The Orange and Blue prepare for their first road match of the season as they face Philadelphia Union II on Sunday, March 8 at Subaru Park in Chester, Pa. The two clubs face off in the first meeting of a three-match regular season series. The match will kick off at 3 p.m. ET and can be streamed live on OneFootball platforms and on MLSNEXTPro.com.
FC CINCINNATI 2 at PHILADELPHIA UNION II – SUNDAY, MARCH 8, 2026 – 3 P.M. ET – SUBARU PARK
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FC CINCINNATI 2/MATCHUP NOTES
Off and running – First team forward Stefan Chirila bagged his first goal of the MLS NEXT Pro season after converting from the spot against CT United FC this past Sunday. Chirila scored nine goals in 22 appearances for FCC 2 last season.
Chirila has enjoyed a strong start to 2026. Chirila scored against Brooklyn FC during the Orange and Blue’s preseason in Clearwater, Fla. and against O&M FC in the second leg of FC Cincinnati’s Round One matchup in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Academy debuts and starts – The FC Cincinnati Academy was well represented in the Orange and Blue’s MLS NEXT Pro season opener. Midfielder Noah Gassan made his MLS NEXT Pro debut against CT United, playing 45 minutes for the Orange and Blue, replacing Deiver Mosquera at the start of the second half.
Will Kuisel and Jack Mize earned starts against CT United. Kuisel enters his third season with FCC 2 after making 21 appearances in 2025. Mize made his club and league debut, earning a start in his first season with FCC 2.
Gavin DeHart, Amin Ibrahim and Santiago Sanchez – all FC Cincinnati Academy players – were available for selection from the bench.
The matchup – Sunday’s contest will be a rematch of the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference Quarterfinal match, where Union II advanced past FCC 2, 2-1. Philadelphia’s playoff win is the difference in the all-time series as FCC 2 is 5-6-0 against Union II through the 11 prior meetings. Sunday kicks off a three-match regular season series between the sides with the final two matches both coming in September in a home and away split.
Scouting Philadelphia Union II
Record: 1-0-0 (3 points)
Standings: 5th, Eastern Conference
Last Result: 1-0 win vs Toronto FC II
Head Coach: Ryan Richter
Leading Scorer: 1 – Malik Jakupovic
Philadelphia Union II opened the 2026 MLS NEXT Pro season last Saturday with a 1-0 win against Toronto FC II. One of last season’s Eastern Conference Final participants, Union II will look to make another deep playoff run in 2026 as one of the presumed conference favorites.
Malik Jakupovic, Union II’s co-leader in goals scored a season ago, is off the mark in 2026 after scoring Philadelphia’s lone goal against Toronto. Jakupovic, who scored eight goals in 417 minutes in 2025, needed just eight minutes to find the back of the net against the Young Reds. Jakupovic figures to be Union II’s preferred option up top this season.
Union II signed three players during the offseason including Philadelphia Union Academy defender Jordan Griffin. Griffin played 90 minutes alongside first year defender Oliver Pratt on Union II’s backline. The duo helped Union II earn their first clean sheet of the campaign, limiting Toronto to just three shots on goal.
First team goalkeeper George Marks picked up the first start of the year in goal for Union II. Marks made just three appearances in 2025 and was one of five goalkeepers to feature for Union II last year. Marks made three saves in the opener and would be expected to be part of Union II’s rotation at the position this season.
