Concacaf Champions Cup continues this week as the Philadelphia Union host Defence Force at Subaru Park for the second leg of their round one series. Tickets for the match can be purchased online here.
What Happened In Leg One?
It’ll be a trip to the tundra for Defence Force, visiting from the 80 plus and sunny weather in Trinidad and Tobago, and the snowy and cold conditions on the riverfront aren’t the only challenge they’ll face. Concacaf Champions Cup series’ are decided by a goal aggregate, and Philadelphia Union won last Wednesday’s opening match 5-0, creating a significant advantage heading leg two.
Four Union players found the back of the net at Hasely Crawford Stadium -- Milan Iloski open scoring, Ezekiel Alladoh scored his first goal in Blue and Gold, Olwethu Makhanya's header made it three, then Bruno Damiani added the final pair, one of a pass from Cavan Sullivan, and one from the spot.
With his contribution, Sullivan became the youngest Union player to record an assist in club history.
What’s on the line?Â
Advancing on Thursday night would see the Boys in Blue into the Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 where they'd face off against Liga MX Club America in March. The Mexican side is coming off a 2-1 aggregate victory over Hondurian side Olimpia. Based upon the outcome of the CCC Draw, the Union would host leg one of the Round of 16 series at Subaru Park with the final leg taking place in Mexico City.
This pair went head to head five years prior, when the Mexican powerhouse ended Philly’s 2021 Concacaf Champion’s Cup campaign with a 4-0 aggregate.
What is Concacaf Champions Cup?
Concacaf Champion’s Cup is an continental tournament between 27 qualifying clubs from North America, Central American, and the Carribean. The Philadelphia Union are one of nine Major League Soccer teams competing in this year’s edition – they earned a spot when they lifted the 2025 Supporters’ Shield after securing the best regular season record in all of Major League Soccer.
Qualifying MLS teams
- FC Cincinnati - 2025 Supporters' Shield standings
- Inter Miami CF - 2025 MLS Cup presented by Audi winner^
- LAFC - 2025 Supporters' Shield standings
- LA Galaxy - 2025 Leagues Cup third place
- Nashville SC - 2025 US Open Cup winner
- Philadelphia Union - 2025 Supporters' Shield winner
- San Diego FC - 2025 Western Conference regular-season winner
- Seattle Sounders FC - 2025 Leagues Cup winner^
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC - 2025 Supporters' Shield standings
2026 marks the fourth time Philadelphia Union have competed in the tournament, but it’s the first time they’ve done so with 2025 Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year Bradley Carnell.
Their most recent Concacaf Champions Cup campaign was in 2024 – they fell in the quarterfinals against Liga MX’s CF Pachuca after routing Costa Rican side Deportiva Saprissa 3-2 on aggregate. In both 2021 and 2023, they advanced to the semifinals.
