Philadelphia Union II is back on the pitch as they kick off a two-game road trip starting with an inaugural showdown at Carolina Core FC on Wednesday night. Don't miss the action with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV starting at 6:30PM ET.
Head Coach Marlon LeBlanc's side finds itself in a jampacked Eastern Conference race with Union II currently occupying the No. 2 spot with 43 points collected so far in 2024. FC Cincinnati 2 leads the way with 45 points but a victory on Wednesday would propel the Boys in Blue back atop the table. This year's East table will go down to the wire with five points seperating the top six teams while nine teams are within seven points from the top spot.
Union II is coming off a penalty shootout victory over Columbus Crew 2 where Cavan Sullivan scored his third goal of his MLS NEXT Pro debut season with a stunning golazo from distance in the 29th minute. Columbus found an equalizer just past the hour mark. 18-year-old homgrown goalkeeper Andrew Rick came up big, allowing just one goal from the spot, while Columbus Crew 2’s keeper Stas Lapkes let in two. The final shot was scored by none other than Sullivan, who hit the back of the net when the team needed it most to secure the extra point.
Wednesday's match marks the first time Union II have played against the new MLS NEXT Pro side from High Point, North Carolina. CCFC sits four points behind the playoff line but have found a strong run of form lately with four-straight victories in front of their home fans. They'll look to cap off their homestand with a fifth as they host Union II and they have done well to defeat some of the top teams in the East having knocked off Cincinnati, New York City and Crown Legacy. The trio of Facundo Canete, Jacob Evans, and David Polanco (21 goals and 12 assists combined) have all been influential in recent weeks, and that trio will need to continue producing big-time moments if CCFC wants to crack the top-eight by October 7.
