Photo Kevin Barrett

Philadelphia Union II fell 2-1 at home to CT United FC after Oscar Benitez earned a second yellow in the 60th minute.

In advance

Philadelphia Union II plays its third-straight home match to open the 2026 season, this time against an opponent entirely new to MLS NEXT Pro, CT United FC.

CT United, nicknamed Coywolves, is an expansion team out of Connecticut playing its inaugural season in the league under head coach Shavar Thomas. Thomas had been drafted by the Philadelphia Union in the Union’s 2009 Expansion Draft. He made one Philadelphia appearance before being traded back to one of his former clubs, Kansas City, for two draft picks and some allocation money. Thomas has previously managed the Turks and Caicos national team and was most recently an assistant at FC Cincinnati 2.

The Coywolves have another Union connection in former Union Academy player Dylan Lacy. He played for FC Dallas’ NEXT Pro affiliate North Texas SC in 2024. Some local fans may recognize him from his participation in the 2025 US Open Cup for storied local amateur club West Chester United.

Union II forward Malik Jakupovic was given a short-term call-up to the first team’s CONCACAF Champions Cup match against Club America on Tuesday, although he did not play.

Union II was not spread thin between the first team’s match a day prior in Atlanta and the Union Academy U18s weekend matches. The Academy had home matches against Toronto FC and Cedar Stars Academy Monmouth on Saturday and Sunday mornings, respectively. Academy U16 players played up on Sunday to allow Union II to field a full game day roster of 20.

Hours before the match, Union II communications announced the signing of 19-year-old Mali youth international Mamoutou Berthé. Berthé is a holding midfielder who most recently played for US Bougouba in the Malian Première Division. Internationally, he has represented Mali at the U20 and U23 levels.

Union II left back Jordan Griffin was not available for the match after the knee injury he suffered a week prior against FC Cincinnati 2. 

First half

George Marks had an immediate impact in goal to deny Connecticut twice in one minute early in the first half. The second save was some kind of scooping motion while diving backwards to clear the ball off the line. The lack of VAR in MLS NEXT Pro may have affected the outcome of the play. 

Union defensive midfielder Oscar Benitez was noticeably more physical in his defending and received a yellow card in the fifteenth minute for almost punching an opponent after being called for a foul. The Union’s Oliver Pratt saw yellow for a sliding challenge a minute later. The Coywolves were denied a goal after the free kick due to offside.

Union II seemed to be playing an offside trap effectively, especially Finn Sundstrom against Cauã Paixão.

The visitors grew frustrated and began committing errant fouls against Union players on the dribble. 

Malik Jakupovic joined goalkeeper Marks as a defensive hero by heading the ball off the goalline following a Connecticut corner in the 26th minute.  

Connecticut’s captain, Alex Monis, saw yellow in the 20th minute for striking Oliver Pratt. The visitors’ Andre Applewhaite got a yellow in the 35th for going through the back of Gio Sequera.

Everything came together for Union II in the 42nd minute. Oliver Pratt won the ball on the left, made a move around a pressing CT United player, and found Kellan LeBlanc on the wing. LeBlanc connected with Malik Jakupovic, who took his time on the ball in the box and waited to get the shot off low to the far post. The sequence was the Union’s most fluid possession of the match in the first half.

Second half

Neither side substituted at the break.

The Coywolves came out of the locker room fouling just as much as they did in the first half. 

The visitors equalized in the 57th minute. Connecticut’s Laurie Goddard was left unmarked inside the six and put away the volley. 

Oscar Benitez was sent off after his second yellow in the 60th minute for a late slide tackle on Daniel D’Ippolito, leaving his side to play a man down for the final 30 minutes. 

Head Coach Ryan Richter brought on Matheus De Paula, Lennon Harrington, and Nehan Hasan for Willyam Ferreira, Finn Sundstrom, and Malik Jakupovic in the 65th minute. 

Former Union Academy player Dylan Lacy entered for CT United in the 66th. 

Kaiden Moore entered for Timo Mendoza in the 70th minute. Mendoza had been playing as a single defensive midfielder in Benitez’s absence as Union II continued to attempt attacks in face of the drawn score. Moore moved Lennon Harrington forward into the single defensive midfield spot.  

