Goalkeeper Oliver Semmle hasn’t been perfect, but he’s been good enough in his first Union games

Oliver Semmle knew he was going to play plenty for the Union this year, with all of Andre Blake’s upcoming commitments with Jamaica’s national team.

Not for nothing did he get the No. 1 jersey, soccer’s oldest tradition for goalkeepers, when he arrived in late January. (Blake’s No. 18 is also traditional, and he’s preferred it since his college days.)

But as with all things, there’s a difference between easing into the pool and jumping in at the deep end. When Blake suffered a groin injury in the Union’s Concacaf Champions Cup first-round opener, Semmle had to cannonball into water that seemed about as deep as his 6-foot-3 height.

“I was expecting to play games, but not that early in the season,” Semmle said after playing the regular-season opener and the series finale vs. Saprissa. “But I’m always ready, always come prepared, and whenever the coach calls me to play, I’m ready. I want to help the team win games.”

He hasn’t been perfect. Giving up five goals over those two games is a long way from that. He’s done enough, though, with seven saves, including a big breakaway stop late in each contest.

“It’s trial by fire, and he’s done a great job for us in a short amount of time,” Union manager Jim Curtin said. “He’s a guy that we believe in, [who] we know has a bright future.”

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Semmle, 25, was born and raised in Germany. He grew up in Karlsruhe’s youth academy, the same club that produced German legend Oliver Kahn, then came to the U.S. to go to college: first at community colleges in Kansas and New York, then a bigger stage at Marshall.

Though Semmle was just 4 years old when Kahn led Germany to the 2002 World Cup final (including a dramatic win over the U.S. in the quarters), he knows his history. When asked which goalkeepers he models his game on, Semmle picked three of his country’s all-time best.

“Obviously Oliver Kahn, but I’m a little too young for that — I wasn’t watching him quite as much,” he said. “Manuel Neuer is a big goalkeeper, had a big influence. Recently, I think [Marc-André] Ter Stegen is really good. So there are a lot of German guys that you can look up to.”

And not just for their shot-stopping prowess. Neuer and Ter Stegen have long been equally renowned for their passing skills. That matters to the Union, too, with their fast-paced attacking style, and it’s something Semmle values in his game.

“I think it’s one of my strengths,” he said. “You’ve obviously got to wait out the risk. If you make a bad pass, we’re going to concede a big chance, which isn’t ideal. So you’ve got to read the game and try to pick the right passes.”

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It’s also something Curtin appreciates.

“The modern goalkeeper, the modern game, they have to be able to play with their feet,” he said. “Oliver has some great role models there. He does have that big, physical presence, has good feet for a big guy too.”

Semmle joined the Union with a national championship ring from Marshall and a year of pro experience at second-tier Louisville City. His 13 shutouts in 2023 were the USL Championship’s best, and a rookie record for the league.

Coincidentally, his manager at Louisville was former Union player Danny Cruz. That helped smooth the transition, as Cruz played with Blake and was coached by Curtin.

“He loved it here, and he gave me a lot of tips of where to live, how the guys are, and everything,” Semmle said of Cruz. “He’s a great guy, and he always gives me good advice.”

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When Semmle arrived in Philadelphia, he knew what kind of team he was walking into. He also knew that he’d be stepping up in level, perhaps even more than when he went from college to the USL.

“We have good veterans in the team who show leadership, who help me, who help the entire team,” he said. “I think I moved up every year a step, a level. I’m happy to be here, I’m trying to stay humble and hungry, to learn, and I’ll take it from there.”

It certainly helps that Union goalkeeper coach Phil Weddon is one of the best in the business. Now in his fifth season on the club’s bench, the England native also has many years of past experience with the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams, and other American clubs.

“I was super-excited when I got here to work with him, and he’s great,” Semmle said. “He gives me good advice, we do good analysis, and the sessions are good every day. And I’m just happy to have such a great goalkeeper coach, and to learn from him and get better every day.”

Semmle is likely to start again when the Union visit Sporting Kansas City on Saturday (8:30 p.m., Apple TV, free), with what’s expected to be a heavily-rotated lineup. Curtin said Blake is “doing well, improving quickly,” but it sounded like he isn’t ready to play yet.

“It’ll be close for the weekend, and I think worst-case, hopefully he’s back by Tuesday,” Curtin said. “That’s the hope, but it’ll be close for this one [Saturday]. I’m going to go have a meeting with him right now after this, we’ll see.”

As for Semmle remaining in net, Curtin said: “Has he been thrown into it a little earlier than we wanted to? Absolutely. But this is why the guys are professionals, and why they get paid to do what they do.”