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Philadelphia Union II earned its first win in 5 matches after a Stas Korzeniowski brace sent them 2-1 past visiting FC Cincinnati 2 early Saturday afternoon.

In advance

Philadelphia’s second and first teams both played at home at the weekend. In a schedule change made only at midweek, the second team played on Saturday, August 8th at noon at Subaru Park  That the second team played first, precluded first team reserves doing double duty either way.

The club announced Friday morning that first team reserve forward Eddy Davis III had been loaned to Loudon United of the USL Championship through the end of the 2026 season.

Predicting what Union players would play where was more difficult than usual. The Union’s Necaxa game on Sunday was interim head coach Ryan Richter’s first example of rotating his squad on three days rest. Before the weekend he had said that Philadelphia would put out a strong team against Cruz Azul, and, if possible, would try to advance in the tournament. But we had not seen him actually rotate his team until last Thursday evening against Cruz Azul.

A heat advisory was correctly predicted for Saturday afternoon. Rain and thunder held off until just after the match had finished.

We estimated that Stas Korzeniowski’s game fitness was not yet up to first team standards and expected him to work on improving it with Union II Saturday as he did.

We expected the other usual first teamers to play with Union II. At his pre-Cruz Azul press conference, Richter confirmed that Rafael Uzcategui would not be selected for Thursday’s first team match, suggesting that he would be with Union II Saturday barring unexpected emergencies. He and midfielder Kellan LeBlanc are the only Union II players on the Union’s Leagues Cup roster. Both played Saturday afternoon.

Both attacking midfielder-cum-outside back Giovanny Sequera and holding midfielder Oscar Benitez were suspended for the match after receiving ejections in Union II’s previous one. The suspensions gave academy amateur 16-and-a-half year-old defensive midfielder Abdoulaye Diop his first professional start.

Including this Cincinnati game, Union II had seven remaining opportunities to evaluate players ahead of return decisions for 2027’s two seasons. They also had seven chances to improve their chances of making the 2026 playoffs. Now they have six.

Before the match, Philadelphia lay 12th in the Eastern Conference table on 27 points from 21 matches, four slots and six points below playoff qualification. Cincinnati lay in 15th on 16 points from 20 matches, six slots below and a substantial 17 points away.

First half

Cincinnati started the match on the front foot and registered the first shot of the game through Ademar Chavez, whose attempt crossed the face of the goal and went wide.

Union II attacking midfielder Willyam Ferreira responded with a more than 30 yard  chance of his own in the 12th minute that went just high over the bar.

Stas Korzeniowski opened the scoring in the 17th minute. He and Kellan LeBlanc regained possession in the crowded Cincinnati box, and the big man’s shot deflected past 16-year-old Cincinnati keeper Connor Dale for Korzeniowski’s first goal since his knee injury May 17th in the 57th minute against Columbus. The rhythm of the match swayed towards Philadelphia after they went ahead.

Defensive midfielder Diop had a chance to double the lead minutes later after making a hard tackle on a Cincinnati player in his defensive box. The defender wanted a foul, but play was allowed to continue, and Diop produced his shot. It was a promising moment for the 2010-born midfielder.

Rafael Uzcategui received a caution in the 29th minute for a foul on Cincinnati’s left wing. Goalkeeper Pierce Holbrook calmly received the set piece delivery, and then play was paused for the expected first half hydration break.

Cincinnati equalized in the 40th minute after a Kaiden Moore step-up failed to shut down an attack and left Finn Sundstrom one-on-one from the side against forward Cheikhou Niang. Niang  finished well just as Sundstrom arrived. After the goal, Ademar Chavez received a yellow card before the tap off, likely for time wasting.

The half ended in deadlock.

Second half

Cincinnati made one change at the break. Union II made none.

Cincinnati had a huge breakaway chance in the 50th minute that ended in an overconfident shot going wide of Union II’s net. After a few more questionable defending scenarios, head coach Chris Harmon brought Mamoutou Berthe on for Diop at defensive midfielder in the 57th minute.

Berthe was cautioned two minutes later, although from the press box it did not look like he had made any contact with the attacker whatsoever.

Cincinnati made three more changes in the 62nd minute. And then in the 64th striker Korzeniowski doubled the score for Philadelphia. Willyam Ferreira had the assist after a clever dribble had beaten his marker when he fed his striker.

Oliver Pratt and Tyler Gladstone entered for Kaiden Moore and Willyam Ferreira in the 68th. Moore looked to be dealing with a leg cramp as the changes were being readied. Pratt took over at right back and moved Uzcategui to Moore’s left center back slot. The captain’s defensive versatility has been essential.

