Is it weird that I’m more excited about the Philadelphia Union II season opening on Sunday than I am the first team returning to MLS league play? Maybe not after the shellacking we made a deal not to rehash again but the Union play Austin FC for the first time in an official match tonight and Union II opens Next Pro play at home on Sunday afternoon.

In the email today:

1. 🏛️ Union Return to League Play in Austin

Not since they refused to play our guy Brandan Craig have we had reason to hate on Austin FC but at long last the two teams meet tonight in an official league game.

As Jim Curtin mentioned recently the new realities of the MLS schedule are such that Saprissa has been a more frequent opponent (four times in three years) than several teams from the Western Conference. If nothing says diminished value of the Supporters’ Shield that factoid should.

Austin has played 104 league games without playing the Union once.

All of that aside, the Union have some work to do in restarting their season, especially with an almost impossible ask of trying to win at Portland during an international break.

Curtin will have Julian Carranza back to start and a full selection of players not named Leon Flach from which to choose.

“It's good to have all players now to choose from for this game and this is an important game because you guys know we lose about 10 players after this game,” Curtin said yesterday. “Win, lose or draw let’s look like us and do the things that make us a strong team.”

The game is scheduled for 8:30 p.m. and will be free on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV (unless of course you already pay for it).

2. 🌉 Join the Bridge Brigade

With the first team away and a new MLS Next Pro season set to begin, it’s a great time to join the Bridge Brigade, the supporters group for Philadelphia Union II.

There’s no barrier to entry and there isn’t even a formal process; just show up at Subaru Park on Sunday afternoon and look for the group in the sea of empty seats having the most fun.

3. 🌳 Tweet of the Day: Game Day

4. 💧 Water Cooler: Biggest Concern Results

5. 🔗 Link Roundup

• Jack McGlynn and Nathan Harriel will be reuniting with former teammate and fellow academy grad Paxten Aaronson at U.S. Olympic Team camp. Quinn Sullivan’s great start to the year wasn’t enough to get the nod.

• The West Chester United to the pros pipeline continues to bear fruit as Ridley native Michael Sheridan is the latest to make the jump, signing a one-year deal with Philadelphia Union II.

• Talented young wing back Jeremiah White IV will be one to watch on the new independent MLS Next Pro team Carolina Core FC. The Philadelphia native has signed on with the team ahead of their inaugural season.

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