Delco shows talent, depth in MLS Next Cup run

While FC Delco didn’t have any teams play for an MLS Next Cup trophy, they had an impressive showing over last week as a team not affiliated with an MLS club. FC Delco advanced to the quarterfinals at the U17 and U19 level. The U17 team was so close to booking a spot in the semifinal but fell for the second straight year on penalties. As U16s in 2021 the team lost on penalties in the semifinal. The U17 match against Columbus Crew was streamed so a larger audience was able to see a team that defeated eventual champion and local rival the Philadelphia Union U17s in a final tune-up before heading to Texas. Here’s a look at the difference makers in the match they tied 1-1 against Columbus Crew. [caption id="attachment_49656" align="alignright" width="300"]<img class="wp-image-49656 size-medium" src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/07/6N4A7374-300x200.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> <em>[player_tooltip player_id="33224" first="Caden" last="Grabfelder"]</em>[/caption] <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="33224" first="Caden" last="Grabfelder"], Midfielder</strong> Grabfelder has been the playing some of his best soccer of the season in recent weeks. A shifty midfielder who covers a lot of ground and can change a game, his rocketed finish late in the game sent the match to a winner-take-all shootout. The Penn State commit gained a lot of new fans during his time in Texas, including those on the broadcast. <strong>Nicholas Willen, Goalkeeper</strong> Columbus Crew looked the more dangerous team in the early going and while they were able to take a deserved lead, Willen was unfazed by it and stepped up when called on to keep the deficit to one. There wasn’t much he could do during the shootout as all but one penalty taker from the Crew (who missed high over the bar) hit it in a spot where he had little chance to make a stop. <strong>Nathan Brown, Forward</strong> With [player_tooltip player_id="15208" first="Kaio" last="Reis"] drawing much of the attention from the Crew defense, Brown was able to create down the right side with his pace and strength. Though he wasn’t able to find the breakthrough he helped to spread the Crew back line and open up more space. [caption id="attachment_49650" align="alignleft" width="300"]<img class="wp-image-49650 size-medium" src="https://prepsoccer.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/8/2022/07/6N4A7478-300x200.jpeg" alt="" width="300" height="200" /> <em>[player_tooltip player_id="15303" first="Sebastian" last="Perez-Gasiba"]</em>[/caption] <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="15303" first="Sebastian" last="Perez-Gasiba"], Forward/Winger</strong> While Grabfelder deservedly drew the accolades for the finish on his equalizer and his overall play in the game, Sebastian did a ton of the work off the ball to set up the goal. Like Nathan Brown who he replaced in the lineup, Perez-Gasiba was able to find space down the right flank to create and exploit the 10-men Crew to create the game’s magical moment. That a player with the technical ability of Perez-Gasiba flashed was coming off the bench shows it’s not just the MLS academies with depth. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="44404" first="Jack" last="McDaid"], Midfielder</strong> It can be sometimes hard to tell Jack and his twin brother Joe apart because in addition to looking alike they play similarly but Jack plays in a more advanced role as an attacking central midfielder and while he was dispossessed in the run-up to the Crew’s goal he showed his quality all the way through to a converted penalty. His length and calmness on the ball make him a formidable leader for attack. <strong>Joe McDaid, Defender</strong> While twin brother Joe does a lot of his work in the offensive third, Joe operates from the back line. Against the Crew he was able to get up and down the left flank and contribute on both sides for the team and had an almost identical penalty kick with technique that beat the Crew keeper even after he guessed the right way. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="44523" first="Francis" last="Castillo-Orellana"], Winger</strong> Castillo-Orellana is instant offense when he was subbing on and was a big reason why FC Delco made it as far as they are. The fact that he replaced last year’s MLS Next U16 golden boot winner [player_tooltip player_id="37617" first="Liam" last="May"] in the 54th minute shows again the kind of depth this team has. A powerful runner coming down the left flank, Castillo-Orellana is a handful for defenders when he’s running downhill. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="15208" first="Kaio" last="Reis"], Forward</strong> It wasn’t Reis’ best day in the end but he still showed his quality as one of the top true No. 9’s in the country. His size and ability to hold the ball and make intelligent runs makes him a top forward prospect. &nbsp;