Matheus De Paula had an impressive run in the 74th minute, including a Maradona around a Cincinnati midfielder, but the episode produced no score.

Play paused for another hydration break in the 75th minute. And interim head coach Chris Harmon prepared his final two changes: Timo Mendoza and John Ruf for Kellan LeBlanc and Theo Reed in the 79th minute after play resumed.

Cincinnati had a chance in the 80th, but once again they shot wide. The visitors made their final change in the 83rd minute.

In the 88th minute Matheus De Paula’s volley rattled Cincinnati’s crossbar. The opportunity would have sealed matters for Philadelphia.

Oliver Pratt was fouled by Cincinnati winger Stefan Chirila in the 90th minute. Chirila was cautioned for the offense.

Cincinnati continued to push for an equalizer throughout five minutes of stoppage time, but went down to their tenth consecutive away loss of the season. They remain entirely without points from their road schedule. this season.

Next Match

Union II next play on Sunday, August 16th in Rhode Island at Bryant University’s Beirne Stadium against New England Revolution II. Tap is scheduled for 7:00 PM. Before Union II’s Cincinnati match, Revolution II lay third in the conference table.

Three points + one

1. Even with Eddy Davis’ departure and Malik Jakupovic’s being with the first team, Sal Olivas did not get on the field. 
2. Oliver Pratt made his first Union II appearance since June 14th.
3. Stas Korzeniowski got back into scoring form in MLS NEXT Pro to retake his position as Union II’s top scorer of the season and played his first full 90 after his injury. At 23 and a half years old he was also Philadelphia’s oldest starter pipping goalkeeper Pierce Holbrook by two-tenths of a year.
4. After the final Subaru Park whistle, Loudoun United announced they had transferred Icelandic striker Thorleifur Ulffarsson to top flight Icelandic side Breidablik, thus explaining why they had picked up Philadelphia off-roster homegrown Eddy Davis on loan the day before.

B O X S C O R E

Lineups

Union II (4-2-2-2, L-R). Interim head coach Chris Harmon. Starters’ Ave Age = 19.3

Starters: Pierce Holbrook; Jordan Griffin, Kaiden Moore (Oliver Pratt— 68′), Finn Sundstrom, Rafael Uzcategui; Matheus De Paula, Abdoulaye Diop (Mamoutou Berthe— 57′); Willyam Ferreira (Tyler Gladstone— 68′), Kellen LeBlanc (Timo Mendoza— 79′); Stas Korzeniowski, Theo Reed (John Ruf— 79′).

Holbrook	Griffin	Moore	Sundstrom	Uzcategui	Diop
U II	U II	U II	1st	U II	AA
23.3	17.8	18.7	19.7	21.8	16.5
De Paula	LeBlanc	Ferreira	Reed	Korzeniowski
AA	U II	U II	AA	1st
17.7	18.4	17.5	17.8	23.5

Unused Substitutes: Charli Lorenz, Sal Olivas.

Lorenz	Pratt	Berthe	Mendoza	Gladstone	Ruf
AA	U II	U II	AA	AA	AA
16.8	22.8	19.6	17.1	17.1	20.5 y/o
Olivas
1st
20.0

Cincinnati 2 (4-4-2) Head coach Sam Castellanos. Per Transfermarkt full squad ave age = 19.2.

Starters: Connor Dale; Ayoub Lajhar, Sami Lachekar, Landon Born (Jack Mize— 83′), Charlie Holmes, Deiver Mosquera (Dilan Hurtado— 62′), Camden Sphire, Yair Ramos (Leo Orejarena— 62′), Ademar Chavez (Nathan Gray— 62′), Cheikhou Niang (Mathias Vazquez— 46′), Stefan Chirila.

Substitutes: David Paz; Chance Malilo.

Goals

U II: Korzeniowski— 17′

FCC: Niang— 40′

U II: Korzeniowski— 64′

Yellow cards

U II: Uzcategui— 29′

FCC: Chavez— 40′

U II: Berthe— 59′

FCC: Chirila— 90’+

Whistle & Flags

REF: Max Alatorre, AR1: Josh Pitt, AR2: Sam Conroy, 4TH: Nickrod Fateh

Stats

U II	Statistic	FCC	U II	Statistic	FCC
15	Shots	11	1	Offsides	2
9	Shots on goal	2	1	Goalkeeper Saves	7
3	Blocked shots	2	7	Clearances	7
406	Total Passes	349
87.2	Pass Accuracy %	84	9	Fouls	13
3	Corners	5	2	Yellow Cards	2
4	Total Crosses	7	0	Red Cards	0