2021 Union Omaha season

Union Omaha
2021 season
Head coachJay Mims
USL League One1st (first regular season title)
USL1 PlayoffsWinners (first championship)
Top goalscorerLeague:
All: Greg Hurst (14 goals)
Highest home attendance5,221 vs. GVL (11/20)
Lowest home attendance2,722 vs. TOR (9/11)
Average home league attendance3,496
Biggest winOMA 6-1 TUC (11/13)
Biggest defeat-1 goal (5 times)
← 2020
2022 →

The 2021 Union Omaha season was the second season in the soccer team's history, and their second season in the third division of American soccer, USL League One. Union Omaha played the majority of their home games at Werner Park, located in Papillion, Nebraska, United States, with one game played at Creighton University's Morrison Stadium.

Union Omaha finished the regular season in first place, finishing with the league's best goal difference, earning home field advantage and a first-round bye in the USL League One Playoffs. Union Omaha finished the season winning their first ever championship, beating defending champion Greenville Triumph SC 3–0 in the final.

Roster

Following the completion of Union Omaha's inaugural season, head coach Jay Mims announced 14 players would return for the 2021 season. The team's first new signings were announced on January 22, as Conor Doyle and Greg Hurst were signed as free agents from the Chattanooga Red Wolves. Goalkeeper Kevin Piedrahita and defender Blake Malone joined the team as a free agent and on loan, respectively, before the start of training camp.

As of August 11, 2021[citation needed]
No. Position Player Nation
2 MF Emir Alihodžić  Bosnia and Herzegovina
3 DF Damià Viader  Spain
4 DF Jaime Ponce  United States
5 MF Tobias Otieno  Kenya
7 FW Ethan Vanacore-Decker  United States
8 MF John Murphy  United States
9 FW Greg Hurst  Scotland
10 MF Nicolas Firmino  Brazil
11 FW Evan Conway  United States
12 MF Austin Panchot  United States
13 DF Daltyn Knutson  United States
14 MF Christian Molina  El Salvador
15 FW Elma N'For  Cameroon
16 DF Jake Crull  Austria
17 MF JP Scearce  United States
18 DF Blake Malone (on loan from Orange County SC)  United States
19 FW Ricardo Rivera  Puerto Rico
20 MF Devin Boyce  United States
22 MF Conor Doyle  United States
24 GK Rashid Nuhu  Ghana
25 DF Ferrety Sousa  DR Congo
28 DF Illal Osumanu  Ghana
30 MF Yoskar Galván-Mercado  United States
33 GK Kevin Piedrahita  United States

Competitions

Exhibitions

March 19, 2021 (2021-03-19) Preseason 1 Minnesota United FC 1–1 Union Omaha Blaine, Minnesota
Stadium: National Sports Center
March 24, 2021 (2021-03-24) Preseason 2 Phoenix Rising FC 1–2 Union Omaha Chandler, Arizona
12:00 PM MST Dadashov 33' PHX Report Scearce 41'
Hurst 53'		 Stadium: Wild Horse Pass Stadium
March 27, 2021 (2021-03-27) Preseason 3 Phoenix Rising FC 1–2 Union Omaha Chandler, Arizona
11:00 AM MST Rodríguez 42' PHX Report Vanacore-Decker 69'
N'For 90+'		 Stadium: Wild Horse Pass Stadium
April 17, 2021 (2021-04-17) Preseason 4 Union Omaha 2–1 Sporting Kansas City II Papillion, Nebraska
2:00 PM CST Scearce 25', 63' SKC II Report Rešetar 34' Stadium: Werner Park
August 4, 2021 (2021-08-04) Midseason 1 Union Omaha v Bellevue University Papillion, Nebraska
6:00 PM CDT Stadium: Werner Park

