Union II Head Out On The Road To Face FC Cincinnati 2 in MLS Next Pro Action

Ryan Richter’s Union II side is back in action tonight as they look to bounce back from their undefeated start to the season being ended last weekend. They travel on the road tonight to face FC Cincinnati 2 at the North Kentucky University Stadium.

Ryan Richter has started out very well during the opening sector of his first season in charge of Union II. After 8 games, the team has 15 points, three wins, four draws, and a single loss. That loss came last Sunday, when Union II was beaten 1-0 by Inter Miami CF II.

Union II shorthanded thanks to international duty

Tonight’s game will be a team selection nightmare for Coach Richter as he’ll miss several of his star players who are all away on youth international duty. Star goalkeeper Andrew Rick Jr., top goalscorer Sal Olivas, David Vazquez, Cavan Sullivan, Jamir Johnson, and CJ Olney are among the names that won’t be available for selection tonight, meaning coach Richter will have to look at his bench and depth options to step up in tonight’s game.

Ryan Richter is also down another player for other reasons. It was announced on Monday that defender Ramzi Qawasmy and Union II had mutually agreed to terminate his contract immediately to respect the player’s wishes to pursue new opportunities.

Ramzi made two appearances this MLS Next Pro season, but it wasn’t just his on-field presence that will be missed. During his time with Philly, Ramzi has been a dedicated coach to the SWAG program and will continue to do so even after leaving the club. The SWAG program is comprised of former professional and collegiate soccer players who run free coaching and training sessions in some of Philadelphia’s most vulnerable communities.

New players join the mix

In good news for coach Richter and his team selection nightmare, Union II has also added two new players to the roster. On Thursday, the team announced the signing of forward Malik Jakupovic, who has now become the 10^th academy player to sign an MLS Next Pro contract.

Malik joined the Union Academy in 2023, when he was 14, and featured in the U15, U16, and U18 squads. He was named to the Generation Adidas Cup Rising XI in 2024 for his exceptional performances during the tournament, and he’s also received three call-ups to the US U16 Youth National Team.

The second player that Union II added before tonight’s game is goalkeeper Pierce Holbrook, who was announced on Monday afternoon. Pierce, who’s 6 feet 4, had a standout collegiate career at Navy, where he was named to the Second-Team All-Patriot League and led the league in saves for three consecutive seasons.

Pierce was featured 54 times for the Navy, finishing with 208 saves, 18 clean sheets, a .756 save percentage, and a 1.24 GAA. He won the Patriot League title in 2022 with Navy and currently serves as a Marine Corps officer in the Selected Reserves.

Can Union II get the W in Cincy?

Tonight’s opponents FC Cincinnati 2 have really struggled this season so far, after pushing Marlon LeBlanc’s Union II side last year to the very last game for the fight for the number 1 seed. Cincy’s record this season stands at one win, two draws, and six losses as they sit at the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings. While that makes it seem like Union II should win comfortably tonight, you must remember that Philly will be without many of their key stars tonight.

The game is scheduled to kick off at 7 pm ET, and if you haven’t traveled for it, you can watch tonight’s action for free on MLSNEXTPRO.com.