Philadelphia Union
Perplexing Union season continues in home draw against Columbus
Philadelphia Union players dropped to the ground upon hearing the final whistle on Saturday. The game ended with 45 minutes of Philadelphia dominance, threatening Columbus’ goal the entire second half with 11 shots with 5 on target. Still, the Union could find only one goal via Milan Iloski and left yet another home match with only one point.
Was it a sign of progress? Or just a continuation of a completely miserable season?
In a season that has been frustrating as well as confusing for Philadelphia, it is reasonable to see it either way. Despite not taking many chances at home against Columbus, the Union created plenty of opportunities. After Milan Iloski’s equalizer, the Union failed to find a winning goal. After scoring three goals in their last match against Orlando, perhaps the Union are starting to find some solutions in attack.
With the result, the Union are now on a seven-match winless streak. Previously considered to be one of the toughest opponents to visit from 2022 to 2025, the Union will remain winless at home in MLS until after the World Cup break. Philadelphia’s 7 points in their opening 14 matches is far worse any previous Union season; in fact, their 0.5 points per game is much closer to 2013 D.C. United, who tallied the fewest points per game in MLS history (0.47).
There’s no denying it has been an incredibly strange season for the Union. Diving into statistics also fails to provide any explanation for the sudden drop-off from winning the Supporters’ Shield in 2025. In expected goals difference (expected goals minus expected goals conceded) the Union are 14 th in the league, popping up in the top half of the table with an xGD of +0.38. The disparity between the Union’s statistical performances and their positioning on the table is due to poor finishing, conceding at inopportune times, and the fine margins between their results this season.
Of the Union’s nine losses, seven have been by a one goal margin, losing the other two matches by two goals. The Union are not getting blown out, contrary to the expectation there may be for a team on pace for a historically bad season. When the Union do have impressive offensive performances, such as they have in Toronto and Orlando, it has coincided with their worst defensive performances, leaving them unable to manufacture a result.
In the post-match presser, Bradley Carnell spoke about balancing the positive trends he’s seeing in the team with their lack of results. “We just need to try and pick up wins. I think with spirits and performances, like we did in the 2 nd half, you will yourself to the win,” Carnell explained, appreciating the effort but still acknowledging that the goal was not accomplished. “This is sometimes a windy, bumpy road. What you see is the boys digging deep, committing fighting, giving everything until the very last minute… but yes, we don’t win the game.”
It was another slow start at home for the Union, who have only scored first on one occasion at home this year. The Union rallied back in the second half, but looked lifeless in the first, taking only one shot in total which was a Ben Bender attempt from outside the box. Hugo Picard scored a brilliant goal for Columbus, and the Union had no attacking answers until after halftime.
“I don’t think there was anything wrong structurally in the first half. We gave away a foul, and that leads to a second phase goal. Other than that, nothing much on the night,” Carnell said, praising his defense that allowed only one shot on target in the entire match.
Still, there was a drastic difference between the first and second half for the Union on Saturday, and while the issue was not structural in the eyes of Carnell, it could have been personnel related. In both Saturday’s match against Columbus and Wednesday’s match against Orlando, Jovan Lukic was substituted at halftime. The Union attack appeared much more comfortable in the second halves of both matches, scoring all four goals across the last two games in the second half. Setting their line of confrontation much higher, the Union were able to pin both Orlando and Columbus in their defensive third. Lukic was substituted with reported fatigue in Orlando, and after only making it 45 minutes into Saturday’s match, there is reason to be concerned about him.
“He’s doing good, but that’s not the Jovan I know,” Carnell said after the match. “So is he okay? I’m not sure. After tonight, we have to go back [and evaluate him] again. The baseline tests were positive and that’s why we threw him in again… I didn’t feel he was quite up to his usual standards.”
Agustín Anello came in for Lukic in the second half. Anello occupied the space in the attacking midfield position that Indiana Vassilev was deployed in for the first half, and Vassilev dropped into defensive midfield to cover for Lukic. Carnell was complimentary about Anello’s performance off the bench. “It takes a little bit of the pressure away from Cavan on the other side. If we can bring on another dribbler, another 1 v. 1 specialist on the sidelines, that creates an equalizer,” Carnell remarked. Anello’s directness on the dribble created more issues for the defense than Vassilev did in the same position in the first half, albeit against more tired legs.
