Mark Bronnik is an 18-year-old American left winger for Union Omaha in USL League One. He first caught my eye in June 2024 during a 26-minute cameo versus Spokane Velocity, where he was booked late following a late step into a duel because of his heavy touch. Flash forward to this season, and Bronnik has gotten comfortable at this level of play, scoring 6 goals in 19 appearances.
Standing at 1.83 m, he is above average height for his position and sports a lanky frame. He uses this size to shield possession and attempt to draw fouls. His initial acceleration could use some development, but he has more than enough pace over long distances. Despite his stature, Bronnik is not assertive aerially. He is a high-energy player, as well, utilizing his quickness and long strides in the press while contributing to attacks by getting forward on runs early. Bronnik is quite confident to strike with conviction on ambitious chances and attempt creative passes. He can be prone to some hesitation. Watching him live, I would like to see him become more vocal. This could surface by helping to organize the press or becoming more assertive to demand the ball at his feet. He usually appears for just over an hour when he starts matches, so he will need to work on his fitness as he matures.
On the attack, Bronnik thrives off the ball, making both inverted/angled runs and wide overlapping runs to break in behind, intelligent in his movements to find space, splitting defenders or slipping away from his marker. On the ball, he is nearly two-footed, having slightly better quality on his right foot and relying on it to dribble. His left-footed attempts were primarily short distribution and crosses, using his weak foot to create passing angles. On the contrary, he must tighten up his dribbling, having some heavier touches from both a standstill and when carrying. His first touch and overall control still need improvement, requiring more consistency receiving and retaining under pressure/in tight areas. Bronnik is strong in one-touch play when flashing short to link up, balancing back passes to retain with the occasional flick on, trying to play runs in behind. He can also ground pass through or lay it off to crashing runs after his progressive carries, receiving in stride from his high volume of runs, displaying a bit of vision and being accurate, but needing to release the passes faster if they are to be effective against tougher competition. Regarding crossing, he is comfortable whipping them in with either foot but lacks consistency in his accuracy, tending to place it into danger areas rather than a specific target. When taking on opponents 1v1, Bronnik’s long strides and quickness allow him to be an effective progressive carrier past them with some pace. But he has some struggles in isolation, needing to improve his dribbling technique.
As a finisher, Bronnik has slowly improved, especially in his latest stretch of form, scoring 4 in his last 5. He has scored 4 in the previous 3 matches I watched, finishing like a poacher with quick instincts while finishing mostly decisively, though he can overthink some chances. The majority of his finishes have been right-footed, liking to finish low into the far post, scoring this way versus Richmond Kickers and during his brace versus Charlotte Independence. His striker’s instinct came into play during his latest goal, a tap-in against Westchester SC.
My evaluation of Bronnik culminated in scouting that match live, watching him put on a show by scoring the winning goal with that tap-in and nearly adding a second, missing a left-footed volley first time off the underside of the crossbar, putting plenty of power on it. Additionally, he put in a 68-minute shift filled with a notable volume of runs and left-footed crosses to pair creativity with his goal-scoring form. This activity on runs played perfectly into Union Omaha’s counterattacking tactics. He added high pressing intensity, active feet, and small disruptions in passing lanes to further perfect his fit in the system. Bronnik’s high work rate translated well into the defensive contribution required of him. It should also be noted that Westchester SC has not won a match since Spokane Velocity forfeited against them on July 16th.
Bronnik is a left-sided attacker with versatility to be either a wide winger or inside forward in high-intensity, counterattacking systems due to his runs, carrying, and pressing. Add some burgeoning creativity paired with striker’s instincts into the mix, and his profile has a decent ceiling for a prospect in this league. He certainly deserves a chance at USL Championship football in 2026, but his long-term potential could be limited by his ball control when under pressure. That said, Bronnik’s blend of size, tactical intelligence, and growing finishing threat will serve him well as an MLS starter for bottom-half clubs sooner rather than later.
Target Scouting 