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Clearly, Saturday’s game on the turf in Charlotte meant more to the hosts than it did to the visitors but the 2-0 loss ended a regular season that had few negatives to speak of and thanks to FC Dallas’ win over Vancouver the Union won the Supporters’ Shield outright without a need to re-enter the 2022 era debate about wins being the first tiebreaker over goal differential. We’ll find out Wednesday night who will be coming to town on Sunday and where the Union will need to travel to (Orlando or Chicago) for Game 2 of the Best-of-3 series.

In the email today:

1. 🙋‍♂️ Two Questions Will Be Answered Wednesday

The fall is never an easy time of year to keep fans engaged in MLS but the business end of the Philadelphia Union’s 2025 season is finally approaching with a match on Sunday night at Subaru Park.

That much we know.

What we don’t know is who the opponent will be or where the Union will be traveling to play Game 2 on Saturday, Nov. 1.

It will be Fire or Lions.

Jack Elliott and the Chicago Fire host Orlando City on Wednesday night (kickoff slated for 8:42 p.m. our time) to decide.

Sunday’s game at Subaru Park kicks off at 5:55 p.m.

🐍 Stas Lifts Union II into Conference Semis

Forward Stas Korzeniowski scored a goal in each half to lead Philadelphia Union II to a 2-1 victory of FC Cincinnati 2 to open the MLS Next Pro playoffs on Sunday afternoon at Subaru Park.

With the win, Union II advanced to the conference semifinal for the second straight season.

Korzeniowski, a rookie who starred at the University of Pennsylvania and was drafted by the Philadelphia Union, opened the scoring in the 10th minute heading in a curling left-footed free kick from Kellan LeBlanc. Andrés Dávila Mosquera evened the score before halftime but it was Korzeniowski again in the 64th minute with a finish in the box off an assist from CJ Olney that was the decisive goal.

Allentown, Pa. natives Stefan Chirila and Andrei Chirila – both former Philadelphia Union Academy players – started for FCC2.

The No. 2 seeded Union II will face either No. 5 seed Huntsville City or No. 6 seed Chicago Fire II in the next round depending on who the top-seeded New York Red Bulls II select. The game will be played either Oct. 24, 25 or 26 at Subaru Park, which is hosting the first game of the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs on Sunday night.

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3.💧Water Cooler: 🔥 or 🦁

3. ♛ Social Post of the Day: Oh no?

4. 🔗 Link Roundup

• DC United are the Wooden Spoon winners for 2025 after drawing Atlanta United on Saturday. Their 30-goal output as a team was just one more than Golden Boot winner Lionel Messi scored this season.

• Unbeaten and No. 9 ranked Dickinson scored three times in the second half to grab a 3-0 win over Swarthmore in a Centennial Conference match on Saturday night. West Chester native and senior captain Ethan Jarden and Downingtown native Parker Kiey also scored for the Red Devils.

• A regionalized two-tiered divisional structure and full academic year calendar are among the changes proposed for Division 1 college soccer in a white paper released by the U.S. Soccer Federation last week.

• The PIAA District 1 boys and girls playoffs kick off on Tuesday.

• The pairings for the 2025 South Jersey Coaches Cup have been announced. Paul VI girls and Saint Augustine Prep are the top seeds in the 16-team tournament fields.

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