Philly Leader

The Philadelphia Union II team secured the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference Championship by defeating Columbus Crew 2 on Saturday night. This victory allows them to advance to the MLS NEXT Pro Cup 2024.

Marlon LeBlanc's squad has shown resilience and commitment since the start of the season, earning the No. 2 seed in the East despite losing their chance at top-seed on Decision Day. Their journey included a significant home playoff win against New York City FC II, where they overcame a two-goal deficit. Neil Pierre played a crucial role with a decisive pass to CJ Olney, who scored the winning goal.

Union II continued their campaign by facing Crown Legacy FC after learning about goalkeeper Holden Trent's passing just before warmups. They honored his memory with a victory that involved Olwethu Makhanya scoring in the first half and Andrew Rick saving penalties, leading to another game-winning goal by Olney.

In front of their largest crowd for an MLS NEXT Pro match, Union II triumphed over Crew 2, who were previous champions. The team's win marked their first trophy as a club and added to their growing legacy alongside players like Auston Trusty and Brenden Aaronson.

This championship echoes the achievements of their first team, which won an Eastern Conference trophy at Subaru Park in 2022. November 2, 2024, will be remembered as a historic day for Union II as they became Eastern Conference Champions.