Union II hit the road again, traveling to Tennessee to take on independent MLS Next Pro side Chattanooga (5th place, 8-5-6) at Finley Stadium on Saturday, July 25 at 7:00 PM. Union II are coming off a 2-0 loss at Columbus Crew 2 that was beset by weather delays and uncertainty, but a match that provided a bit of a learning experience for some of the younger players, and there were no excuses to be had based on that, according to head coach Chris Harmon.

Currently sitting in 11th place at 7-9-3 but still very much in the hunt, getting three points would be huge for Union II. This particular match happens to be concurrent with the first team match, when the Union host the Seattle Sounders at 7:30 PM, making for an interesting situation for followers of both squads. What I do not foresee, however, is there being much of an issue in terms of roster. Based on who played for the first team and who has been regular for the second team, one could reasonably assume the same players will be available for selection for each squad.

Getting the scoring going

One player who is important for Union II, but is on a first team contract is 17 year old striker Malik Jakupovic. While the scoring has not been there as of late, he is always a threat around the box and has been creating chances.

Union II head coach Chris Harmon knows strikers go through these ups and downs, but would be more concerned if he were not creating those chances, saying, “When you look at all the all the chances that he’s had in the last two games… he’s had the the opportunities to make the difference in both games, and obviously the goals aren’t falling but that’s going to come with his quality.”

“The fact that he’s putting himself in these situations is, for me, is a positive,” Harmon continued. “And you know, we talked about continuing to to hammer home the things that make him good, arriving into the box, and and not getting frustrated if the first chance doesn’t doesn’t fall his way.”

In his pre-match press conference Friday, interim first team head coach Ryan Richter noted the importance of Malik continuing to develop through having a proper training schedule and getting meaningful minutes. Rather than sitting on the bench for first team matches, it often makes more sense for him to get 90 minutes with Union II where he can continue to develop.

“I can tell you that there’s no one who believes in him more than I do, and one, as a kid, he’s super driven. He has big goals of what he wants to achieve. His talent—that part is clear, and we want to make sure that the pathway and the timeline of what we give him matches what we believe he can reach.”

Facing Chattanooga and a family connection

Malik likely will not be the only Jakupovic on the field assuming he travels to Chattanooga, as the goalkeeper for that side is 41 year old Eldin Jakupovic, who is Malik’s dad’s cousin. Perhaps a little extra motivation for the younger Jakupovic to put one or more in the back of the net, though it likely will not be an easy task.

Chattanooga has not allowed many goals in most of their recent matches, and do not let the age of Eldin Jakupovic fool you as he brings a lot of quality and experience. Harmon noted, “They don’t give opponents a lot of space to to play in behind them and in front of them. They’re really compact. They work really hard to get back behind the ball.”

Last season, both times the teams squared off, the matches went to a penalty shootout after ending regulation tied. Union II won both of those shootouts, and yes, Malik scored on Eldin in the second match. It is a new season, but Union II still bring the youthful exuberance that helped them prevail in 2025.

“But I think the way that we play could cause them some some problems, so we’ve a game plan for that,” Harmon continued. “We’re really looking forward to seeing if we can exploit some of the weaknesses and get in behind them, and yeah, if we get into the box 20-plus times like we did again in the last game, then I’m expecting some goals to follow.”

Getting some goals is crucial as Union II have not scored in their last two matches. However, Harmon was happy with how they played against Columbus Crew 2 last weekend, whom they outshot despite the 2-0 loss.

“It’s disappointing because I think it’s one of the better games we’ve played during the year, statistically for sure,” he said. “We arrived into their box 20 times. Malik hits the post at 0-0 and yeah, the margins are so, so slim. You get that goal, and maybe the game’s a little bit different, but that’s just the reality of it. We’ve been on the other end of it, obviously, as well. So, yeah, I think collectively, I would say that we’ve taken big strides, and I think that was a real collective mentality.”

Union II now face an independent Next Pro side that features many players who are fully-grown men in Chattanooga, but it provides valuable competition and learning for a squad comprised of a lot of young players, including many teenagers. Ryan Richter spoke of the it last season as important in terms of bringing challenges to the squad.

Harmon also sees the value, saying, “We have to make sure that we use our youthfulness as a positive. That we’re there with tons of energy and the willingness to run and be really aggressive. We can’t be naive in these types of games, because yeah, you’re playing against guys who have a lot more experience. We don’t use this as an excuse. This is a development accelerator for us. We love to be able to play these types of games.”

He added, “Any time you play against men, it’s an extra bit of motivation for us. So, looking forward to a really competitive match.”

Tune in to the match at mlsnextpro.com (streaming on YouTube) or OneFootball to catch what should be a highly competitive match.

Mateo Gallegos makes his debut

Academy defender Mateo Gallegos, with whom Harmon is very familiar having coached him with the U-18s, made his professional debut against Crew 2, subbing on late in the match. Harmon shared his thoughts on Gallegos’s minutes and what he brings:

“Yeah, obviously, really happy for Mateo. We were obviously searching for a goal, so he gives a lot going forward. So that was kind of the switch we made. Obviously, with Óscar [Benítez] cramping, we were able to get Mateo on the field plus move Matheus [De Paula] a little bit higher. So it was kind of a two for one deal, trying to just generate some offensive power. I thought Mateo had some good moments. Definitely some moments where you could see he felt his debut.”

Several players have made their pro debuts this season, and sometimes they make their way in and become regulars, like De Paula, Timo Mendoza, and Tyler Gladstone. Sometimes they get minutes here and there. Harmon, as an academy coach and now at Union II, knows how important the learning and developing is at this stage.

“But again, I just talked to [Mateo]. He had a really good week again,” Harmon continued. “So, continuing to push, and there’s going to be ups and downs with these young guys. There’s going to be moments where they’re going to be left off the squad, and then moments where they’re asked to contribute, and that’s part of their learning development.

“And yeah, ultimately, really happy for him. He should be proud of that. He earned that, especially for how he has played with the 18s throughout the the whole year, and how he stepped into the environment with the second team and has trained well. He needs to keep pushing, and I think there’s still a lot more that he needs or he can give. But happy for him to get his debut.”

Other player notes

Goalkeeper Pierce Holbrook will be available for the match Saturday, according to Harmon, after suffering a finger injury.

Midfielder Paco Dadi continues his lengthy recovery from an injury sustained during preseason. Harmon noted there was still uncertainty with the timeline, saying he would be “surprised if we see him this year, but that being said, it’s still possible.” He has been doing some jogging, and Harmon said they try to incorporate him as much as they can. Dadi also brings positive energy to the squad.

“He’s helping Mamoutou [Berthé] too as well, which has been great,” Harmon said. “So he’s still staying connected to the game. He’s a great one in terms of his personality and his what he brings to the group. It’s invaluable.”

Main article photo courtesy of Philadelphia Union II.