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Old Friend, New Foe: Union Face Necaxa in Must-Win Leagues Cup Clash
An old friend turned foe tonight as Julian Carranza returns to Subaru Park for his first match against his former club. Both teams search for their first points in this Leagues Cup, as a loss would surely end either side’s chances of advancing to the knockouts. It’s Sunday Night Football, ladies and gentlemen! Let’s break down the sides going into tonight’s tournament clash.
Former Union Star Leads Necaxa Into Must-Win Match
Necaxa are aiming to rebound from a difficult initial match against Charlotte FC. The Round of 32 is the best finish Los Rayos have found in the Leagues Cup, and that was in 2024. Every other year, they found an early exit in the group stage. With each team working through a devastating regulation loss in their first match, surely it will be win or go home.
Necaxa, founded in 1923, sits in the city of Aguascalientes. North of Mexico City in the heart of Mexico, the club received its name from its founding on the banks of the Nexaca River. The club has seven titles, four from its amateur era and three since joining Liga MX as a professional side.
Now, the club comes to Chester in their inaugural meeting against the Philadelphia Union. Finishing 15th last season, the club sits in seventh after three matches to start the 2026-27 season. In their new season, they’ve scored five and conceded five. Those five goals came from three different goalscorers, and the average Union fan can recognize the club’s top scorer.
Union alumnus Julian Carranza signed with Necaxa in January of this year. Since arriving at the club, he’s scored six goals in just 10 games. Three of those goals came in the first three games of the new season, and the 26-year-old Argentine added an assist to the tally for an incredible start to the campaign at his new club.
Carranza had an extremely decorated career for the Boys in Blue. Sitting tied for third in the Union all-time scoring list with 43 goals across all competitions, Carranza had a knack for finding the back of the net in Philadelphia. His best season to date in his professional career came in the City of Brotherly Love in 2023, where he scored 18 goals and added six assists across the year. From 2022 to 2024, Carranza scored at least 10 goals across the three seasons.
Looking beyond Carranza, who is arguably the largest threat entering Subaru Park this evening, Necaxa brings fellow Argentine striker Javier Ruiz and Colombian Juan Torres in their attack. Running in a 4-3-3, the club looks to retain possession and attack with numbers.
Anchoring the attack is American 23-year-old Danny Leyva. Leyva, who played with both Seattle and Colorado in MLS play, is no stranger to American opponents. He sits at the center of the 4-3-3 formation, and most of the play runs through the skilled youngster.
At the back, club legend and veteran captain Alexis Peña controls the back line. At 30 years old, the Mexican international has bounced around Liga MX in his career, playing with the likes of Pachuca, Chivas, and Cruz Azul. He will be the foundation of the backline, keeping the Boys in Blue away from their goal.
Keys to Success
Necaxa, who struggled in their first match of the tournament, will rely on the skill of their youthful attack to make an impact against the Union. Former Union players love scoring on their old team, and I would expect Carranza to be at the foundation of any attacking threats Necaxa brings to the match. If they can capitalize early like Cruz Azul last week, they could frustrate the Union enough to walk away from Chester with a win.
Philadelphia Looks to Find Its Finishing Touch
A frustrating result for the Union on Thursday should have all the makings for redemption this evening. The 1-0 loss felt worse with all the chances the U created throughout the match, but the issue that has loomed all season came back to bite the Boys in Blue on Thursday night: they can’t find the back of the net.
Chance after chance went to the wayside in the second half of Philly’s tie with Cruz Azul, and it felt all but certain that they should’ve scored in the 90 minutes of play. The Union had 33 touches in the opposition’s box and 14 shots. They also created controversy, drawing what any fan would argue was a clear handball in the dying embers of the match. The review said no penalty, but our photographer Don Robson saw otherwise.
Now, the Union rebound with a tall task in their second Leagues Cup match. The tournament layout only sends the top four clubs from each league into the next round, and a regulation loss does not help the cause, with penalty kicks occurring for draws.
The match against Azul saw a few changes to the lineup, with Quinn Sullivan making his first start since returning from injury. Additionally, Ezekiel Alladoh started over Bruno Damiani, and Jesus Bueno made the starting XI over Jovan Lukic.
I would expect the lineup to look similar this evening. However, Alladoh and Quinn Sullivan have proven more effective off the bench in recent matches. Bruno Damiani couldn’t provide the spark necessary to get the Union across the line in the late moments of the match.
Thankfully for the U, Necaxa haven’t kept a clean sheet in five matches. This, mixed with a formation built for possession and attack, should play into the Union’s playstyle quite nicely, and should give them plenty of moments to find their footing in the attack.
More consistent offense, combined with sound defending from (hopefully) Sery and Pierre getting centerback minutes together, could prove fruitful for the Union this evening.
Keys to Success
The Union will bounce back tonight. The matchup is favorable, and the squad played a solid second 45 minutes against Cruz Azul. Expect a fiery group tonight. If they can keep Necaxa’s young and talented attack away from Andrew Rick, the Boys in Blue should grab all three tonight.
You can catch the match at 7:30 PM on Apple TV+.
