Match Preview: Huntsville City FC vs Philadelphia Union 2
(Image courtesy of Huntsville City FC & Philadelphia Union 2)
Happy Friday everyone! For the first time in 2025, it’s matchday in northern Alabama, as Huntsville City FC opens the gates at Joe Davis Stadium for the first time this year to welcome in Philadelphia Union 2, last season’s Eastern Conference champion in MLS Next Pro.
After starting off the season with two road games, an opening day win over Chicago and a loss to Chattanooga last week, the Rocket Men will look to pick up their second victory of the season, in front of a Huntsville crowd. Let’s dive in.
Details
Location: Joe Davis Stadium, Huntsville, Alabama
Time: 7:00PM CST (local)
Watch: MLS Season Pass on Apple TV+
Tickets: Ticketmaster
The History
Friday’s match will be the fourth time Huntsville and Philadelphia have faced off, and the second time in the Rocket City.
Last year, these clubs met just once, a 2-0 Union victory at Subaru Park in Philadelphia. In 2023, they met twice, with the clubs splitting the two. The Union won 2-1, again, at home, while Huntsville claimed victory at home in the first ever meeting between these two, with an emphatic 5-2 win.
This is the only time these clubs are slated to meet in the regular season in 2025.
Lineup Prediction
Head Coach Chris O’Neal has only made a few select changes to his lineup thus far this season, and it was to accomodate a trio of Nashville first-teamers in Chris Applewhite, Julian Gaines and Wyatt Meyer.
This may happen again, but it seems a little less likely. When those changes were made against Chattanooga, the first team played the following day on the road. This week, the first team also plays the day after Huntsville, but at home.
It could happen, we could see an Applewhite, Meyer, or even Adem Sipic, who’s appeared in the squad for both Huntsville games thus far while featuring on the Nashville bench thrice, even making an appearance in the Rocket Men’s season opening win at Chicago.
But, I’d rather not gamble on MLS supplemental roster slot player movement between the first and second teams personally. Seems like if you did you’d lose a lot of money.
Analysis & Prediction
Philadelphia is a very, very good team. Sure, they’ve only taken three points from their opening two, drawing each of their games, with a shootout loss to New England and a shootout win over New York Red Bulls.
They’re led by the way-too-good-to-be-fifteen-year-old Cavan Sullivan, who has their lone goal on the campaign thus far, a truly frighteningly well placed free kick. I’m gonna stop before I get ahead of myself, but fifteen year olds should not be able to do that.
If he plays, which seems likely, Philadelphia are dangerous. However, Huntsville have shown their own ability to be dangerous with the ball, in a variety of ways.
Give me a 2-2 draw. Goals for Huntsville come courtesy of Koffi and O’Brien. Huntsville picks up their first shootout win since 2023 to grab the extra point also.