Philadelphia Union II kicks off a busy week looking for a sweep against defending champions Columbus Crew 2. Tune in on Monday at 7 p.m. with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV to watch the action!
Monday's match marks the start of a two game week for Union II beginning with a contentious rematch against Columbus Crew 2 on the road. The team defeated the Ohio side 3-2 at Subaru Park at the end of May and they’ll look to finish the 2023 series with another victory.
Columbus sits near the top of the conference standings at third, below only Crown Legacy FC and New England Revolution II. They hold an impressive 10-5-2 record, with just one loss at Historic Crew Stadium this season.
The Philadelphia side enters the match with momentum of their own – the team is riding a four game unbeaten streak with three wins and a tie. Their recent success has propelled them up the Eastern Conference standings, where they now sit at sixth with 27 points.
The team’s past month of play has featured a string of standout performances across the roster. Luciano Sanchez earned MLS Next Pro Rising Star of the Month honors in June and MLS Next Pro Rising Star of the Matchday mid-july after scoring four goals since the start of June, including a game-winner assisted by midfielder CJ Olney against New York Red Bulls at home on July 16.
Jeremy Rafanello stood out for the Boys in Blue as well – he had a Goal of the Year contending volley in the team's draw against Toronto FC II, marking his seventh score of the season. Three of those goals came in the team’s last meeting with Columbus Crew 2 -- on May 28th, he completed a dominant hattrick against Crew II at Subaru Park, leading the team toward their first home victory of the season.
As for Columbus, their squad’s top scorer this season has been Gibran Rayo, who’s totaled five goals and two assists in his first season with the team. The 21-year-old sits above forward Noah Fuson and midfielder Marco Micaletto on the team’s leaderboard, who each have four.
The match is Union II's first of the week. It'll be followed by a long-awaited exhibition at Subaru Park against a foe from across the pond in Wrexham FC on Friday night. Tickets are available at philaunion.co/wrextixtw.
