Suspect nabbed in Penn Station slay of ‘gifted’ soccer-playing straphanger

A 26-year-old Brooklyn man was charged with murder Monday in a fatal Penn Station attack on a “gifted” down-on-his-luck soccer player, authorities said.

Jamoy Phillip was arrested in the Nov. 21 fatal slashing of Akeem Loney, a talented street footballer who had struggled to get back on his feet in recent years.

Phillip allegedly fled to Pennsylvania after the attack and was tracked down by US Marshals, law-enforcement sources told The Post.

Loney, 32, who once played and coached youngsters through the Manhattan-based Street Soccer USA program, was dozing on a No. 2 train shortly after midnight when he was stabbed in the neck in the unprovoked attack, police and pals said.

His assailant fled the station, and police released surveillance images of the attacker.

Phillip, wearing a blue striped hoodie, yellow beanie, sneakers and white surgical mask, was led out of the Midtown South precinct Monday on his way to criminal court for his arraignment. 

He did not respond to questions from reporters. 

Former Street Soccer coach Reed Fox had told The Post after the attack that Loney was “just a great guy” who had fought to overcome homelessness in recent years.

“Not everybody working through homelessness and problems can maintain a positive attitude and be happy and find ways to have fun,” Reed said. “And he did that.”

He described Loney as a “gifted” and “amazing” player who adored the game.

Meanwhile, police from the same precinct on Monday also made an arrest in a homicide that occurred just outside Penn Station on Thanksgiving.

Sylvester King, 33, was charged with murder in the stabbing death of a 36-year-old man near the transit hub on West 33rd Street and Seventh Avenue, according to the NYPD.

King was similarly led from the Midtown station house on Monday night and was hauled into an unmarked police car without commenting to reporters.

Additional reporting by Steven Vago