George Marks had another huge save in the 74th after Kaiden Moore was beaten chasing a long ball. Marks swatted the ball out of danger to end the threat.

Union II used its final substitution to bring on John Ruf for Sal Olivas in the 78th minute, moving the Boys in Blue (and yellow) into somewhat of a 4-4-1.

Sequera saw yellow for a coming together with a Connecticut player in the 80th minute. 

Connecticut got the go-ahead goal in the 86th minute after Dylan Lacy connected with Barnabas Tanyi, who beat Kaiden Moore into the box. 

Connecticut’s Daniel D’Ippolito saw yellow in the 89th minute for challenging George Marks.

Next match

 Union II plays next on the seventh day at Red Bull New York II in the team’s first away fixture of the season.

Three points

1. George Marks continues to demonstrate abilities beyond the level of MLS NEXT Pro. 
2. Oliver Pratt impressed while playing on his weaker side of the pitch. 
3. Academy amateur Timo Mendoza has improved in every match so far for Union II, although he does not yet have 90 minute match fitness apparently.  

 B O X S C O R E

Lineups

 Union II (4-2-2-2, L-R) 1st -3 + 0; U II – 7 + 1; AA – 1 + 7. Starter’s Average Age = 19.7

Starters: George Marks; Oliver Pratt, Rafael Uzcategui, Finn Sundstrom (Lennon Harrington- 65’), Giovanny Sequera; Oscar Benitez, Timo Mendoza (Kaiden Moore- 70’), Willyam Ferreira (Mattheus De Paula- 65’), Kellan LeBlanc; Sal Olivas (John Ruf- 78, Malik Jakupovic (Nehan Hasan- 65’).

Marks	Pratt	Uzcategui	Sundstrom	Sequera	Benitez
1st	U II	U II	1st	U II	U II
26.3	22.4	21.4	19.3	20.1	21.8
Mendoza	Ferreira	LeBlanc	Olivas	Jakupovic
AA	U II	U II	1st	U II
16.7	17.1	18.0	19.7	16.7

Unused substitutes: Alex Smith; Andrew Craig, Theo Reed, Tyler Gladstone.

Smith	Moore	Craig	De Paula	Harrington
AA	UII	AA	AA	AA
17.9	18.9	18.5	16.4	17.8
	Hasan	Reed	Ruf	Gladstone
	AA	AA	AA	AA
	17.7	16.9	17.2	16.7

CT United FC (4-3-3)

Starters: Anthony Ramos; Andre Applewhite, Lukas Kamrath, Michael Boamah (Jahvar Stephenson- 58’), Rickson van Hees, Alex Monis, Steven Sserwadda, Robbie Mora (Dylan Lacy- 66’), Ibrahim Kasule (Daniel D’Ippolito- 58’), Laurie Goddard, Cauã Paixão (Barnabas Tanyi- 58’).

Unused Substitutes: Christian Rodriguez, Nelson Rodriguez, Sean Petrie, Ernesto Gomez, Hivan Kouonang

 Goals

 UII: Jakupovic (LeBlanc)- 42’

CTU: Goddard (Mora)- 58’

CTU: Tanyi (Lacy)- 86’

Yellow Cards

UII: Benitez- 15’

UII: Pratt- 16’

CTU: Monis- 28’

CTU: Applewhaite- 35’

UII: Benitez- 60’ (second caution, ejection)

UII: Sequera- 80’

CTU: D’Ippolito- 89’

 Whistle & Flags

REF: Stephen Foster, AR1: Race Williams, AR2: Sarah Gaddes, 4TH: Gary Gutierrez

Stats

UII	Statistic	CTU	UII	Statistic	CTU
4	Shots	17	3	Offsides	5
1	Shots on goal	9	5	Goalkeeper Saves	0
1	Blocked shots	3	1	Clearances	3
268	Total Passes	372
65.7	PassAccuracy %	72	24	Fouls	18
0	Corners	7	3	Yellow Cards	3
1	Total Crosses	6	1	Red Cards	0