Philadelphia Union
MLS Is Back: Union Return to Host Rival Red Bull
MLS is back! 59 days stand between matches for the Philadelphia Union as they gear up to face the Red Bull New York this evening. A new manager and a few returning faces headline a refreshed Boys in Blue squad that still sits at the bottom of the Eastern Conference. However, if there’s a league where a one-win team can still claw its way into the playoff picture, it’s MLS. And if there’s one opponent to get a season back on track against, it’s Red Bull. Let’s break down tonight’s midweek rivalry match.
New York’s Young Attack Is Heating Up
For New York, the World Cup break came at an inconvenient time. Head coach Michael Bradley had his squad rolling, entering June on a four-match unbeaten streak (3W, 1D). Red Bull New York sits fifth in the Eastern Conference with 22 points.
Bradley’s extensive career with both the United States Men’s National Team and Toronto F.C. highlights his experience for management. Last season, at the helm of Red Bull New York II, he piloted the team to the MLS Next Pro Championship, defeating Colorado Rapids 2 in a penalty shootout.
Since returning to MLS in a managerial role, Red Bull New York remain a consistent part of the potential playoff picture. Much of this can be attributed to their young, yet dangerous attack. 18-year-old Julian Hall leads the team with nine goals and four assists, while newly ignited Jorge Ruvalcaba scored seven of his own.
Ruvalcaba also scored the last three goals for Red Bull, whereas Hall scored the three goals prior. The last RBNY player to score four consecutive goals for the team was Bradley Wright-Phillips during the 2014 season. That year, New York made it to the Eastern Conference Final before losing to the New England Revolution.
The Red Bull’s struggles lie defensively. The squad concedes the third most goals in the Eastern Conference with 32 on the season. In their last five matches, they’ve conceded seven times, yet remained unbeaten in their last four. American centerbacks Dylan Nealis and Justin Che hold the line in front of Concacaf Nations League legend Ethan Horvath.
Red Bull play fast and free. They look to capitalize on the youth of their squad with quick and lethal counters. A basic 4-3-3 formation outlines a squad that can break with numbers. Typically, Ronald Donkor leads the charge on fast breaks. The American midfielder has four assists and 22 chances created this season.
Keys to Success
Before the break, Red Bull were unbeaten in their last two road matches. The last time they won three straight road matches in a season was 2023. If there were a time to build their road-warrior status, it would be now. This match has all of the ingredients for an exciting and high-scoring affair, which could be just what Red Bull need to continue to climb the Eastern Conference Table. If New York can control the midfield, find chances on the break, and work the Union off of their defensive lines, I do not see a way that Michael Bradley’s squad leaves Chester without all three points.
Union Reset Under Ryan Richter
The Philadelphia Union’s World Cup break was the feel-good movie of the summer. After sacking manager Bradley Carnell and cleaning out Sporting Director Ernst Tanner, the U spent the remainder of June and July getting the band back together to go for a second-half rebound.
Most notably, with the departure of Bradley Carnell, the Union appointed former player and Union II head coach Ryan Richter as the interim manager for the remainder of the season. Richter will be the second-youngest manager in the league at 36, and aims to salvage an abysmal start to the season.
Looking at players, the largest story for the Boys in Blue is the return of their all-time assist leader, Kai Wagner. After a brief stint in Birmingham, the left back returned to Philly on a $4M transfer deal, taking a designated player spot at his former club. While criticized, the Union are a different team with both the attacking and defending presence Kai provides. Wagner has 33 assists since 2023 for the U, along with 10 goals since joining the Blue and Gold.
Additionally, 22-year-old Quinn Sullivan returns to MLS play tonight in a highly anticipated comeback! Sullivan, who tore his ACL against D.C. United in September of 2025, is match fit, but I would not expect him to start this evening. Caution is the name of the game for the young playmaker, and his minutes are expected to fluctuate as he works toward full match fitness.
Aside from the additions, the remainder of the squad is healthy and available for the match. The only unavailable player is Olwethu Makhanya, who is absent for personal reasons. In his absence, I expect Nathan Harriel to slide inside to play with Sery Larson, as the addition of Kai Wagner will bolster the fullback position. Frankie Westfield should sit at the other side of this back four.
On the attack, expect Milan Iloski and Ezekiel Alladoh to complement one another up top, with Cavan Sullivan, Danley Jean-Jacques, Indiana Vassilev, and Jovan Lukic to control the midfield against a dangerous Red Bull attack.
Keys to Success
Red Bull have not won at Subaru Park since 2018. At that time, Subaru Park was named Talen Energy Stadium. The Union tends to find a second gear when facing New York, and Union faithful are hopeful that this is the case this evening. Against Miami, the Boys in Blue proved they can score when prompted, but the issues remained with the back line. If the Union can control the ball, find their moments, and defend soundly, they may just be able to find their first home win of the season.
You can catch the match at 7:30 p.m. on Apple TV+.
