Depleted Union lineup drops another preseason scrimmage to Orlando City

A depleted Philadelphia Union lineup missing several players to injury and international duty dropped another preseason result to Orlando City on Wednesday but 17-year-old Paxten Aaronson did get the offense going with the team’s first preseason goal in the 3-1 loss.

Head coach Jim Curtin started Anthony Fontana up top and had an attacking midfield three of Paxten Aaronson, Jack de Vries and Quinn Sullivan in front of a veteran back six. Alejandro Bedoya and Jack Elliott paired in front of a back line of Kai Wagner, Aurelien Collin, Jakob Glesnes and 20-year-old old rookie Nathan Harriel. Andre Blake got the start in goal.

Orlando scored in the 28th minute and tacked on another goal seven minutes later to take a 2-0 lead into halftime.

Rookie Brandan Craig replaced Collin to start the second half, but Curtin waited until the 60th minute to bring in the rest of his available field player substitutes. Matt Real, Matej Oravec, Cole Turner and Jack McGlynn replaced Wagner, Elliott, Glesnes and Bedoya.

Orlando had a chance to stretch the lead to three when they were awarded a PK inside an hour but the attempt was wide of the mark. A third goal did come for the hosts though in the 63rd minute.

Aaronson megged the goalkeeper — something his older brother Brenden Aaronson did more than once in his time in MLS — to pull a goal back in the 79th minute but the scoreline held for the Union, which return home to face D.C. United in a closed door scrimmage at Subaru Park next Wednesday afternoon.