Philadelphia Union

Union draw SK Sigma Olomouc 1-1 in first preseason friendly

Published

2 weeks ago

January 20, 2026

Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Union

Stas Korzeniowski picked up right where he left off late in the season with Philadelphia Union II, scoring the Philadelphia Union’s first goal of 2026 with a first half goal against Sigma Olomouc in a preseason friendly on Tuesday morning at Marbella Football Center.

Captain Alejandro Bedoya registered the assist on Korzeniowski’s goal in the 9th minute and fellow Union II standout Giovanny Sequera started the goal-scoring play with an interception on the right flank.

The first Union goal of 2026! pic.twitter.com/nHJM4UuRfQ

— Philadelphia Soccer Now (@phlsoccernow) January 20, 2026

The Union held onto the lead past the hour mark but Tihomir Kostadinov headed in the equalizer in the 73rd minute off a long cross. The Czech Republic team had several chances to add another but Union goalkeeper George Marks stepped up to make a couple key saves.

Union head coach Bradley Carnell fielded two XIs, swapping out the team in the second half and also used academy striker Malik Jakupovic, CJ Olney and Sal Olivas off the bench.

Newcomers Japhet Sery Larsen, Ezekiel Alladoh and Finn Sundstrom all saw their first action in a Union uniform while Ben Bender and Frankie Westfield each took a half playing left back. Andre Blake, Neil Pierre (on his way out on loan?), Quinn Sullivan (injured) and Markus Anderson are the only currently rostered players that didn’t make an appearance in the first of five preseason matches scheduled.

While the result was respectable the game looked like a first preseason match for the Union, which had some good moments but also some sloppy lapses too, which is not unexpected at this point in their preparations for the 2026 campaign. They’ll get a couple more days of training in before their next match at Marbella against FC Nordsjælland on Friday morning.

Lineups
First Half Starting XI: Andrew Rick, Gio Sequera, Japhet Sery Larsen, Olwethu Makhanya, Ben Bender, Danley Jean Jacques, Jesus Bueno, Alejandro Bedoya, Milan Iloski, Stas Korzeniowksi, Ezekiel Alladoh

Second Half Starting XI: George Marks, Olivier Mbaizo, Finn Sundstrom, Nathan Harriel, Frankie Westfield, Jovan Lukic, Jeremy Rafanello, Indiana Vassilev, Cavan Sullivan, Eddie Davis III, Bruno Damiani

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Matthew Ralph

Matthew Ralph is the managing editor of Philadelphia Soccer Now. He's covered soccer at all levels for a decade in the Philadelphia region and has also written for TheCup.us, NPSL, PrepSoccer and other publications. He lives with his wife and two young children in Broomall, Pa., but grew up in South Jersey and is originally from Kansas.