Brotherly Game Daily Links: Union win again as preseason continues

Philadelphia Union News

Recap | Union defeat FC Cincinnati 3-1, extend unbeaten streak to five
The Boys in Blue are on a roll in preseason with a four game unbeaten streak to start off 2023. The unbeaten streak that started with a 3-2 victory over Austin FC and were followed up with a pair of 2-2 draws against St. Louis CITY SC and Minnesota United. Last Sunday, the Union started the second leg of their preseason with a 2-0 shutout victory against the New England Revolution.

The Union are changing up their playing style, and Jim Curtin wants to see more of it
The Union’s last preseason game saw some new kinds of setups in defense and midfield. It’s a welcome sight and a necessary one.

MLS News

LAFC sign midfielder Timothy Tillman
Tillman made 85 career appearances across all competitions for Greuther Fürth, helping the team earn promotion to Bundesliga 1 in 2021. The Nuremberg, Germany native appeared in 29 games in the top tier of German football in 2021-22, scoring one goal and registering two assists.

Crew trade Jonathan Mensah to San Jose Earthquakes
Mensah, 32, signed for the Black & Gold in 2017 as a Designated Player via a Discovery Signing. Having played 159 games played (155 starts) for the Crew, the former Ghana National Team member has recorded over 13,000 minutes in Major League Soccer action, tallying seven goals and three assists.

San Jose Earthquakes defender Nathan ‘out indefinitely’ with ACL tear
Nathan picked up the injury during a preseason friendly against USL Championship side Monterey Bay FC on Saturday. The latest knock comes just months after he tore his left meniscus in San Jose’s 2022 season opener.

Will Bruin joins Austin FC
Bruin was a free agent after spending the previous six seasons with the Sounders, scoring 32 goals in 154 appearances and helping the team win the 2019 MLS Cup and 2022 Concacaf Champions League.

FC Cincinnati sign defender Santiago Arias
Since signing for Sporting CP (Lisbon) in 2011, the 31-year-old fullback made nearly 300 appearances at clubs like PSV Eindhoven, Atlético de Madrid, Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Granada CF. In those appearances, Arias scored 13 goals, tallied 31 assists in just under 24,000 minutes.

Houston Dynamo sign left back Djevencio van der Kust on loan from FC Utrecht
Van der Kust is Houston’s ninth new player added to their roster before manager Ben Olsen’s first year at the helm. He arrives with 24 appearances for FC Utrecht in all competitions, earning 48 appearances for Utrecht II prior to solidifying a spot on the first-team roster.

Rest of the World News

Brazil federation, Real Madrid deny report Carlo Ancelotti has given green light to becoming Brazil coach
Sources told ESPN Brazil reporter Bruno Vicari that the Italian has given the green light to taking over Brazil, in what would be his first international appointment, this summer.