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.[1] Union Omaha finished the season winning their first ever championship, beating defending champion Greenville Triumph SC 3–0 in the final.[2]

Roster

Following the completion of Union Omaha's inaugural season, head coach Jay Mims announced 14 players would return for the 2021 season.[3] 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.[4] Goalkeeper Kevin Piedrahita and defender Blake Malone joined the team as a free agent and on loan, respectively, before the start of training camp.[5][6]

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[7]

Results by round

Round12345678910111213141516171819202122232425262728
StadiumHAAAAAAHAHHHAHAAHAHAHAHHHHHA
ResultWWWDLDWWDWDDWDWLDWWDLWWLWLWD
Position3222231111111112211221111111
Source: USL League One[8]
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 Yellow card 53'
Nuhu Yellow card 69'
Hurst 83', Yellow card 88'
Scearce Yellow card 85'		 Report Eckenrode Yellow card 49'
Phelps Yellow card 57'
Liadi Yellow card 69'
Billhardt Yellow card 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 Yellow card 66' Report Conway 31'
Alihodžić Yellow card 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 Yellow card 26'
Presley Yellow card 27'
Dulysse Yellow card 38'		 Report Scearce Yellow card 52'
Hurst 84', Yellow card 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 Yellow card 37'		 Report Firmino 59',Yellow card 84'
Scearce Yellow card 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 Yellow card 90'		 Report Knutson Yellow card 16'
Sousa Yellow card 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 Yellow card 67'		 Report Firmino Yellow card 37'
Sousa Yellow card 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 Yellow card 66'
Fernandes Yellow card 90+1'		 Report Allen 7' (o.g.)
Hurst Yellow card 30'
Alihodžić 51'
Alihodžić Yellow card 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 Yellow card 5'
Hurst 21', 45+1', 47'
Boyce 77'
Panchot Yellow card 84'		 Report Knighton Yellow card 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 Yellow card 57'
Otieno 76' (o.g.)
Anderson Yellow card 80'		 Report Sousa 31', Yellow card 75'
Vanacore-Decker Yellow card 64'
Otieno Yellow card 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 Yellow card 42'
Knutson Yellow card 78'
Firmino Yellow card 90+3'		 Report Ferriol Yellow card 45+2'
Corfe Yellow card 61'
Fox Yellow card 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 Yellow card 45+1'
Scearce Yellow card 54',Red card 55'		 Report España Yellow card 24'
Ruiz Yellow card 31'
García Yellow card 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 Yellow card 31'		 Report Barriga Toyama Yellow card 32'
Gebhard Yellow card 60'
Tobin 67'
Fernandes Yellow card 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 Yellow card 49'
Dennis Yellow card 67'
Doyle 74' (o.g.)
Fox Yellow card 90+4'		 Report Sousa Yellow card 23'
Viader 44'
Hurst 51'
Murphy Yellow card 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 Yellow card 65'
Boyce Yellow card 79'		 Report Kamungo 49'
Waldeck Yellow card 51'
Almaguer Yellow card 63'
Kazu Yellow card 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[9]
August 14, 2021 (2021-08-14) 15 FC Tucson 0–1 Union Omaha Tucson, AZ
9:00 PM CDT Knox Yellow card 58' Report Kone 19' (o.g.)
Otieno Yellow card 59'
Viader Yellow card 75'
Doyle Yellow card 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 Yellow card 28'
Ricketts Yellow card 33'
Navarro Yellow card 67'
Carrera Yellow card 75'
Ruiz 79'		 Report Doyle Yellow card 36'
Viader Yellow card 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 Yellow card 50'
Malone Yellow card 90+2'		 Report Maldonado Yellow card 23'
Smith Yellow card 26'
Gomes Yellow card 31'
Ferri Yellow card 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 Yellow card 24'
Flick Yellow card 39'
McGuire Yellow card 52'
Jackson Yellow card 70'		 Report Viader 7', 53' (pen)
Alihodžić Yellow card 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 Yellow card 21', 71'
Hurst Yellow card 45+4'		 Report Carlini Yellow card 39'
Singh 53'
Petrasso Yellow card 59'
Altobelli Yellow card 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 Yellow card 30'
Vargas 53', Yellow card 90'		 Report Viader 11', Yellow card 76'
Hurst Yellow card 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 Yellow card 11'
Alihodžić Yellow card 32'		 Report Dennis 7' (pen)
Mastrantonio Yellow card 51'
Adams Yellow card 56'
Calixtro Yellow card 76'
Kone Yellow card 81'
Schenfeld Yellow card 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 Yellow card 2'
Nus Yellow card 51'
Jackson Yellow card 57'
Candela Yellow card 76'		 Report Conway 5', 40', 71'
Viader 66'
Osumanu Yellow card 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 Yellow card 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 Yellow card 72'
Otieno Yellow card 78'		 Report Lomis 12'
Booth Yellow card 69'
Hemmings Yellow card 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 Yellow card 45+3'
Frame Yellow card 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 Yellow card 32'
Hurst 89' (pen.)		 Report Allen Yellow card 32'
Trimmingham 53', 58', Yellow card 58'
Rad Yellow card 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 Yellow card 34', 88'
Otieno 85', Yellow card 90+4'
Sousa Yellow card 90'		 Report Bolduc Yellow card 30'
Bolanos Yellow card 77'
Morán Yellow card 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 Yellow card 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 Yellow card 32', 54'
Crull Yellow card 34'
Viader 49'
Panchot 70'
Alihodžić 83'		 Report Schenfeld Yellow card 30', Red card 32'
Dennis Yellow card 44', 63'
Ferriol Yellow card 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', Yellow card 11' Yellow-red card 77'
Hurst 43'
Sousa Yellow card 62'
Viader Yellow card 63'
Otieno 90+2'		 Report Hemmings Yellow card 65'
Lee Yellow card 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 Bosnia and Herzegovina BIH Emir Alihodžić 29 3 14+15 3
3 DF Spain ESP Damià Viader 30 7 29+1 7
4 DF United States USA Jaime Ponce 1 0 1+0 0
5 MF Kenya KEN Tobias Otieno 25 2 16+9 2
7 FW United States USA Ethan Vanacore-Decker 11 0 7+4 0
8 MF United States USA John Murphy 8 0 0+8 0
9 FW Scotland SCO Greg Hurst 30 14 27+3 14
10 MF Brazil BRA Nicolas Firmino 25 2 9+16 2
11 FW United States USA Evan Conway 18 13 15+3 13
12 MF United States USA Austin Panchot 16 1 3+13 1
13 DF United States USA Daltyn Knutson 23 1 22+1 1
14 MF El Salvador SLV Christian Molina 9 0 1+8 0
15 FW Cameroon CMR Elma N'For 15 0 5+10 0
16 DF Austria AUT Jake Crull 23 0 19+4 0
17 MF United States USA JP Scearce 29 1 27+2 1
18 DF United States USA Blake Malone 13 0 7+6 0
19 FW Puerto Rico PUR Ricardo Rivera 7 1 1+6 1
20 MF United States USA Devin Boyce 29 5 27+2 5
22 MF United States USA Conor Doyle 30 0 28+2 0
24 GK Ghana GHA Rashid Nuhu 26 0 26+0 0
25 DF Democratic Republic of the Congo COD Ferrety Sousa 29 1 27+2 1
28 DF Ghana GHA Illal Osumanu 17 0 15+2 0
30 MF United States USA Yoskar Galvan-Mercado 2 0 0+2 0
33 GK United States USA Kevin Piedrahita 4 0 4+0 0