Despite Anello’s strong performance off the bench, he was disappointed to not secure the Union’s first MLS win at home in 2026. “It’s frustrating for us, for the fans, for everything.
We’re there, we’re so close. I feel that’s how this first part of the season has been,” Anello described, hinting at the thin margins between win and draw that have pained the Union time and time again this season. “We just have to keep on working, trusting that the process of the team is going to [pay off] in one certain moment, and when we take that step over the hurdle, the wins are going to come.”
Anello’s dribble and pass found Milan Iloski for the equalizer. One of the leaders of this young Union team, Iloski has been tasked with carrying much of the attacking responsibility for the squad early in the 2026 season, spending time as a striker and as an attacking midfielder. With his 4 th goal on Saturday, Iloski extends his lead as the club’s leading goal scorer. Iloski is also the team’s top creator, tallying 21 chances created in 2026, leading the team. No other player has created more than 15 chances. The 26-year-old can be more creative as an attacking midfielder but given Bruno Damiani and Ezekiel Alladoh’s goalless first half of the season, Carnell has shifted Iloski back to the striker position for the recent run of matches. Iloski spoke about his roles on the team after the match.
“Last year I played a lot as a 10, especially down the stretch after Quinn [Sullivan’s injury]… I think we were also a more dominant team on the ball last year, and that allowed me to be a little but more creative and use my teammates a little bit more,” Iloski described. “This year, we were straining for goals early on. We made a decision to move me up front and try to create some end product, and we started scoring a little bit more goals. I’ve always felt more comfortable playing as a striker. That’s always been my natural position… it’s obviously difficult moving positions a lot, but I think I’ve played a few matches now as a striker, and I’m getting more and more
comfortable playing for this team in that position.”
Iloski broke down the reasons behind the Union’s stronger second half. “It’s natural for a team when they’re winning to play more defensive and a little bit more on the back foot. Naturally, that allows us to have more time and more space and more confidence on the ball, and grow into the game a bit more,” Iloski said, expressing a bit of frustration. “Now, I would love for us to play a little bit more positive, and a little bit more on the front foot, but that’s really not my decision. I need to just do the best I can for the team, try to score more goals, create more chances, and be better on the ball for us…we don’t start games the way we’re finishing them right now, and I think that’s the next step for this team to start winning matches.”
An interesting shuffle in the Union’s lineup recently was the addition of Ben Bender as a left back. The Union have been blessed with two talented fullbacks from their academy in the form of Nathan Harriel and Frankie Westfield, who both have been among the Union’s best performers this season. Often playing at the same time as left and right fullbacks, both players are right footed, making it difficult to whip in early crosses from the left side. Bender, previously a winger or an attacking midfielder, was used as a left back throughout preseason, using his stronger left foot to connect with the team in possession.
While Bender might not provide the most defensive support for the Union, his abilities in joining the attack have already yielded results for a struggling offense. He scored and assisted the Union’s last two goals in Orlando, and won the ball to start the equalizing goal sequence for the Union against Columbus. Anello spoke about his chemistry with Bender after the match. “I think we really understand each other. He plays quick one touch, in quick association.”
Bender spoke with media post-match about his transition to fullback. “We do extra work after training. We do a lot of crossing of the ball, and I’m a left footer, so I think my attacking game suits me really well to be a late arriver on that left hand side, overlapping our 10s,” Bender described. “I think I’m growing in the defensive part of the game… I made a couple mistakes tonight, but also grew into the game and was able to be on the front foot.”
Despite being acquired as a free agent, Baltimore native Bender spent time in the Union academy as a teenager. After the match, Bender was asked if he had taken some time to reminisce on his journey now that he had completed the pathway from academy to MLS. “100%. I was here as a 12-year-old, back when it was called Talen Energy Stadium. I was watching the games with guys like Brenden Aaronson, guys in the academy, just watching big players back in the day, like [Keegan] Rosenberry, to name a few,” Bender said. “I wanted to be on the field here. And it’s just a surreal moment. I don’t take these moments for granted, and I want to give my best every time I’m out there.”
The Union have one match remaining before the extended break for the World Cup. This Sunday, May 24th , the Union will face off against Lionel Messi and Inter Miami CF in Nu Stadium. Miami sit in 2 nd place in the Eastern Conference and are currently on a three-match winning streak. The Union will look to prevent their winless streak from reaching eight matches, and it will not be easy to do so.
