Photo Philadelphia Union II

Philadelphia Union II defeated Columbus Crew 2 at Kinetic Field on Friday night to keep their playoff hopes alive. Left back Jordan Griffin scored the game-winning goal in the 82nd minute. Interim head coach Chris Harmon’s game plan to give his side a chance was well conceived and worked well. Union II played a low block in the first half before resuming more traditional Philadelphia counter-pressing in the second.

Player availability in advance

News broke Tuesday that with only three or four games left in its regular season MLS NEXT Pro has changed its playoff format for 2026. (Click here.) It will more closely resemble that of its parent league, Major League Soccer. The eighth and ninth place finishers in each conference will conduct a play-in game before each conference undergoes its process of choosing its playoff match-ups. The playoffs will begin after the FIFA late-September/early-October international break. The change increases Union II’s playoff chances by making a ninth postseason slot available.

Kellan LeBlanc has returned from his red card suspension. Thus, Gio Sequera returns to his role as a versatile substitute in both outside channels defensively and in the midfield. 

Union II plays at home the day before the first team who are also playing at home. Double duty for first team reserves seems unlikely save for the usual trio: center back Finn Sundstrom, striker Malik Jakupovic who did not dress, and benched, disciplined striker Sal Olivas. Also, the Academy U-18s open their season at home the next morning.

In the space of 24 hours and 30 minutes — 7:00 PM Friday to 7:30 PM Saturday — the top three Keystone Sports and Entertainment soccer teams will all play games in Chester.

It seems unlikely that new, previously unknown academy amateurs will join interim head coach Chris Harmon’s gameday roster. As he did successfully last weekend away to Cincinnati 2 in northern Kentucky, Harmon had to beat Columbus Crew 2 without extra reinforcements. 

Before tap Crew 2 lay third in the eastern conference on 45 points from 24 games played. The Ohio team is currently poised to host a first round playoff game and choose between the final two candidates for its opponent. Union II lay 12th on 36 from 25, three points below playoff qualification. But they knew that if they were to win out, they would make the playoffs as a visiting team. 

Although arithmetically it is technically not the case, in every non-arithmetic way Union II must win the match against Columbus. If they do not, they become dependent on teams above them losing points to third parties.

Legendary Columbus Crew attacking midfielder Frederico “Pipa” Higuain has become almost that good as a developmental head coach in MLS NEXT Pro. His team will be well prepared, and Union II’s match will be difficult. Higuain himself was absent from Crew 2’s bench serving a suspension for a red car received in his previous match. 

First half

Midfielder Kellan LeBlanc had Union II’s first significant chance of the match with a header on target, but Columbus keeper Luke Pruter had an impressive one-handed save to deny him.

Columbus battled back with many attacks, but couldn’t find the target. The visitors had 67% of possession for the first half but only two shots on target.

Columbus center back Rui Aoiki was cautioned in the 34th minute for holding onto striker Theo Reed during hold-up play. Head official Anthony Sobolevsky had let a lot more physical action go uncalled leading up to that foul.

Both teams had a few more chances, but could not capitalize. The half ended in a deadlock.

Second half

Oscar Benitez was cautioned in the 46th minute.

Columbus’ keeper Pruter had an important double save to deny Kellan LeBlanc and John Ruf, respectively, in the 52nd minute.

The visitors made two changes in the 58th minute and two more in the 65th.

Giovanny Sequera and Timo Mendoza entered for John Ruf and Abdoulaye Diop in the 69th minute, leaving Theo Reed as a lone striker in a 4-2-3-1. Kellan LeBlanc became the most attack minded of the three attacking midfielders.

Tyler Gladstone entered for Willyam Ferreira in the 80th minute.

Matheus De Paula received a yellow card for a hard foul outside of the box in the 81st minute.

Union II pulled ahead at last in the 83rd minute when Jordan Griffin scored a low, driven shot from a tight angle, assisted by Kellan LeBlanc.

A Columbus player went down in the box in the 87th minute, but did not win a penalty.

Oliver Pratt entered for Jordan Griffin in the 90th minute. Griffin started cramping after his goal and needed to come off.

Columbus began to pile on attacking pressure in stoppage time.

Matheus De Paula had to step off the field after experiencing a cramp in the fifth minute of stoppage time, leaving Union II to weather the final storm a man down.

Next Match

Union II will next play away on the 9th day against Chicago Fire II at 4:00 PM Sunday, September 13th. Before the immediately upcoming match week, Fire II are tied for the eighth playoff slot on points but disqualified down to ninth by the first tiebreaker, wins in regulation. Of course, we now know that they would play in the play-in game as the away team, should current conditions continue.

Three points

1. Kaiden Moore has looked promising in his recent outings at center back.
2. Jordan Griffin scored his second goal of the season.
3. John Ruf started his first match for Union II since April.

B O X S C O R E

 Lineups

Union II (4-2-2-2, L-R). Interim head coach Chris Harmon. Roster sources: 1st — 2+1; U II — 5+3; AA — 4+5. Starters’ average age = 18.9.

Starters: George Marks, Jordan Griffin (Oliver Pratt— 90′), Kaiden Moore, Finn Sundstrom, Matheus De Paula; Abdoulaye Diop (Timo Mendoza— 69′), Oscar Benitez; Kellan LeBlanc, Willyam Ferreira (Tyler Gladstone— 80′); Theo Reed, John Ruf (Gio Sequera— 69′).

Marks	Griffin	Moore	Sundstrom	De Paula	Diop
1st	U II	U II	1st	AA	AA
26.8	17.9	18.8	19.8	17.8	16.6
Benitez	LeBlanc	Ferreira	Reed	Ruf
U II	U II	U II	AA	AA
22.2	18.5	17.6	17.8	17.3

 

Substitutes: Matthew White; Rafael Uzcátegui, Matteo Gallegos, Sam Gallego, Sal Olivas.

White	Pratt	Uzcategui	Gallegos	Mendoza	Sequera
AA	U II	U II	AA	AA	U II
16.9	22.9	21.9	17.5	17.1	20.5
Gladstone	Gallego	Olivas
AA	AA	1st
17.2	16.5	20.1

Crew 2. (4-3-3). Head coach Frederico Higuain. Per Transfermarkt, full squad average age = 20.1.

Starters: Luke Pruter; Issac Heffess, Rui Aoki (Gianmarco Di Noto— 84′), Brent Adu-Gyamfi, Zach Lloyd, Nico Rincon, Gio De Libera (Johann Chirinos— 64′), Prince Forfor (Tristan Brown— 64′), Immanuel Ewing (Kevin Gbamble— 58′), Oneal Taylor, Jamil Danjaji (Chase Adams— 58′)

Substitutes: Stanislav Lapkes; Jackson Bonos.

Goals

UII: Griffin— 82′

Yellow Cards

C2: Aoki— 34′

UII: Benitez— 46′

UII: De Paula— 81′

Whistle & Flags

REF: Anthony Sobolevsky, AR1: Adam Cook, AR2: Jennifer Dumaine, 4TH: Tyler McElhinney

Stats

U II	Statistic	C 2	U II	Statistic	C 2
17	Shots	16	3	Offsides	0
8	Shots on goal	5	5	Goalkeeper Saves	7
3	Blocked shots	4	15	Clearances	8
281	Total Passes	441
73.7	Pass Accuracy %	81.2	14	Fouls	10
5	Corners	11	2	Yellow Cards	1
2	Total Crosses	4	0	Red Cards	0