Philadelphia Union II looks for its first trophy in club history as they face a formidible opponent in two-time defending Eastern Conference Champions Columbus Crew 2 on Saturday evening at Subaru Park. Ticket can be purchased online here or you can watch the Eastern Conference Final on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
Saturday's showdown features the two youngest teams in all of MLS NEXT Pro but both have played well beyond their years to make it one win away from the league's ultimate stage. Union II's path to its first Eastern Conference Final began with its first-ever home playoff match after selecting No. 6 seed New York City FC II. The rivalry affair saw Union II's largest crowd of the season and they were given a contest worthy of the rivalry with homegrown CJ Olney receiving a diagonal pass from Neil Pierre before smashing a shot off the crossbar and into the back of the net in the 86th minute.
Union II's second match of the postseason gave the Boys in Blue even more experience in clutch situations as they were forced to a penalty kick shootout after Olwethu Makanya's first-half goal was cancelled out by Crown Legacy in the second half. It was the Union homegrowns delivering late as goalkeeper Andrew Rick made two saves in the five rounds to set up Olney sealing the win for the second straight week.
Saturday's matchup between the two Eastern Conference foes will be their fourth with the home side prevailing in each of the previous contests. Union II grabbed the home win via a 3-1 margin led by a Sal Olivas brace. Crew 2 and the Boys in Blue battled to a 3-2 result that seemed destined for a shootout after Gavin Wetzel scored late but Columbus stole the winner with a PK conversion from Gibran Rayo. In the final regular season showdown the game did go to a shootout with the Boys in Blue winning by a 5-4 margin in six rounds.
After knocking out the No. 6 and No. 8 seeds in the postseason, No. 7 seed Columbus Crew 2 is a far bigger challenge than their regular season record indicates. Finishing in a four-way tie with 45 points, the Ohio side have once again used their playoff experience to smash its way into the Eastern Conference Final for the third straight year. They've done so on the road starting off with a 6-2 thumping of Inter Miami CF II where six different players from the Ohio side scored. Crew 2 booked their return to the conference final with a back and forth 3-2 victory over Chicago Fire II last weekend. Xavier Zengue scored the decisive goal just before the hour mark for Crew 2 while Chase Adams registered two assists.
