Union II Choose Bitter Rivals NYCFC II For First Round Playoff Clash

Union II choose their playoff opponents for MLS Next Pro Playoffs: With the 2024 MLS Next Pro Regular Season coming to a close last weekend, teams are now preparing for the postseason. The first step in the preparation for the first round of games is called the Pick-Your-Opponent event. The system debuted last year and it’s pretty simple. 

Union II and NYCFCII set to renew heated rivalry in postseason

The top 4 in each of the Eastern and Western Conferences pick their first-round opponent from the 5^th-8^th ranked teams in their respective conferences. The potential opponents Marlon LeBlanc’s Union II side could face were Orlando City B, NYCFC II, Columbus Crew 2, and Crown Legacy FC. 

Union II ended up with the 2^nd overall pick during the Pick-Your-Opponent event, after a Decision Day loss on the road to Chicago cost them the chance of picking first. FC Cincinnati 2 chose first and they went the traditional route and picked 8^th seed Crown Legacy FC as their first-round opponents. 

This left Marlon LeBlanc and his staff the choice between 5^th seed Orlando City B, 6^th seed NYCFC II, and 7^th seed Columbus Crew 2. The traditional choice would be to pick 7^th seed Columbus but Marlon and his staff would never be such a boring bunch and threw a spanner in the works when they chose 6^th seed and rivals NYCFC II for the first-ever MLS Next Pro playoff game at Subaru Park. 

Union II and NYCFC II have faced eachother twice this season and the series is split 1-1, with both sides picking up a win. The first matchup was back in July when Philly traveled on the road to New York and took an early lead thanks to top goalscorer Eddy Davis. Unfortunately for the Union, NYCFC fought back with an incredible late comeback that saw Taylor Calheira equalize in the 88^th minute and then, just as the tie seemed to be heading for an extra-point shootout, Jonathan Shore popped up for the hosts in the 92^nd minute to crush Union II hearts. 

Union II would have to wait almost 2 months to face their bitter rivals when they welcomed them to Subaru Park just a few weeks ago. In the craziest game I’ve ever covered in 6 years of doing this, Union II produced the greatest comeback I’ve seen in club history. 

Markus Anderson opened the scoring for Union II 10 minutes in and Marlon LeBlanc’s side looked comfortable, but it all came crashing down when the visitors from New York scored 3 goals in the space of 10 first-half minutes. Taylor Calheira and Jonathan Shore coming back to haunt Philly, with a Jonathan Jimenez goal in the middle. 

It all looked extremely bleak for Philly but Nick Pariano managed to slot home a penalty right before halftime and the tie was 3-2 to the visitors at halftime. Union II came flying out of the blocks in the 2^nd half and Eddy Davis equalized just past the 50^th minute mark. The 4-3 comeback was complete just over 10 minutes later when a Cavan Sullivan cross found Frankie Westfield, and the co-captain headed into the NYCFC net. 

The game between these two bitter rivals is scheduled to take place at 5pm ET on 20^th October, with tickets on sale now. It’s to be confirmed as to where the game will be streamed, it’ll either be on the MLS Next Pro website or on Apple TV via an active MLS Season Pass subscription. 

at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images