USL League One

Main article: 2021 USL League One season

Standings

Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Union Omaha (C, X) 28 14 9 5 44 22 +22 51 Qualification for the semi-finals
2 Greenville Triumph SC 28 12 9 7 36 29 +7 45
3 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC 28 11 11 6 37 29 +8 44 Qualification for the play-offs
4 FC Tucson 28 11 7 10 44 42 +2 40
5 Richmond Kickers 28 11 7 10 35 36 −1 40
Source: USL League One
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) points earned against top four Conference finishers; 6) disciplinary points; 7) drawing of lots.
(C) Champions; (X) Regular Season Champion

Results summary

Overall Home Away
Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts W D L GF GA GD W D L GF GA GD
28 14 9 5 44 22  +22 51 7 4 3 23 12  +11 7 5 2 21 10  +11

Source: USL League One

Results by round

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728
StadiumHAAAAAAHAHHHAHAAHAHAHAHHHHHA
ResultWWWDLDWWDWDDWDWLDWWDLWWLWLWD
Position3222231111111112211221111111
Source: USL League One
A = Away; H = Home; W = Win; D = Draw; L = Loss

Match results

April 24, 2021 (2021-04-24) 1 Union Omaha 2–0 South Georgia Tormenta FC Papillion, NE
6:00 PM CDT Conway 22'
Boyce  53'
Nuhu  69'
Hurst 83',  88'
Scearce  85'		 Report Eckenrode  49'
Phelps  57'
Liadi  69'
Billhardt  81'		 Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 2,786
Referee: Mark Allatin
May 7, 2021 (2021-05-07) 2 Fort Lauderdale CF 0–2 Union Omaha Fort Lauderdale, FL
6:30 PM CDT Saavedra  66' Report Conway 31'
Alihodžić  47'
Viader 71'		 Stadium: DRV PNK Stadium
Referee: Gabriele Giusti
May 12, 2021 (2021-05-12) 3 New England Revolution II 0–1 Union Omaha Foxborough, MA
4:00 PM CDT J. Buck  26'
Presley  27'
Dulysse  38'		 Report Scearce  52'
Hurst 84',  90+1'		 Stadium: Gillette Stadium
Attendance: 150
Referee: Adam Kilpatrick
May 16, 2021 (2021-05-16) 4 Greenville Triumph SC 1–1 Union Omaha Greenville, SC
3:00 PM CDT Lomis 35'
Pilato  37'		 Report Firmino 59', 84'
Scearce  77'		 Stadium: Legacy Early College Field
Attendance: 2,058
Referee: Elton Garcia
May 26, 2021 (2021-05-26) 5 Forward Madison FC 1–0 Union Omaha Madison, WI
7:00 PM CDT Sukow 58'
Fuson  90'		 Report Knutson  16'
Sousa  69'		 Stadium: Breese Stevens Field
Attendance: 1,919
Referee: Nabil Bensalah
June 2, 2021 (2021-06-02) 6 Toronto FC II 1–1 Union Omaha Casa Grande, AZ
9:00 PM CDT Thompson 49'
Franklin  67'		 Report Firmino  37'
Sousa  52'
Knutson 73'		 Stadium: Grande Sports World
Referee: Jervis Atagana
June 6, 2021 (2021-06-06) 7 Forward Madison 1–2 Union Omaha Madison, WI
5:00 PM CDT Keegan 35'
Molloy  66'
Fernandes  90+1'		 Report Allen 7' (o.g.)
Hurst  30'
Alihodžić 51'
Alihodžić  59'		 Stadium: Breese Stevens Field
Attendance: 2,195
Referee: Laura Chambers
