And then there were four.
It's officially trophy time, folks. MLS NEXT Pro's 2024 conference champions will be decided on Saturday, and each club presents a compelling case to do a lift.
The Eastern Conference battle kicks off the action at 6 PM ET (MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), when Philadelphia Union II host two-time conference champs Columbus Crew 2 at Subaru Park.
MLS NEXT Pro Cup 2024 will be hosted by the winner of the West, North Texas SC or St Louis CITY2, who do battle in the fortress of Choctaw Stadium at 8:30 PM ET (MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).
Take a closer look at the matchups below.
Saturday, November 2
Philadelphia Union II vs. Columbus Crew 2 (6 PM ET | MLS Season Pass on Apple TV)
Let's start with the visitors, seeing as they're the defending Eastern Conference champs.
They've never lost a playoff match to a conference opponent and have played the road dog role well so far in this campaign with 6-2 and 3-2 wins over Inter Miami CF II and Chicago Fire FC II respectively.
This isn't the Capybara cast of years past, though. Rather than dominating their way to a third-straight Conference Final, they were on the outside looking in on Decision Day and needed help from results elsewhere to qualify for the playoffs.
The hosts have passed tests against Crown Legacy FC and NYCFC II en route to Saturday's showdown. They did not opt for Crew 2 in either of their pick-your-opponent opportunities, yet it feels like there's been a certain inevitability to this matchup.
"We've played Columbus three times, I'm a little bored of seeing Kelvin (Jones, Crew 2 head coach)," Union II head coach Marlon LeBlanc said in jest in the MLS NEXT Pro Pick-Your-Opponent phase.
To be clear, there is most certainly a mutual respect between the bosses.
"I know Marlon well, and I know from the matches that we've had before, it's far from boring," Jones said following Crew 2's Semifinal win. "...We know that it will be a difficult match. Philly is a very well-coached team. Marlon has done an unbelievable job."
That said, when it comes to the Eastern Conference playoffs, it's Crew 2's world and everyone else just kind of exists in it until proven otherwise.
Season Series: Union II's 3-1 win in June was avenged with a 3-2 Crew 2 win in July. They took a 5-4 shootout win following a 1-1 tie in August to earn a slight edge.
Player to Watch:
Union II: Sullivan hit an absolute golazo on Crew 2 in Matchweek 24. Can he do it again? Besides Sullivan, David Vazquez and Eddy Davis might be due for a big game.
Crew 2: With four goals in the last three games, all of which have had the season on the line, striker Jaden Da has hit a new gear. Gibran Rayo has led Crew 2's front line and has scored in back-to-back games during the postseason. Can he make it three games in a row?
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North Texas SC vs. St Louis CITY2 (8:30 PM ET | MLS Season Pass on Apple TV)
Ditch the Halloween leftovers and grab your popcorn for this one.
These sides were neck-and-neck in the MLS NEXT Pro power rankings down the stretch of the regular season and finished in the top two spots in the Western Conference standings.
North Texas SC was the top dog in that battle in the end and went unbeaten at home all season long. In the playoffs, they've kept it rolling with a 3-2 win over Whitecaps FC 2 and a 4-1 win over the Tacoma Defiance.
"In tournament-style games, you always need momentum on your side," striker Logan Farrington said post-match Saturday. "...It's good to put in a performance like this heading into the next game."
CITY2 have been the comeback kings of the playoffs so far. They've rallied to a 2-1 win over LAFC2 and a thriller of a 4-2 win over The Town FC in their campaign.
"They just never know when they're beat," CITY2 head coach Bobby Murphy said last week. "They don't know when to put their heads down. They don't know when to quit and they just have this belief in themselves and each other that they'll find a way back into it. So, they did it, and they keep doing it."
Season Series: NTSC took a 9-8 shootout win after a 1-1 tie in March and a 2-1 win in July but fell 4-0 in the final regular season meeting in August.
Player to Watch
NTSC: The man can do it all. Pedrinho's run of form goes beyond well the playoffs, bringing six straight matches with a goal contribution. Carl Sainte scored his first goal of the season against Tacoma last week and has been a steady presence in the back.
CITY2: Defenders beware. Golden Boot runner-up Mykhi Joyner has been a man on fire in the playoffs. The 18-year-old has delivered three goals in stoppage or extra time, directly contributing to their appearance in Saturday's showdown. CITY2 also has Branden McSorley who's scored in seven consectuive games heading into Saturday.
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