Philadelphia Union
Union seek first points against red-hot Charlotte FC
The Philadelphia Union enters tonight’s match against Charlotte FC looking for its first point of the season. The Crown, who are unbeaten in their last three, look to continue the dominance that they’ve recently found against MLS opponents. Can the Union bounce back? Let’s talk through the matchup.
Charlotte’s Offensive Explosion Signals Trouble for Union
Charlotte FC enters the match today sitting in fourth place in the Eastern Conference. With a 2-2-1 record, most of their eight points come from a three-match unbeaten streak. Their most recent victory was an emphatic one, blasting the New York Red Bulls 6-1 before entering the international break.
The six goals in Charlotte’s previous match were a club record, and they came from five different goal scorers. Pep Biel leads the way across competitions with four goals. The Spanish midfielder spent much of his professional career at Olympiacos before joining Charlotte on loan and now on an official contract.
Additionally, Idan Toklomati, with two goals this season, and former Burnley man Ashley Westwood, with three assists of his own, bolster an attack that is nearly impossible to stop as the team finds its form.
The Crown also brings the advantage of their home field. The Fortress, as Charlotte’s faithful call it, has played host to an undefeated season thus far, with two wins and a single draw. Per Charlotte FC, the club has held opponents to a goal or fewer in 28 of the last 37 regular-season matches at Bank of America Stadium.
A positive for the Union is that Charlotte only has 10 goals through five games. While this number is high, six of them came in the same match, with four goals spread across the remainder of their games. While the Union’s back four remains questionable, the hope is that the Charlotte hot streak remains as just that: a streak.
Keys To Success
Since 2022, Charlotte has established defensive strength with veteran Tim Ream at the back. After two weeks of preparation, the Crown will likely sit back, look for chances, and capitalize on the Union’s defensive struggles.
Philadelphia Union in Urgent Need of Turnaround
The Union will search for anything to build upon, entering the match as the league’s only team without a point.
When discussing the struggles of the Boys in Blue, Carnell commented, “There’s been a lot of reflection, a lot of meetings, a lot of chatting, a lot of executing on the training ground, and a lot of competition.”
Carnell is positive that a turnaround is in sight, and the international break may have been just what the doctor ordered as a remedy for the U. Andre Blake and Danley Jean Jacques were among the only key players to depart on break, creating solidarity and cohesion amongst a side that has had little to none.
Dre featured for Jamaica in the World Cup Playoffs, where the Reggae Boyz tragically fell 1-0 to DR Congo, ending Blake’s dreams of a World Cup appearance. Jean Jacques featured for Haiti against Tunisia but was sent off with a second yellow in second half stoppage time in a 1-0 loss.
The remainder of the group stayed home, resting and recovering for a chance at getting this season back on track. Where to start, you might ask? Let’s break it down.
On the back line, Carnell has now featured four unique back lines in the five matches. In case you’re new to watching soccer, that’s not normal. Consistency is found when cohesion can be built amongst the players. Until Bradley finds his four, that process can’t even start.
The addition of Ndinga late did not help the process, but with time to build over two weeks, hopefully the meshing of Philly’s defensive players solidified further.
Offensively, the team is looking for a catalyst. A stagnant start and only three goals through five matches require a boost, and that starts with the midfield. While the assortment of players is defensive in nature, it is up to them to create the spaces in which the forwards can work.
Union fans have to be honest with themselves; the money was not spent on players who can create on their own. The closest we’ve seen is Milan Iloski, and even his lackluster beginning to the season has left much to be desired. The team has to create as a unit. If the midfielders can find the form to create opportunities for the forwards to finish, then that cohesion might be just enough to set the U’s offense over the edge.
Altogether, tonight will be a critical indication as to what this season will look like for the Boys in Blue.
Keys to Success
With some time off, tonight’s match is pivotal in the Union’s season. What is the product that Bradley Carnell wants for this team? And can he get that product from the players he currently has? These are some of the questions that await the Union faithful later this evening. I, for one, have hope that the product will get better, but whether it will be good enough remains the question. All in all, this match should shed some light on what the bulk of the 2026 MLS Season will look like for the Philadelphia Union.