Disciplinary record

No. Pos. Player USL1 Total
Yellow card Yellow card Yellow-red card Red card Yellow card Yellow card Yellow-red card Red card
2 MF Bosnia and Herzegovina Emir Alihodžić 4 0 0 4 0 0
3 DF Spain Damià Viader 4 0 0 4 0 0
4 DF United States Jaime Ponce 0 0 0 0 0 0
5 MF Kenya Tobias Otieno 6 0 0 6 0 0
7 FW United States Ethan Vanacore-Decker 1 0 0 1 0 0
8 MF United States John Murphy 1 0 0 1 0 0
9 FW Scotland Greg Hurst 6 0 0 6 0 0
10 MF Brazil Nicolas Firmino 3 0 0 3 0 0
11 FW United States Evan Conway 1 1 0 1 1 0
12 MF United States Austin Panchot 1 0 0 1 0 0
13 DF United States Daltyn Knutson 2 0 0 2 0 0
14 MF El Salvador Christian Molina 0 0 0 0 0 0
15 FW Cameroon Elma N'For 1 0 0 1 0 0
16 DF Austria Jake Crull 2 0 0 2 0 0
17 MF United States JP Scearce 5 0 1 5 0 1
18 DF United States Blake Malone 1 0 0 1 0 0
19 FW Puerto Rico Ricardo Rivera 0 0 0 0 0 0
20 MF United States Devin Boyce 3 0 0 3 0 0
22 MF United States Conor Doyle 6 0 0 6 0 0
24 GK Ghana Rashid Nuhu 1 0 0 1 0 0
25 DF Democratic Republic of the Congo Ferrety Sousa 7 0 0 7 0 0
28 DF Ghana Illal Osumanu 1 0 0 1 0 0
30 MF United States Yoskar Galvan-Mercado 0 0 0 0 0 0
33 GK United States 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.