Matchday 15 furthered storylines and tightened up the table in both conferences in MLS NEXT Pro. Matchday 16 is an opportunity for those trends to continue.
A double feature on Friday kicks things off, with two exciting matchups in each conference. Two high-performers in the Western Conference continue the action Saturday with Whitecaps FC 2 facing Colorado Rapids 2.
Sunday holds several key matchups in store, including a clash between two of the hottest teams in the Eastern Conference in Atlanta United 2 traveling to take on Crown Legacy FC. New York Red Bulls II are on a hot streak but will have to face city rivals NYCFC II.
In the Western Conference, Tacoma Defiance has a pivotal matchup with North Texas SC, and much is on the line for either team as the Defiance battle to separate from the rest of the conference and North Texas fights to tighten up the midtable race. Earthquakes II seek to stay unbeaten on the road with a trip to face Los Angeles Football Club 2.
Here are all the details on Matchday 16's games.
Friday 7/7
TFC II vs. Columbus Crew 2 (7 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on AppleTV)
Both sides are seeking to get back on track after a loss last time out, with Crew 2 aiming to use this match as an opportunity to jump into the top two in the Eastern Conference. Crew 2's loss last weekend to Chicago Fire FC II snapped a four-game unbeaten run, but Laurent Courtois' side will look to stay competitive near the top of the Eastern Conference.
TFC II have had little trouble scoring at home, with three home wins coming with TFC II scoring three or more goals at York Lions Stadium. Crew 2 present a challenge, with an excellent backline that has allowed only 20 goals this season.
Austin FC II vs. Houston Dynamo 2 (9 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on AppleTV)
Austin FC II goalkeeper Damian Las, who recently received the nod to participate in Goalie Wars as part of MLS All-Star 2023, is hitting a stride. His last performance allowed Austin FC II to pick up two points in a road trip to face Real Monarchs, in which he made two shootout saves. Las has allowed only 10 goals this season, which poses an issue for Dynamo Dos.
Dynamo Dos are looking to break free from a three-game losing streak, in which the team has scored only two goals. This matchup is the rubber match between the in-state rivals. Dynamo Dos won the last matchup in May, and Austin FC II won 2-1 in March to kick off the 2023 season.
Saturday 7/8
Whitecaps FC 2 vs. Colorado Rapids 2 (5 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on AppleTV)
Whitecaps FC 2 look to bounce back from a difficult 7-1 loss on the road to Sporting Kansas City II last weekend. A matchup against Rapids 2 is the perfect opportunity to make a statement and maintain a desirable spot in the Western Conference table.
This match features two of the most outstanding performers in MLS NEXT Pro. Levonte Johnson's recent form for Whitecaps FC 2 led to a first-team contract, which he signed last week. Rapids 2's Yosuke Hanya has nine goals and three assists this season. Rapids 2 striker Rémi Cabral is heating up, too, having scored the game-winner in a 1-0 win over St Louis CITY2 last time out.
Sunday 7/9
Crown Legacy FC vs. Atlanta United 2 (5 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on AppleTV)
The marquee matchup this Sunday pits the Eastern Conference leaders against a surging ATL UTD 2 side that features MLS NEXT Pro top scorer Nick Firmino. ATL UTD 2 comes off a weeklong layoff, and Firmino will look to continue earning his team results after scoring twice in a comeback 4-2 win over NYCFC II last time out.
Both sides enter this match with positive results, as Crown Legacy ride a four-game unbeaten streak that includes three wins and a shootout win. ATL UTD 2 have picked up five points from the last three games, and will be tasked with stopping the excellent Crown Legacy attacking trio of Patrick Agymang, Iuri Tavares, and Vinicius Mello.
Chicago Fire FC II vs. FC Cincinnati 2 (6 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on AppleTV)
Chicago Fire FC II stay home to take on another Eastern Conference rival, with last week's outstanding performance from Charlie Ostrem fresh in their memory. Ostrem scored two goals, including the Goal of Matchday 15, as Fire II took three points against Crew 2.
FCC2 are looking to put forth a better performance defensively, having allowed eight goals in the past two games. FCC2 will look for another good showing from 18-year-old Ryder Mills, who scored twice in a 5-3 loss to Orlando City B last time out. Fire II will be motivated to continue moving up the Eastern Conference table, as they could move as high as sixth place from their current position in ninth.
Inter Miami II vs. New England Revolution II (6 p.m. ET)
New England Revolution II are enjoying a strong run, with eight points from the last five games. Revs II have a great opportunity here to move a little closer to Eastern Conference leaders Crown Legacy FC and cement themselves as the second-place team in the conference for now.
