THE PLAYOFFS ARE HERE. The MLS NEXT Pro Playoffs, that is. And, for the first time in club history, your Twos are dancing their way into the postseason! After a fifth-place finish in the Western Conference, MNUFC2 is set to visit the Real Monarchs for the first round of their first playoff journey, and with a few red-hot goal scorers on either side of this one, it promises to be one of the most exciting matchups of the entire round.
This talented bunch of MNUFC2 players have put together a strong finish to the regular season, earning three wins, a draw, and a loss in their final five games of 2025. They’ve played so well, in fact, that both midfielder Momoh Kamara and winger Muba Nour earned call-ups to represent Sierra Leone and Somalia, respectively, in the most recent round of African World Cup Qualifiers, establishing themselves in the elite talent pools of both of their national teams.
In MLSNP action, standout striker Logan Dorsey has been leading the Loons by example, notching seven goals in his last eight league games. One of those goals came last time the Twos took on the Monarchs, with the rest spread out consistently. He’s become a reliable goal-scoring option for his side down the stretch, and when paired with the emerging quality surrounding him, he’s the sharp tip at the end of a very capable, threatening spear.
No matter how sharp the Loons are, though, their first-round opponents won’t be intimidated. The Real Monarchs are riding a four-game winning streak into the playoffs, and they’ve scored an incredible 13 goals in that span. That means they’re averaging more than three goals a game, and with the form of forward Jesus Barea, they don’t look like they’ll be slowing down anytime soon. The young Spaniard has 13 goals on the season, six of which have come in the last four games of the regular season. He’s among the hottest attacking threats in the league at the moment, and he’ll be testing the Loons defense for 90 minutes this weekend.
In their two previous meetings in 2025, these teams split the season series. Both sides won their home match by a one-goal margin, with MNUFC2 prevailing 2-1 in mid-July before falling 2-3 a month later at America First Field. It’s a matchup that’s been rife with goals, and recent form suggests that the trend will continue.
Tune into this promising Western Conference Quarterfinal matchup on Sunday, October 19 at 7:00 p.m. CT, with streaming available for FREE on MLSNEXTPro.com. Your Twos need your support; let’s get behind them!