The 2026 MLS Next Pro season got underway this Saturday afternoon for Ryan Richter and his Union II side, as they hosted Toronto FC II at Subaru Park. Union II is coming off a great 2025 season that saw them reach the Eastern Conference Finals, but the team will want to go at least one step further this season.
Ryan Richter named his lineup for the opening game of the season, and it featured many new names for fans of the team, with 8 players making their debuts for Union II over the course of the match, 6 of them academy graduates.
First-team goalkeeper George Marks was named the shotstopper for this game, and in front of him was a back 4 comprising Jordan Griffin, Kaiden Moore, Rafael Uzcategui, and new signing Oliver Pratt, who was announced prior to kick-off after impressing during a trial period during the team's preseason campaign.
In midfield, Timo Mendoza, an academy graduate, started his debut game in centre midfield alongside Oscar Benitez, with Willyam Ferreira and Kellan LeBlanc on either wing. The front two saw breakout youngster Malik Jakupovic partner with academy forward, and Union II debutant, John Ruf.
Union II came flying out of the blocks in their season opener, looking to take an early lead, and they almost had one just four minutes in. A Kellan LeBlanc cross was terribly dealt with by the Toronto keeper, and a mad scramble for the ball ensued. Oliver Pratt was the one to finally get an effort away, but he was denied the perfect debut by a good clearance from the Toronto defense.
Union II didn’t have to wait much longer for their first goal of the season, as after just 8 minutes, Malik Jakupovic continued his incredible run of form from last season, and across an impressive stint with the USMNYT over the offseason, as he fired a thunderous shot from just outside the box past the Toronto keeper.
The chance came from when Jordan Griffin’s ball forward was badly dealt with by a Toronto defender, who cleared it straight to Jakupovic, and the young star doesn’t need any sort of invitation to shoot when he gets the ball.
15 minutes into the game, the side from Canada was looking the better of the two sides after Union II’s opening goal, and they would have been level if it wasn’t for a brilliant block from Rafael Uzcategui. The Union II captain is someone I expect to get senior-team minutes at some stage this season.
The rest of the first half didn’t have any other notable moments, as both teams struggled to produce any quality, with sloppy passing in the middle third of the pitch, and neither team had any stronghold on the game.
The early portion of the 2nd half also belonged to Toronto II as they looked for an equaliser, and George Marks was called into action for the first time just after the 50th minute when a 30-yard strike looked like it was destined to creep under the crossbar, but Philly’s shotstopper was there to parry it away from goal.
Sensing the game was slipping away from his team, Ryan Richter didn’t waste any time around the 60th minute and made a trio of changes, handing debuts to three players. Finn Sundstrom, who had spent time with the first team during their MLS opener last weekend, came on to make his UII debut and replaced Kaiden Moore, while academy players Nehan Hasan and Matheus De Paula made their debuts, replacing Timo Mendoza and John Ruf.
The changes that Coach Richter made helped his side gain a foothold in the game again, and his Union II side almost had their 2nd goal of the game on the stroke of the 70th minute when some great pressing work from Nehan Hasan forced Toronto into a mistake, and Philly had a great counterattack going. Jakupovic drove at the remaining defender and laid it off to Kellan LeBlanc, but the younger attacking midfielder could only watch his effort be saved by the Toronto keeper.
Richter handed out another Union II debut to another academy player just after that counterattack, this time seeing Theo Reed make his debut for the team, replacing Willyam Ferreira.
Theo Reed almost had himself the perfect start to life as a Union II player mere 8 minutes after entering the field of play, but after running around the final defender back for Toronto, he could only manage to force the Toronto keeper into a good 1-on-1 save.
Toronto kept up their relentless pressure with the ball and almost had a late equaliser 10 minutes from full time, but George Marks made a fantastic reaction save to stop Kervon Kerr’s quick redirection shot.
Ryan Richter made one final change around 5 minutes from the end of the game when another academy player, this time Lennon Harrington, came on to make his Union II debut, replacing Kellan LeBlanc.
Ryan Richter’s Union II side managed to hold on for the 1-0 win and take all three points from their 2026 season opener. It was a hard-fought battle at times and not the pretty, flowing, and dominant football we’ve seen from Union II at times over the years, but three points, a clean sheet, and a load of debuts to some of the most promising talent in the organisation is the exact start everyone at the club wanted to have to the 2026 season.
Up next is another home game for Union II, this time they welcome FC Cincinnati 2 to Subaru Park, hoping to carry on their winning success from the first game of the season. The game is scheduled for Sunday, 8th March at 3 pm ET.
