Philadelphia Union faced Chicago Fire FC on Sunday night at Subaru Park in the opening match of the 2025 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Best-of-3 series, earning the first victory of the matchup. After a scoreless first half, midfielder Indiana Vassilev broke the deadlock in the 70th minute, and just five minutes later, forward Milan Iloski doubled the Union’s lead. Chicago responded with two late goals to level the score and force a post-regulation shootout. Goalkeeper Andre Blake made two crucial saves, and midfielder Jesus Bueno converted the game-winning finish to clinch the first win of the series.
Philadelphia Union travel to Soldier Field to face Chicago Fire FC in the second match of the 2025 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Best-of-3 series on Saturday, November 1 (5:30 p.m. / Apple TV).
TODAY’S MATCH INFO
REF: Sergii Boiko
AR1: Adam Wienckowski
AR2: Jeffrey Swartzel
4TH: Marcos DeOliveira
VAR: Kevin Stott
AVAR: Fabio Tovar
Weather: 59 degrees and cloudy.
GOALS/ASSISTS
PHI – Indiana Vassilev (Uhre, Iloski) 70’
PHI – Milan Iloski (Baribo) 75’
CHI – Jonathan Bamba (Gutman) 84’
CHI – Jack Elliott (Bamba) 90+3’
DISCIPLINARY SUMMARY
CHI – Joel Waterman (caution) 67’
PHI – Jovan Lukic (caution) 74’
CHI – Jack Elliott (caution) 89’
PHI – Jakob Glesnes (caution) 90+1’
CHI – Sergio Oregel (ejected) 90+4’
CHI – Brian Gutiérrez (caution) 90+5’
PHI – Kai Wagner (caution) 90+5’
Lineups
Philadelphia Union: Andre Blake; Kai Wagner, Jakob Glesnes, Olwethu Makhanya, Nathan Harriel ( Frankie Westfield 64’), Jovan Lukic (Jesus Bueno 82’) , Danley Jean Jacques, Milan Iloski, Indiana Vassilev (Cavan Sullivan 83’) , Tai Baribo, Bruno Damiani (Mikael Uhre 64’).
Substitutes not used: Andrew Rick; Olivier Mbaizo, Alejandro Bedoya, Ben Bender, Chris Donovan.
Chicago Fire FC: Chris Brady; Joel Waterman, Jack Elliott, Samual Rogers (Brian Gutiérrez 73’), D'Avilla Dje Tah (Mauricio Pineda 68’), Rominigue Kouamé (Sergio Oregel 73’), Andrew Gutman, Jonathan Dean (Tom Barlow 91’), Hugo Cuypers, Jonathan Bamba, Philip Zinckernagel.
Substitutes not used: Maren Haile-Selassie, Jeff Gal, Omar González, Kellyn Acosta, Justin Reynolds.
TEAM NOTES
- Union’s first-ever playoff matchup against Chicago Fire FC, extending their unbeaten streak in their last 15 home matches against Chicago (all comps).
- With their victory tonight in Game 1 of the Round One Best-of-3 Series, the Union won their second Audi MLS Cup Playoffs game in a penalty kick shootout in club history (Nov. 28, 2021 vs. Nashville SC).
- Midfielder Indiana Vassilev and forward Milan Iloski scored their first goal in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
- Six players earned their first-ever MLS Cup Playoffs start: Olwethu Makhanya, Jovan Lukic, Danley Jean Jacques, Milan Iloski, Tai Baribo, and Bruno Damiani.
- Homegrowns Cavan Sullivan and Frankie Westfield made their first appearance in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
- Goalkeeper Andre Blake made his club record 14th start in the postseason for the Union.