Inter Miami II come in looking for an outbust in momentum after suffering shutout losses in each of the last two matches. Revs II's lineup packs lots of attacking talent, with Jordan Adebayo-Smith leading with seven goals. Damian Rivera, Esmir Bajraktarevic, and Marcos Dias each have five goals in 2023.
Huntsville City FC vs. Orlando City B (7 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on AppleTV)
Huntsville City FC found its groove in the middle of June, but form has subsided slightly with a loss and shootout loss in the past two games. Jack Collison's side stays home at Joe Davis Stadium to search for a remedy against a streaky OCB team.
OCB's previous four results include a 4-0 win over FCC2 and a 3-0 loss to Philadelphia Union II. Though the club struggles for consistency, it lies fifth in the Eastern Conference. HCFC's playmaker Kemy Amiche will face off against OCB's clinical finisher Jack Lynn, who has nine goals in 2023, in this explosive matchup.
MNUFC2 vs. Real Monarchs (7 p.m. ET)
MNUFC2 continues with positive momentum after Kameron Lacey emerged last week for a hat trick in a 4-0 win over Timbers2. It could be a revealing match, as Real Monarchs looks to keep their own momentum going after a creditable shootout loss to an excellent Austin FC II side.
MNUFC2 are on the doorstep of a playoff position in the Western Conference, while Real Monarchs are fighting to enter the conversation in 12th place. MNUFC2 look to make it three home wins in a row and have shut out opponents in the previous two home games.
New York Red Bulls II vs. NYCFC II (7 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on AppleTV)
These city rivals have faced off in May and June, with Red Bulls II triumphing in May and NYCFC II taking the win in June. The July matchup finds Red Bulls II in excellent form, coming off a 3-0 win over Inter Miami II that built a three-game unbeaten streak. Ibrahim Kasule has scored in each of the past three Red Bulls II matches, and Frank Ssebufu has scored in three of the last four games.
NYCFC II comes into this match in much different form, on a four-game losing streak. The club will rely on players such as Matthew Myers, who has scored nine goals in 2023, to turn the tide against a rival. Red Bulls II are thriving at MSU Soccer Park, too, having won the previous four home matches.
LA Galaxy II vs. St Louis CITY2 (8 p.m. ET)
St Louis CITY2 hits the road seeking to seize an opportunity to move up from seventh place in the Western Conference table, while LA Galaxy II seeks to emerge from a tough run of recent results. Galaxy II have allowed 10 goals in the previous three games.
Galaxy II striker Aaron Bibout presents a threat to any opponent, however, as he scored his ninth MLS NEXT Pro goal last weekend. CITY2 look to get back on track after a hard-fought 1-0 loss to Rapids 2 last time out. CITY2 could rise as high as fourth in the competitive Western Conference with a win.
Los Angeles Football Club 2 vs. Earthquakes II (8 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on AppleTV)
Earthquakes II could separate itself from the mid-table pack with a win in this match, and Dan DeGeer's squad will feel comfortable doing so on the road, where Earthquakes II is undefeated in 2023. A number of rising stars have aided Earthquakes II in recent weeks, with Roberto Hategan scoring once and assisting another goal and players such as Eduardo Blancas and Cruz Medina pitching into Earthquakes II's scoring by committee.
LAFC2 is starting to break out of a poor run of form that started in June. Yekeson Subah, a 19-year-old forward, has three goals this season, and LAFC2 has taken four points from the past two games.
Timbers2 vs. Sporting Kansas City II (10 p.m.)
Sporting Kansas City II hits the road to take on another Western Conference rival, on the heels of a dominant 7-1 win over Whitecaps FC 2 that earned Benny Feilhaber's squad the Team of Matchday 15 honor. SKC II, fifth in the Western Conference, are on a five-game unbeaten streak and have an opportunity to tighten the race at the top of the Western Conference.
T2 can make a big statement as it tries to break out of a three-game losing skid. The club seeks to rekindle the form it found at the end of May and early June, when they went on a four-game winning run. Two reliable goalscorers face off here, in SKC II's Pau Vidal and T2's Florian Monzon.
Tacoma Defiance vs. North Texas SC (11 p.m.)
The last match on Sunday offers Tacoma Defiance a chance to inch closer to top Western Conference sides Rapids 2 and Austin FC II. However, North Texas has plenty to play for, too, with only four points separating fourth from 10th in the Western Conference.
The Defiance have claimed impressive wins lately, including a 1-0 win over Austin FC II and a 2-1 win over Rapids 2 to end a historic unbeaten streak. Wade Webber's side is on a three-game winning streak. North Texas, on the other hand, is looking to buck a poor road trend and find its first away win since April 2.
Dylan Teves, who scored for Defiance in last weekend's 1-0 win over Houston Dynamo 2, enjoyed a big weekend in which he saw more time with the Sounders' first team.
