Union II unravel in second half in MLS Next Pro Cup final

A bright start with two goals inside 20 minutes wasn’t enough for Philadelphia Union II to cap a successful 2024 campaign with the biggest prize in MLS Next Pro at the final at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas on Saturday night.

What felt inevitable in a first half where Union II got goals 9 and 18 minutes in from Markus Anderson and Eddy Davis III against a North Texas side that could barely string forward passes together flipped on its head in a second half where Union II were on the heels trying to slow an attack that more closely resembled a team that won the overall regular season league title.

In the end, the scoreboard read 3-2 in favor to the hosts and Philadelphia Union II had to watch as North Texas celebrated on the home field of their parent team FC Dallas.

Though older and more experienced – North Texas won a USL League One title in 2021 – it was the visitors who came out unphased by the stage in the early moments. The pressure deep in the North Texas end produced near instant results with a chance in the opening seconds of the match from CJ Olney and a goal from Anderson after the ball was won back and played into the box by Gavin Wetzel. MLS Next Pro goalkeeper of the year Michael Collodi looked anything but in the opening minutes, coming off his line and missing a curling corner kick early and then getting a hand to Anderson’s low shot and parrying it into the net on the opening goal.

The second goal was more the result of a strong finish than Davis than it was Collodi. The 18-year-old Union II striker drew three defenders into the box and sidestepped them all before beating Collodi with a smooth finish.

Being up 2-0 after 18 minutes wasn’t quite Jack Elliott scoring in extra time territory but the early lift gave the team an added confidence and swagger and a fanbase still reeling from news of long time head coach Jim Curtin’s firing hope. While winning a Next Pro Cup trophy would not have lesssened the sting of the playoffs carrying on without the Union, the thought of an exciting team of prospects fans have begun to back like never before capturing hardware seemed like it was coming into focus.

What happened next felt all too familiar to the Philly faithful.

There wasn’t an own goal, extra time winner, penalty kicks or an aging European star subbing in late that did Union II in this time. But it did start with a halftime sub of Anderson for a knock, gave way to a free kick goal Andrew Rick undoubtedly wants back, continued with a backpost volley equalizer and was capped off by a DOGSO and a backheeled late winner.

Despite coming up short in the end, the Union II have plenty to celebrate as the book closes on the 2024 season. A second place regular season finish, an Eastern Conference trophy and an appearance in the final were the reward of a hard fought season that was also marked by tragedy, first with the loss of captain Kyle Tucker’s father and then late in the season with the recent death of goalkeeper Holden Trent.

As a development team where winning is designed to be a byproduct of player growth, it’s hard to argue with the results and while future success is not guaranteed or even expected for more than a small handful of players from a reserve squad, the team’s success this season was a welcome distraction amidst an underwhelming MLS campaign by the first team and a dragged out MLS playoffs full of teams we love to hate.

Now, the Philadelphia Union offseason officially begins in ernest.