June 12, 2021 (2021-06-12) 8 Union Omaha 4–2 New England Revolution II Papillion, NE
7:00 PM CDT Sousa  5'
Hurst 21', 45+1', 47'
Boyce 77'
Panchot  84'		 Report Knighton  10'
Presley 23'
Tsicoulias 63'		 Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 3,677
Referee: Velimir Stefanovic
June 19, 2021 (2021-06-19) 9 Richmond Kickers 1–1 Union Omaha Richmond, VA
5:30 PM CDT Terzaghi  57'
Otieno 76' (o.g.)
Anderson  80'		 Report Sousa 31',  75'
Vanacore-Decker  64'
Otieno  73'		 Stadium: City Stadium
Attendance: 2,009
Referee: John Matto
June 26, 2021 (2021-06-26) 10 Union Omaha 1–0 FC Tucson Papillion, NE
7:00 PM CDT Hurst 6'
Otieno  42'
Knutson  78'
Firmino  90+3'		 Report Ferriol  45+2'
Corfe  61'
Fox  90+7'		 Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 3,315
Referee: Melvin Rivas
July 3, 2021 (2021-07-03) 11 Union Omaha 1–1 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC Papillion, NE
8:00 PM CDT Hurst 36'
Doyle  45+1'
Scearce  54', 55'		 Report España  24'
Ruiz  31'
García  81'
Hernández 90+1'		 Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 3,880
Referee: Samantha Martinez
July 16, 2021 (2021-07-16) 12 Union Omaha 1–1 Forward Madison FC Papillion, NE
7:00 PM CDT Boyce 11'
N'For  31'		 Report Barriga Toyama  32'
Gebhard  60'
Tobin 67'
Fernandes  74'		 Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 3,304
Referee: Kevin Fikar
July 24, 2021 (2021-07-24) 13 FC Tucson 1–2 Union Omaha Tucson, AZ
9:00 PM CDT Bedoya  49'
Dennis  67'
Doyle 74' (o.g.)
Fox  90+4'		 Report Sousa  23'
Viader 44'
Hurst 51'
Murphy  84'		 Stadium: Kino North Stadium
Attendance: 715
Referee: Gerald Flores
July 31, 2021 (2021-07-31) 14 Union Omaha 1–1 North Texas SC Papillion, NE
7:00 PM CDT Hurst 20'
Crull  65'
Boyce  79'		 Report Kamungo 49'
Waldeck  51'
Almaguer  63'
Kazu  66'		 Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 3,722
Referee: Chris Ruska
August 7, 2021 (2021-08-07) 15 Union Omaha P–P Forward Madison FC Papillion, NE
7:00 PM CDT Stadium: Werner Park
Note: Match postponed due to severe weather
August 14, 2021 (2021-08-14) 15 FC Tucson 0–1 Union Omaha Tucson, AZ
9:00 PM CDT Knox  58' Report Kone 19' (o.g.)
Otieno  59'
Viader  75'
Doyle  80'		 Stadium: Kino North Stadium
Attendance: 859
Referee: Ricardo Fierro
August 21, 2021 (2021-08-21) 16 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC 1–0 Union Omaha Chattanooga, TN
6:00 PM CDT Capozucchi  28'
Ricketts  33'
Navarro  67'
Carrera  75'
Ruiz 79'		 Report Doyle  36'
Viader  76'		 Stadium: CHI Memorial Stadium
Attendance: 2,149
Referee: Joshua Belk
August 28, 2021 (2021-08-28) 17 Union Omaha 0–0 North Texas SC Papillion, NE
7:00 PM CDT Otieno  50'
Malone  90+2'		 Report Maldonado  23'
Smith  26'
Gomes  31'
Ferri  68'		 Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 3,311
Referee: Karen Callado
