10 Man Union II Draw Home Opener Against NYRB II, Win In Extra Point Shootout

Monday evening brought along the 2^nd week of the 2025 MLS Next Pro season and, with it, the home opener for Ryan Richter’s Union II side. After opening the season with a road 0-0 draw with New England, Union II welcomed local rivals New York Red Bulls II to Subaru Park.

Union II gets first shootout win of 2025

Ryan Richter made a few changes to the side that started the 0-0 draw against New England last weekend. Nick Pariano stepped into defense alongside new signing Ramzi Qawasmy, who was making his Union II debut after signing with Union II during the offseason from Atlanta United 2.

Eddy Davis, last season’s record-setting goalscorer, dropped to the bench, and Sal Olivas took his place, partnering big Stas Korzeniowski. Zach Mastrodimos came into the starting XI and took up Pariano’s position in midfield. The big-name trio of CJ Olney, David Vazquez, and Cavan Sullivan all started again.

1st Half

The opening 15 minutes of the game weren’t really anything to note. Both teams were playing with a lot of energy, but nothing of quality happened for either side. It was a very scrappy opening portion of the game. Five minutes later, though, the game had the opening goal.

Union II’s high-pressure system had been paying off with turnovers high up the pitch but never turned into anything until Big Stas won a free kick just outside the penalty box. Cavan Sullivan stepped up to take it, and he drilled it home from around 20 yards out to fire Ryan Richter’s side into the lead with a lot of quality, something the game was crying out for.

The following 10 minutes or so after Cavan Sullivan opened the scoring was all Union II but they failed to really cash in on the possession with quality chances. The best one they had was when Stas Korzeniowski had a shot from just behind the penalty spot but his shot was well blocked by a NYRB II defender.

The rest of the first was just the same as the whole of the first half: a lot of energy and desire from both teams on and off the ball, but no one with a bit of quality to set up a proper chance at scoring. NYRB II definitely came into the game more in the final 10 minutes or so of the half, but outside of a couple of corners and crosses, they never really threatened Andrew Rick in the Union II goal. Ryan Richter’s men headed into the half-time break 1-0 up in their season home opener.

2nd Half

The second half got underway and it followed the same theme as the first half, both teams looking to create something and putting a lot of energy into that but not coming up with anything. NYRB II played better than their first-half performance but still failed to make any major chances. The first chance of the 2nd half fell to CJ Olney as he cut inside off the left wing and tried to curl one into the far right-hand corner, but Aidan Stokes saved it well.

65 minutes in, and Stas Korzeniowski almost had his first-ever goal for Union II as the big striker took a shot from just outside the box, which sailed agonizingly wide of the left post. Right after that chance for the forward, Oscar Benitez came on for his Union II debuts, and Jordan Griffin also entered the field of play, replacing both Isaiah LaFlore and Zach Mastrodimos.

After making a couple of changes themselves, New York Red Bulls II really started coming into the game, and they had two great chances to level the score. One was from a cross to the back post, but the resulting shot was sent flying over the bar. The other was after a brilliant ball was played in from a free kick, but no one got onto the end of it.

75 minutes in, Ryan Richter decided to use two more substitutions. This time, Sal Olivas and CJ Olney left the field for Eddy Davis and Leandro Soria. NYRB II thought they had the equalizer just a minute after the changes, but the goal was ruled out for offside. NYRB II then had another incredible chance to equalize, but the flicked finish from 6 yards out was sent well wide, and Ryan Richter’s side was hanging on for dear life.

Cavan Sullivan then had a great chance to double both his and his team’s goal tallies, but he completely scuffed his shot from inside the box. After the resulting kick from the goalkeeper, Gavin Wetzel takes out an NYRB II attacker as he was through on goal and receives a red card. A few minutes later, with less than 10 minutes to go, goalscorer Cavan Sullivan was replaced by Kellan LeBlanc in Ryan Richter’s final change of the game.

Union II, down to 10 men, had two great chances to kill the game off on counterattacks. The first broke down right outside the NYRB II penalty box, after Big Stas couldn’t keep control of the ball and find a teammate. The second counterattack ended up with Eddy Davis with the ball, free at the back post, but his shot went well wide and into the side netting.

It seemed like Ryan Richter’s Union II was going to hold firm and survive the onslaught of New York Red Bulls II, but with just two minutes left of stoppage time, a brilliant, defense-splitting pass put Rosborough through on goal, and the NYRB II forward slotted home well past Andrew Rick.

Another PK Shootout

Onto the extra point penalty shootout, and things got off to a horror start when Nick Pariano saw his opening penalty saved by Aidan Stokes. He was bailed out by Andrew Rick, who saved NYRB II’s opening penalty for his 3^rd penalty save in 2 games.

Union II then went two for two on their penalties, with big Stas and David Vazquez hammering their penalties home while Andrew Rick saved yet another penalty, his 4^th penalty save in 2 games, to have Union II take a 2-1 lead after 3 rounds.

Leandro Soria took Union II’s 4^th penalty and made sure no keeper was ever saving it, while NYRB II sent their 4^th penalty flying over the bar, probably out of the stadium and possibly into the river, which meant Union II won the extra point shootout 3-1 and take home 2 points from their home opener.