Sunday evening brought some playoff soccer to Subaru Park as Ryan Richter's Union II side welcomed FC Cincinnati 2 to Philly in the MLS Next Pro Eastern Conference Quarterfinal. Union II picked Cincinnati as their Quarterfinal opponents during the MLS Next Pro's Pick-Your-Opponent playoff format, where the top seeds in each conference get to choose their opponents for the first two rounds of the playoffs, with the top seed picking first. Union II finished as the 2nd seed in the East and chose the 7th seed FC Cincinnati 2.
Heading into the game, these two sides had faced each other three times during the regular season. Union II completed the regular season clean sweep, winning all three games, including the impressive 4-1 road trip win back in early June. Coach Richter's side was heading into the playoffs after having a record-setting regular season that saw them tie the club record for wins in the regular season at 15, while also setting new club records for goals scored, goals allowed, and goal differential.
George Marks was given the nod to start in goal, with the likes of Neil Pierre, Giovanny Sequera, CJ Olney, Markus Anderson, Sal Olivas, and Stas Korzeniowski all starting for Ryan Richter, and the team got off to a fast start with multiple crosses coming in from the flanks by Kellan LeBlanc and Markus Anderson. That quick start paid off with Stas Korzeniowski scoring his 5th goal in six games. Kellan LeBlanc fired in a perfect cross on the volley, and the towering striker headed home for his first postseason goal for Union II.
Union II kept their domination going in the first half and should have been at least 2-0 up as the half-hour mark approached, but Neil Pierre, who couldn't head past FC Cincinnati's goalkeeper, and Giovanny Sequera, whose shot was fired wide, couldn't convert their chances. Those missed chances came back to haunt Philly 7 minutes later when FC Cincinnati 2 hit Union II on the break and Andres Davila Mosquera converted from a cross that Peter Mangione flicked into his path.
Halftime arrived, and the teams were deadlocked at 1-1, meaning a huge second half was on the way for both teams. Thankfully for Philly, the Union II boys came out firing in the second half. Neil Pierre almost scored Union II's second goal of the game, but his header from a corner was well saved. Kellan LeBlanc was the next Union II player to go close, but the FC Cincinnati goalkeeper again saved his outside-of-the-box shot.
Just after the 60th minute, Ryan Richter made his first change, as Oscar Benitez came off the bench to replace Sal Olivas. This also led to a structure change, as Markus Anderson joined Stas Korzeniowski upfront, with CJ Olney moving into the CAM position. Benitez made an instant impact a minute into being on the pitch, sending Markus Anderson through, but the forward could only hit the post with his quick shot.
While that miss could have been another that came back to haunt Ryan Richter's side, just two minutes after Union II retook the lead thanks to that man again, Stas Korzeniowski, who grabbed his 6th goal in six games and his 2nd of the postseason, CJ Olney ran down the wing and behind the FC Cincinnati defense. The young attacking midfielder slipped the ball into Stas, who slid the ball under the goalkeeper and sent the Subaru Park crowd wild.
In the 80th minute, Ryan Richter made a double substitution to introduce some fresh legs and keep the scoreline at 2-1. Willyam Ferreira and Malik Jakupovic came off the bench to replace Kellan LeBlanc and Markus Anderson. Thankfully for the Subaru Park crowd, Ryan Richter's side held on to their 2-1 win and advanced into the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Ryan Richter's Union II side will face off against either Huntsville City FC or Chicago Fire FC II in the Eastern Conference Semifinals at Subaru Park on Oct. 25, with tickets on sale now.
