Photo Kevin Barrett

 An early goal from Malik Jakupovic made the difference in Union II’s 2026 season opener against Toronto FC II. Six Union II players debuted in the match, and George Marks stood tall in the goal to seal the victory.

In advance

Union 2 head coach Ryan Richter expected few first-team field player additions to his roster since their deep reserves played two days earlier in the Concacaf Champions Cup against Defence Force FC (W, 7-0) and their starters will play the day after against NYC FC in the Union’s  MLS home opener (Sunday March 1^st, 4:30 PM).

The first team’s number three keeper, Marks, came down to start in goal against Toronto FC II, and center back Finn Sundstrom substituted on for the last half an hour.

With limited first-team support, Union II also had to be mindful of the Union Academy U-18s having a match on the same day away to FC Cincinnati 2. Thus, Union II’s bench was limited to five field players for this match.

Union 2’s roster treats Kaiden Moore as a Union 2 player, even though technically he is on an MLS contract while on loan to Philadelphia’s first team from Atlanta. MLS lists him as an off-roster homegrown player. The Philadelphia organization rosters him with Union 2.

According to the league’s most recent official roster document, the February 2026 Roster Profile (click here), first team striker Stas Korzeniowski occupies the first team’s Supplemental Reserve Roster slot #31 as Nick Pariano did last year. But Korzeniowski played against D. C. United in the official MLS season opener the day after Roster Compliance Day when his slot 31 status went into effect. There was no announcement of a short-term agreement adding him to the first team roster for that match, even though the Roster Compliance document lists him as unavailable in two separate places. We have no official confirmation that the terms governing Supplemental Reserve Roster Slot 31 have changed. Therein lies a mystery worthy of the Byzantine Empire.

Following coach Richter’s lead, we expected neither Korzeniowski nor Union II teammate Gio Sequera to dress on the day, given their efforts for the first team—59 minutes and 90 minutes, respectively —less than 48 hours earlier against Defence Force in the Concacaf Champions Cup.

As yet we know very little about Toronto FC II this year, but we noticed that former Union II outside back Union Academy graduate Jackson Gilman is the captain for the visitors starting as a single  central defensive midfielder.

Finally, here is our best guess of the roster from which head coach Ryan Richter will work at the beginning of the season concurrent with the Academy U18 schedule. We do not include game-by-game first-team participants as there is little way to predict them outside of each game’s specific parameters. Typos of elision are deliberate to facilitate layout (see Korzeniowski and Harrington).

Player	Pos	Contract	Player	Pos	Contract
StasKorzeniowski	S	1st	Andrew Craig	CB	AA
Rafael Uzcategui	CB	U2	Matteus DePaula	DM	AA
Oscar Benitez	DM	U2	Tyler Gladstone	AM	AA
Willyam Ferreira	AM	U2	Matteo Gallegos	OB	AA
Jordan Griffin	LB	U2	LennonHarrington	CB	AA
Jett Harrison	S	AA	Nehan Hassan	AM	AA
Pierce Holbrook	GK	U2	Connor Murphy	LB	AA
Kellan LeBlanc	AM	U2	Oliver Pratt	RB	U2
Timo Mendoza	DM	AA	Theo Reed	S	AA
Kaiden Moore	LCB	U2	John Ruf	S	AA
Gio Sequera	RB	U2	Alex Smith	GK	AA
Rafael Uzcategui	RCB	U2

How the match unfolded

First half

Malik Jakupovic continued his scoring form right where he left off last season, scoring the lone goal in the 8th minute. It resulted from Union II’s high press, which dominated the match’s opening 20 minutes.

Toronto started to grow into the game later in the half, but the Boys in Blue held them back. The youth of this year’s Union II side began to show, however.

Jakupovic and his strike partner, Union Academy amateur John Ruf, both saw yellow for being physical while trying to win balls in the offensive half. The officials allowed Toronto to be much more physical without a whistle. Fouls at half time were 15-5 “led” by the home team.

Oliver Pratt found his way up the sideline quite often, which allowed Toronto to break into the space left behind him.

Academy amateur Isaiah “Timo” Mendoza did not look out of place in the defense midfield with Oscar Benitez to his right. Ruf played the role of the stereotypical Union forward and tried to attack on the break. His decision-making needs greater variability.

