Philadelphia Union II announced today that is has selected New York City FC II as its opponent for the club's first-ever MLS NEXT Pro Playoff contest at 5PM on Sunday, October 20th. Tickets for the match can be purchased online by clicking here.
Union II had the second choice of MLS NEXT Pro's Pick-Your-Opponent Selection Show which saw Union II Head Coach Marlon LeBlanc and Director of Academy and Professional Development Jon Scheer announce the selection. The duo were then asked about the selection by MLS Season Pass announcer Max Bretos.
The youngest team in the Eastern Conference, the Boys in Blue earned its highest finish in the conference table in club history with a record 15 wins and 52 points across the regular season. Union II comes into the playoffs with the best offensive in the league with 59 goals scored and the second best defense in the East. 2024 has already been a historic run for the club with Union II earning its first ever home playoff match jvia a comeback win against New York City FC II on September 23rd. On the individual front, Academy graduate Eddy Davis III has 13 goals to surpass the single-season scoring record previously held by former Bethlehem Steel FC and current Marseille forward Faris Moumbagna. CJ Olney, Andrew Rick and David Vazquez have also impressed this season and earned MLS homegrown deals during the season as well.
Philly and New York met twice in the regular season with both matches providing fireworks late in the contest. Both times the hosts would emerge victorious with late goals starting with NYC who scored twice in the final four minutes to nab a 2-1 result and snap Union II's three-game winning streak. The two sides the battled on September 23rd where the Boys in Blue secured their third-consecutive trip to the postseason.
Markus Anderson opened the scoring early for Union II with an 11th minute finish set up by CJ Olney but the opposition responded with a trio of first half goals to grab a 3-1 lead just past the half hour mark. The youngest side in MLS NEXT Pro kept battling with Nick Pariano cutting the deficit in half right before the break with a finish from the penalty spot. The Boys in Blue kept the momentum with a dominant display in the second half as Eddy Davis III scored his 13th goal of the regular season to knot the contest up at 3-3. A free kick service from 14-year-old Cavan Sullivan to team captain Frankie Westfield proved the difference with the duo combining on a historic goal in the 64th minute.
New York City FC II was one of four teams to finish the regular season with 45 points but earned the No. 6 seed with a +12 goal differential. The New York side bagged 58 goals on the season but are coming in with just one win in since the start of September. That one victory came against top seed FC Cincinnati 2 but NYCFC II has had three draws where they came up on the wrong side of the penalty kick shootout.
