The Union competed its roster for the first part of the season on Friday with the signing of left back Philippe Ndinga. The team also loaned forward Markus Anderson to Brooklyn FC in the USL Super League. Ndinga, 20, joined on a transfer from Swedish club Degerfors IF. He is a U-22 Initiative signin g with a deal through the 2028-29 season with an option for 2029-20. Ndinga was born in Gabon but represents the Republic of Congo internationally, having played at the Under-20 level. He moved to France as a child, debuting with the B team of Pau FC in 2023. He played for Valenciennes, mostly with the reserve team and one appearance in the French third division. He transferred to Sweden in August, making 10 appearances in the Allsvenskan with one goal, plus a game in the Swedish Cup. “Philippe is a dynamic defender with the ability to play confidently with both feet, which gives us valuable flexibility in the back line,” head coach Bradley Carnell said. “His aggressive style of defending fits our system well, and we’re excited to welcome him to the club.” Ndinga is the long-term replacement for Kai Wagner, who was transferred to English club Birmingham City in January. Ndinga’s signing means the Union will have one designated player (Bruno Damiani) and four U-22 Initiative players on the roster for the first part of the season. Ndinga is joined by Ezekiel Alladoh, Olwethu Makhanya and Quinn Sullivan among U-22s. (Sullivan is currently off-roster as he rehabs from a torn ACL suffered in September.) Anderson’s departure helps the Union get to where it wants to be in terms for roster management. The 22-year-old was signed before the 2024 season but has found opportunities hard to come by. He has 11 goals in 33 games with Union II. A player who grew up in New York will return close to home and reunite with former Union II coach Marlon LeBlanc, now the Brooklyn boss. The loan is for the duration of 2026. Anderson played 92 minutes over three games (one start) in 2024, then 98 minutes in three games (one start) in 2025, though he did have the game-winning goal against Charlotte on June 14. The moves came after the Union opened the MLS season last Saturday with a 1-0 loss at D.C. United. The team’s home opener is Sunday against New York City FC at 4 p.m., a rematch of last year’s playoff ouster. The Union on Thursday night completed a 12-0 aggregate win over Trinidadian club Defence Force FC with a 7-0 win at Subaru Park in the first round of the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Stas Korzeniowski scored twice, Geiner Martinez and Ben Bender each scored their first goals as members of the Union. Cavan Sullivan scored twice, 76th and 88th minutes. At 16 years, four months and 29 days, Sullivan is the youngest American to ever score in the competition. The Union’s 12-goal margin of victory would have been the most lopsided in the competition since 2008-09 … if not for FC Cincinnati hammering Dominican club OM, 13-0, on aggregate earlier in the night. The Union advance to the Round of 16, where they will face Mexican giants Club America. The first leg will be at Subaru Park on March 10 at 7 p.m. The Union will travel to Mexico City on March 18 at 9 p.m. Both games will be on FS2. The Union faced Club America in the semifinals of the 2021 tournament, falling in a two-leg aggregate score of 4-0. America, one of the biggest clubs in Mexico, finished eighth in the 2024-25 Liga MX Apertura season but won the Torneo Apertura. It was second in the Clausura season, falling to Toluca in the final to finish tops in the season’s coefficient table. Union II rounded out its roster this week by signing midfielder Giovanny Sequera on Thursday. The Venezuelan, who had spent the last two seasons on loan from Metropolitanos FC, finally sealed a permanent deal. The 20-year-old spent much of the preseason with the first team. Union II signed deals with defenders Jordan Griffin and Oliver Pratt and re-signed midfielder Oscar Benitez on Friday. Griffin is an Academy product who has played with Union II since 2024. Pratt, 22, is a Florida native who helped lead Penn to three Ivy League titles. Benitez played 21 games for Union II last season, playing in Colombia and Brazil before coming to the U.S. with St. Louis City SC’s reserve team. ...read more read less