September 4, 2021 (2021-09-04) 18 North Carolina FC 0–3 Union Omaha Cary, NC
6:00 CDT Martinez  24'
Flick  39'
McGuire  52'
Jackson  70'		 Report Viader 7', 53' (pen.)
Alihodžić  68'
Rivera 85'		 Stadium: WakeMed Soccer Park
Referee: William Steffen
September 11, 2021 (2021-09-11) 19 Union Omaha 2–1 Toronto FC II Papillion, NE
7:00 PM CDT Boyce 6'
Scearce  21', 71'
Hurst  45+4'		 Report Carlini  39'
Singh 53'
Petrasso  59'
Altobelli  88'		 Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 2,722
Referee: Adorae Monroy
September 19, 2021 (2021-09-19) 20 North Texas SC 2–2 Union Omaha Arlington, TX
6:00 PM CDT ElMedkhar 18'
Ferri  30'
Vargas 53',  90'		 Report Viader 11',  76'
Hurst  58'
Conway 81'		 Stadium: Globe Life Park
Attendance: 603
Referee: Benjamin Meyer
September 25, 2021 (2021-09-25) 21 Union Omaha 0–1 FC Tucson Omaha, NE
7:00 PM CDT Doyle  11'
Alihodžić  32'		 Report Dennis 7' (pen.)
Mastrantonio  51'
Adams  56'
Calixtro  76'
Kone  81'
Schenfeld  87'		 Stadium: Morrison Stadium
Attendance: 3,741
Referee: Jervis Atagana
October 1, 2021 (2021-10-01) 22 South Georgia Tormenta FC 0–4 Union Omaha Statesboro, GA
7:00 PM CDT Micaletto  2'
Nus  51'
Jackson  57'
Candela  76'		 Report Conway 5', 40', 71'
Viader 66'
Osumanu  77'		 Stadium: Eagle Field
Attendance: 2,045
Referee: Izlen Peksenar
October 6, 2021 (2021-10-06) 23 Union Omaha 4–1 Fort Lauderdale CF Papillion, NE
7:00 PM CDT Conway 35'
Hurst 43', 58'
Boyce 49'
Doyle  70'		 Report Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 3,126
Referee: Melvin Rivas
October 9, 2021 (2021-10-09) 24 Union Omaha 0–1 Greenville Triumph SC Papillion, NE
6:00 PM CDT Doyle  72'
Otieno  78'		 Report Lomis 12'
Booth  69'
Hemmings  88'		 Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 3,884
Referee: Greg Dopka
October 16, 2021 (2021-10-16) 25 Union Omaha 4–1 North Carolina FC Papillion, NE
6:00 PM CDT Conway 2', 18', 57'
Alihodžić 25'		 Report Mbaye 15'
Blanco  45+3'
Frame  68'		 Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 3,197
Referee: Nabil Bensalah
October 20, 2021 (2021-10-20) 26 Union Omaha 1–2 Forward Madison FC Papillion, NE
7:00 PM CDT Conway  32'
Hurst 89' (pen.)		 Report Allen  32'
Trimmingham 53', 58',  58'
Rad  76'		 Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 2,405
Referee: Abdou Ndiaye
Note: Match was originally scheduled for August 7
October 23, 2021 (2021-10-23) 27 Union Omaha 2–0 Richmond Kickers Papillion, NE
6:00 PM CDT Hurst  34', 88'
Otieno 85',  90+4'
Sousa  90'		 Report Bolduc  30'
Bolanos  77'
Morán  84'		 Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 2,943
Referee: Luis Arroyo
October 30, 2021 (2021-10-30) 28 North Texas SC 1–1 Union Omaha Arlington, TX
7:30 PM CDT Kamungo 35'
Avayevu  83'		 Report Firmino 90+1' Stadium: Globe Life Park
Attendance: 821
Referee: Eric Tattersall