Second half

Neither team made any change at halftime. Coach Richter re-emphasized Union II’s high press if his team’s behavior provides any evidence.

Toronto registered its first shot on target  in the first fifteen minutes of the second stanza through captain Gilman. Union keeper Marks reached full extension to parry the shot over the center of the bar.

Union II’s first substitutions came moments later, with Matheus De Paula, Nehan Hasan, and Finn Sundstrom entering for Mendoza, John Ruf, and Kaiden Moore. De Paula and Hasan made their professional debuts, while Sundstrom debuted with Union II.

The speed and physicality of the match decreased noticeably afterwards as the Boys in Blue got younger and smaller in both the midfield and the attack for the last 20 minutes.

George Marks had a massive save to end a Toronto break in the 83rd minute.

Kellan LeBlanc was unable to complete the full 90, so academy amateur center back Lennon Harrington entered in the 85th minute. He moved Matheus De Paula to left attacking midfield and began doing his best as a defensive mid.

Oliver Pratt stayed home in the second half to support Willyam Ferreria, who had switched to the right side, and then Nehan Hasan when he later slid back from striker.

Union II remained ahead 1-0 at the final whistle.

Next Match

Union II next plays on the eighth day, Sunday, March 8th at Subaru Park hosting FC Cincinnati 2 at 3:00 PM. The video livestream should be found on both OneFootball and mlsnextpro.com.

Three points + 1

1. Three Union II players made their professional debuts as starters: Oliver Pratt, Timo Mendoza, and John Ruf. Nehan Hasan,  while Matheus de Paula, Theo Reed, and Lennon Harrington made their pro debuts as second-half substitutes.
2. George Marks, while not tested often, was the difference maker in this match. His leadership and goalkeeping ability kept Union II ahead.
3. Rafael Uzacetgui played a captain’s game. He bailed his new back line out on multiple occasions. His leadership will be key in the 2026 defense.
4. Disciplinary disproportion. Union II were whistled for ten more fouls in the second half while Toronto II added only three.

B O X S C O R E

Lineups

Union II (4-2-2-2, L-R) 1^st 2+1; U2 7+0; AA 2+5. Starters’ Ave Age = 19.4.

Starters: George Marks; Jordan Griffin, Kaiden Moore (Finn Sundstrom- 57′), Rafael Uzcategui ©, Oliver Pratt; Timo Mendoza (Matheus De Paula- 57′), Oscar Benitez; Willyam Ferreira (Theo Reed- 72′), Kellan LeBlanc (Lennon Harrington- 85′); Malik Jakupovic, John Ruf (Nehan Hasan- 57′).

Marks	Griffin	Moore	Uzcategui	Pratt
1st	U2	1st	U2	U2
26.3	17.3	18.8	21.4	22.4
Mendoza	Benitez	Ferreira	LeBlanc	Jakupovic	Ruf
AA	U2	U2	U2	U2	AA
16.6	21.7	17.1	17.9	16.7	17.2

Unused substitutes: Alex Smith.

Toronto II

Starters: Zakaria Nakhly; Stefan Kapor (Tristan Blyth- 87′), Reid Fisher, Micah Chisholm, Edwin Omoregbe, Jackson Gilman ©, Bryce Boneau (Luca Costabile- 63′), Damar Dixon (Kervon Kerr- 72′), Elias Khodri, Fletcher Bank, Shyon Pinnock

Unused substitutes: Harrison Patterson; Josh Nugent, Demitre Adamson, Daniel Stampatori, Spencer Sappleton, Dekwon Barrow

Goals

UII: Jakupovic- 8′

Yellow Cards

 UII: Jakupovic- 26′

UII: Ruf- 35′

UII: Ferreira- 69′

UII: De Paula- 90′

UII: Marks- 90+’

TFC: Gilman 90+’

Whistle & Flags

 REF: Luis Diego Arroyo, AR¹: Sharon Gingrich, AR²: Nicholas Seymour, 4^TH: Cedric Cook.

Stats

UII	Statistic	TFC	UII	Statistic	TFC
10	Shots	9	3	Offsides	3
6	Shots on goal	3	3	Goalkeeper Saves	5
2	Blocked shots	5	6	Clearances	3
304	Total Passes	480
78.6	Pass Accuracy %	86.5	25	Fouls	8
5	Corners	7	5	Yellow Cards	1
4	Total Crosses	8	0	Red Cards	0