Philadelphia Union returns to Subaru Park on Saturday afternoon for the team’s annual Kick Childhood Cancer match, taking on New England Revolution at 2:30pm. Tune in to watch the midday matchup with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV!
The Boys in Blue have four regular season matches left on the schedule, two of which are against teams below the playoff line. New England Revolution sits at 11th place in the East with 32 points, and after letting go of Head Coach Caleb Porter on Monday, they’ll travel to Philadelphia under the leadership of interim Pablo Moreira for the first time.
After dropping two straight games, albeit in different competitions, for the first time since the start of July, Saturday’s match is an important one for Philadelphia and their pursuit of the shield. While Philly is still first in the league with 57 points, the top of the table is congested, and San Diego lurk close behind with 56.
On Thursday, when Head Coach Bradley Carnell met with the media, he was asked if his team considers the upcoming match a must-win, and part of his response was this:
“If you ever live in fear, you're going to fail, and there's nothing to fear. Were we a top one team on the fifth of January? Not sure. Did we grow into a top one team over the nine months? Yes. This team grew, and first had a chip on their shoulders, but then took on the ownership of embracing that role," Carnell said.
"In my eyes, we just have to play free and enjoy the last four games, and for us, we'll count up and tally up the points where we are at the end.”
Come gametime, fans could see a new-look lineup as both Jovan Lukic and Olwethu Makhanya are ineligible for selection due to card disciplines. The 23-year-old Serbian midfielder has played in all but one match this season – starting 27 of his 29 appearances. As for the Revs, 27-year-old defender Mamadou Fofana is also out due to yellow card accumulation. He’s played in and started 27 of the team’s 30 matches since signing with the club from Ligue 2 side Amiens SC during the offseason.
Off the field, Saturday is shaping up to be a special day at Subaru Park, as the club will host their annual Kick Childhood Cancer Match, honoring this year's Fearless 43 in-stadium. Every day, approximately 43 children are diagnosed with cancer, and in an effort to support the individuals and families who’ve been impacted, the club partners with Kisses For Kyle to select 43 local pediatric cancer warriors to experience an unforgettable matchday with the players, fans, and staff in the stadium.
Action begins at 2:30pm on the riverfront, tune in with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
