Sunday evening brings along another MLS Next Pro gameday to Subaru Park as Ryan Richter’s Union II side welcomes FC Cincinnati 2 to Chester, looking to get back into the win column after a disappointing midweek result.
Union II vs FC Cincinnati 2 preview
Union II had entered the midweek gameday on Thursday unbeaten in their last 9 games and faced, what seemed to be an easier game against weaker opposition in Carolina Core FC. Unfortunately for Ryan Richter’s side they fell to a 3-2 defeat and couldn’t move their unbeaten streak into double figures.
Ryan Richter has seen his squad change over the past few weeks, with CJ Olney being the first to depart from the club on loan for the rest of the season. Noah Probst was then announced as a new loan addition for the team, but then another departure happened, with David Vazquez leaving on loan to San Diego FC for the remainder of the 2025 MLS season.
Vazquez and Olney have been Union II’s top 2 players for the past few seasons, with both of them earning game time with the senior team in the MLS in recent months, so losing them both will be huge for Union II and their pursuit of the MLS Next Pro title.
However, Union also boasts one of the best academies in the US and there’s a whole production line of talent just waiting to come through and show off their talent, just take Malik Jakupovic for example, who’s scored atleast one goal in almost every single start he has made for Union II this year.
FC Cincinnati 2 head to Subaru Park on some fine form and looking to win a huge war between them and 5 other teams looking to secure that 7th place spot and the playoff access it grants. These two sides have played each other already this season, back in June, when Union II came away with a convincing 4-1 win and Malik Jakupovic scored on his professional debut for Union II.
Since that game though, FC Cincinnati 2 have yet to lose a game, winning 3 games in the initial 90 minutes of a game, and have also won 5 of 5 extra point shootouts, with their season tally in shootouts standing at a perfect 7-0. This FC Cincinnati side is far from the bottom of the league strugglers that Ryan Richter’s men put 4 goals past back in June, and if Union II want to keep the pressure up on league leaders NYRB II, they’re going to have to dig deep and stop a very solid, in-form side in this clash on Sunday
The game is scheduled to kick off at 6pm ET at Subaru Park. Tickets are available online for purchase but if you can’t get down to Subaru Park and watch the game in person, the match will be streamed live on Apple TV vis an active MLS Season Pass subscription.
Image Credit: Philadelphia Union II
