Catic scores four goals in first half of City Islanders friendly

Philadelphia Union rookie forward Dzenan Catic, who scored a mind-boggling 63 goals in two seasons at NAIA school Davenport University, showed he can score just as rapidly wearing a City Islanders uniform in a preseason match for the USL affiliate Friday night.

Catic scored four goals in the first half of the game against UMBC and the Islanders had little trouble getting the better of a team that made it all the way to the College Cup in December on the strength of their defense. Or at least what’s left of that team now that their star center back Oumar Ballo is in MLS with the Houston Dynamo.

The Islanders were held scoreless in the second half and won 6-0. The game was played at Millersville University.

Rookie defender Raymond Lee and Eric Ayuk were also in the lineup for Harrisburg, which opened their preseason with a 1-1 draw against St. Francis at Millersville on Wednesday night without the Union loanees in the lineup.

Harrisburg wraps up their preseason with a friendly against Villanova at Millersville on Wednesday night at 7 p.m. and opens their season at the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on March 28.

Matthew Ralph

Matthew Ralph is the managing editor of Philadelphia Soccer Now. He's covered soccer at all levels for a decade in the Philadelphia region and has also written for TheCup.us, NPSL, PrepSoccer and other publications. He lives with his wife and two young children in Broomall, Pa., but grew up in South Jersey and is originally from Kansas.

See Full Bio