The 2024 Philadelphia Union II will be remembered forever as Eastern Conference Champions, getting past Columbus Crew 2 on Saturday night to advance to MLS NEXT Pro Cup 2024.
Union II has been the definition of grit and determination since the opening match of the season, with a passion for the badge that took the youngest side in the league to new heights.
Marlon LeBlanc's side wasn't satisfied with their record setting campaign that saw them claim the No. 2 seed in the East. In fact, falling on Decision Day that saw the top-seed fall out of their control fed their hunger for even more accomplishments.
First up was a first-ever home playoff match that was earned in September with a comeback victory against rivals New York City FC II. Trailing by two goals, Union II fought back like Rocky Balboa on September 23rd to secure the historic match. A few weeks later they checked the first item off their bucket list: a MLS NEXT Pro playoff win. It wasn't easy with both sides seemingly looking destined for extra-time but the club's key pieces came up clutch as 17-year-old Neil Pierre struck a perfectly weighted diagonal ball to CJ Olney. The Union II midfielder who earned a MLS Homegrown contract during the 2024 season rose up with the game winning with a blast off the crossbar and into the back of the net with little time left.
A single playoff win wasn't enough as they hosted an underdog side in Crown Legacy FC who had just battled back to defeat the top team in the East the previous weekend. The match was much more than just a game as the side sought to honor the memory of goalkeeper Holden Trent, learning of his passing a hour warmups. Paying tribute meant getting a win and Union centerback Olwethu Makhanya sent Subaru Park into a frenzy in the first half with a set piece finish set up by David Vazquez. Vazquez too had followed the club's Pathway To The Pros, signing a homegrown deal as well in 2024. When Crown Legacy scored late in the second half, Union II didn't hang their head. They looked forward and sought to keep fighting. That fight came out in the penalty kick shootout as Andrew Rick made two saves before setting up Olney for his second straight game-winning finish.
And then Saturday night, in front of the biggest MLS NEXT Pro crowd for a Union II match, they rose even higher. Despite the homefield advantage and higher seed, the Boys in Blue were the underdog. Crew 2 was the two-time defending Eastern Conference Champion and had won the inaugural MLS NEXT Pro Cup. All that went out the window as Union II came out on top to not just win but claim their first trophy as a club.
Winning at any level is special. A legacy was created by Union II tonight, more than just one that has seen players like Auston Trusty, Mark McKenzie, Brenden Aaronson, Quinn Sullivan, Paxten Aaronson, Jack McGlynn and Nathan Harriel progress through.
Following in the footsteps of the first team who lifted an Eastern Conference trophy at Subaru Park in 2022, November 2, 2024, will forever be remembered as the day that a group of 20 players from the Union Academy and across the world became Eastern Conference Champions.