USL League One Playoffs

Main article: 2021 USL League One Playoffs
November 13, 2021 (2021-11-13) Semifinal Union Omaha 6–1 FC Tucson Papillion, NE
4:00 PM CST Conway 3', 31'
Boyce  32', 54'
Crull  34'
Viader 49'
Panchot 70'
Alihodžić 83'		 Report Schenfeld  30',  32'
Dennis  44', 63'
Ferriol  66'		 Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 3,607
Referee: Michael Radchuk
November 20, 2021 (2021-11-20) Final Union Omaha 3–0 Greenville Triumph Papillion, NE
4:00 PM CST Conway 7',  11'  77'
Hurst 43'
Sousa  62'
Viader  63'
Otieno 90+2'		 Report Hemmings  65'
Lee  72'		 Stadium: Werner Park
Attendance: 5,221
Referee: Kevin Broadley

Statistics

Appearances and goals

Numbers after plus–sign (+) denote appearances as a substitute.

No. Pos Nat Player Total USL-1
Apps Goals Apps Goals
2 MF  BIH Emir Alihodžić 29 3 14+15 3
3 DF  ESP Damià Viader 30 7 29+1 7
4 DF  USA Jaime Ponce 1 0 1+0 0
5 MF  KEN Tobias Otieno 25 2 16+9 2
7 FW  USA Ethan Vanacore-Decker 11 0 7+4 0
8 MF  USA John Murphy 8 0 0+8 0
9 FW  SCO Greg Hurst 30 14 27+3 14
10 MF  BRA Nicolas Firmino 25 2 9+16 2
11 FW  USA Evan Conway 18 13 15+3 13
12 MF  USA Austin Panchot 16 1 3+13 1
13 DF  USA Daltyn Knutson 23 1 22+1 1
14 MF  SLV Christian Molina 9 0 1+8 0
15 FW  CMR Elma N'For 15 0 5+10 0
16 DF  AUT Jake Crull 23 0 19+4 0
17 MF  USA JP Scearce 29 1 27+2 1
18 DF  USA Blake Malone 13 0 7+6 0
19 FW  PUR Ricardo Rivera 7 1 1+6 1
20 MF  USA Devin Boyce 29 5 27+2 5
22 MF  USA Conor Doyle 30 0 28+2 0
24 GK  GHA Rashid Nuhu 26 0 26+0 0
25 DF  COD Ferrety Sousa 29 1 27+2 1
28 DF  GHA Illal Osumanu 17 0 15+2 0
30 MF  USA Yoskar Galvan-Mercado 2 0 0+2 0
33 GK  USA Kevin Piedrahita 4 0 4+0 0

Disciplinary record

No. Pos. Player USL1 Total
   
2 MF Emir Alihodžić 4 0 0 4 0 0
3 DF Damià Viader 4 0 0 4 0 0
4 DF Jaime Ponce 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 MF Tobias Otieno 6 0 0 6 0 0
7 FW Ethan Vanacore-Decker 1 0 0 1 0 0
8 MF John Murphy 1 0 0 1 0 0
9 FW Greg Hurst 6 0 0 6 0 0
10 MF Nicolas Firmino 3 0 0 3 0 0
11 FW Evan Conway 1 1 0 1 1 0
12 MF Austin Panchot 1 0 0 1 0 0
13 DF Daltyn Knutson 2 0 0 2 0 0
14 MF Christian Molina 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 FW Elma N'For 1 0 0 1 0 0
16 DF Jake Crull 2 0 0 2 0 0
17 MF JP Scearce 5 0 1 5 0 1
18 DF Blake Malone 1 0 0 1 0 0
19 FW Ricardo Rivera 0 0 0 0 0 0
20 MF Devin Boyce 3 0 0 3 0 0
22 MF Conor Doyle 6 0 0 6 0 0
24 GK Rashid Nuhu 1 0 0 1 0 0
25 DF Ferrety Sousa 7 0 0 7 0 0
28 DF Illal Osumanu 1 0 0 1 0 0
30 MF Yoskar Galvan-Mercado 0 0 0 0 0 0
33 GK Kevin Piedrahita 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 56 1 1 56 1 1

References

  1. ^ "2021 Standings". uslleagueone.com.
  2. ^ "Union Omaha wins first USL League One title in Owls' second season". Omaha World Herald. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
  3. ^ "Union Omaha names 14 players to be retained for next season's roster". Omaha World Herald. Retrieved December 3, 2020.
  4. ^ "Union Omaha Signs Conor Doyle, Greg Hurst for 2021". USL League One. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
  5. ^ "UNION OMAHA ADDS GOALKEEPER TO 2021 ROSTER". Union Omaha. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  6. ^ "Orange County SC loan Blake Malone to Union Omaha for 2021 season". Angels on Parade. Retrieved March 13, 2021.
  7. ^ "2021 USL League One Standings". USL League One.
  8. ^ "Union Omaha Schedule". USL League One.
  9. ^ "Omaha vs. Madison Contest Abandoned". wwww.uslleagueone.com. August 8, 2020. Retrieved August 9, 2020.