Philly Leader

Philadelphia Union II is set to compete for its first trophy in club history against Columbus Crew 2 in the Eastern Conference Final at Subaru Park this Saturday. Tickets are available online, and the match will be broadcast on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV.

The matchup features two of the youngest teams in MLS NEXT Pro, both demonstrating impressive performance to reach this stage. Union II's journey to the final began with a home playoff victory over New York City FC II, highlighted by CJ Olney's decisive goal in the 86th minute.

In their second postseason game, Union II faced Crown Legacy and advanced after a penalty shootout. Goalkeeper Andrew Rick played a crucial role with two saves, setting up Olney to secure the win once again.

This Saturday marks the fourth encounter between these conference rivals, with each previous game won by the home team. Union II claimed victory at home earlier this season with Sal Olivas scoring twice. In another meeting, Columbus Crew 2 edged out a win thanks to Gibran Rayo's penalty kick.

Columbus Crew 2 presents a significant challenge despite being seeded seventh. They have leveraged their playoff experience to reach the Eastern Conference Final for three consecutive years. The Ohio team dominated Inter Miami CF II with a 6-2 victory and defeated Chicago Fire II last weekend with Xavier Zengue scoring the winning goal.