Philadelphia Union close regular season with 2-0 loss in Charlotte

A pair of goals in the first 30 minutes led Charlotte FC to a 2-0 win over Philadelphia Union and a top four finish in the final game of the 2025 season on Saturday in Charlotte.

Wilfried Zaha opened the scoring for the hosts in the 24th minute finishing off a play that started with a long ball from the back by Adilson Malanda. The pass looked like it may have curled out of bounds before getting to Kerwin Vargas with space on the right flank but the goal was confirmed after video review. Vargas crossed the ball and Idan Toklomati dummied at the near post and let the ball run through him to Zaha, who poked the ball in with his right foot.

Vargas doubled the lead for the hosts in the 30th minute with a well-hit strike off a deep cross from Harry Toffolo.

Toklomati nearly made it 3-0 seven minutes later but was denied by a trademark Andre Blake quick reaction save. Blake denied Toklomati again in the 51st minute with another quick reaction stop. Blake finished the game with three saves.

The Union outshot Charlotte 25-8 and had 6 shots on target but weren’t able to find a way back into the game. Kristijan Kahlina made six saves on the day to record the clean sheet and keep a Union team that had the xG advantage (2.8 to 1.2) off the score sheet.

Alejandro Bedoya, who was making his 9th start of the season, had a couple of early chances to put the visitors ahead and Tai Baribo had a few bites of the apple in the second half trying to add to his team-leading 16 goals on the season. Cavan Sullivan hqd a promising outing with a shot on target and a key pass during his 35-minute appearance off the bench.

Coming off an international break and with the top spot in both the conference and the league wrapped up, the Union had little to play for while Charlotte needed a win to secure a top four finish, their first since entering the league in 2022.

Charlotte will be without one of their star players when they open their playoff campaign after Zaha was sent off in the 90th minute with a second yellow after an altercation with Jesus Bueno. Zaha will miss the first game in a best-of-three series with NYCFC.

The Union will play the winner of Wednesday’s wild card game between Chicago Fire and Orlando City in a best-of-three.