Philadelphia Union striker Mikael Uhre named MLS Player of the Matchday

Philadelphia Union forward Mikael Uhre was named the MLS Player of the Matchday for Matchday Nine. Uhre was the first Union player to earn the award in the 2023 season, and the first to win the award since Daniel Gazdag on Matchday 27 in 2022.

Uhre’s recognition comes after his hat trick against Toronto F.C. on Saturday. Uhre was the only Union player to score in the 4-2 win, which could serve as a possible momentum boost ahead of the team’s Concacaf Champions League bout with LAFC.

Uhre’s hat trick gives him five goals on the 2023 season; his previous goals came in a 3-2 loss at Montreal on March 18. While Uhre’s hat trick is an outlier on the season, he is currently on pace to surpass his goal total of 13 from the 2022 season. Uhre’s hat trick also made him the seventh different player in Union history to record three goals in a single match.

Highlights of Uhre’s performance can be found on the MLS website.

Union fullback Kai Wagner was also named to the Team of the Matchday bench. Wagner put together a strong defensive effort in his first start in MLS after nearly a month off due to a hamstring injury.

Both Uhre and Wagner are expected to play in the first leg of the Union’s CCL battle with LAFC at 9 p.m. on Wednesday, April 26 at Subaru Park.