Philly Leader

Philadelphia Union II is preparing for a significant matchup against Crown Legacy FC in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, scheduled for Saturday evening at Subaru Park. Tickets are available online, and the match can also be viewed via MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Union II selected their opponent as the highest remaining seed in the Eastern Conference during the MLS NEXT Pro's Pick-Your-Opponent Selection Show. Head Coach Marlon LeBlanc and Director of Academy and Professional Development Jon Scheer announced the choice.

The Eastern Conference Playoffs will take place at Subaru Park after Union II secured home-field advantage following FC Cincinnati 2's defeat to Crown Legacy. Union II recently celebrated its first-ever MLS NEXT Pro postseason victory against New York City FC II. CJ Olney scored a decisive goal in the 86th minute, thrilling fans at Subaru Park.

This season, Union II has achieved its best finish in club history with 15 wins and 52 points. The team boasts the league's top offense with 59 goals and holds the second-best defense in the East. The year has been notable for individual achievements as well; Eddy Davis III broke a single-season scoring record with 13 goals. Players like CJ Olney, Andrew Rick, and David Vazquez have also signed MLS homegrown deals.

During their regular season encounter, Philadelphia defeated Crown Legacy 3-0 on the road. The match saw Leandro Soria score his first MLS NEXT Pro goal, followed by efforts from Kyle Tucker and Frankie Westfield off a corner kick, and CJ Olney netting another goal during stoppage time.

Crown Legacy concluded the regular season tied with three other teams at 45 points but secured the No. 8 seed through tiebreakers. They gained momentum towards the playoffs with strong performances in seven of their last ten matches, including several high-scoring games. In their playoff opener against FC Cincinnati 2, they managed a comeback win thanks to late goals from Willian Paredes and Tyger Smalls.