After a two-week break from Major League Soccer play, the first place Philadelphia Union return to action this weekend at home, hosting ninth place Charlotte FC in front of Union faithful at Subaru Park.
Tune in with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV to watch the Boys in Blue battle in another Eastern Conference clash!
The match marks their first league competition since they concluded their marathon May without a single loss. In that nine game span, which featured both MLS and US Open Cup play, the team went unbeaten using nine unique starting XIs and 22 diffeerent starters.
While their most strenuous stretch so far is over, Head Coach Bradley Carnell and his staff will still lean on depth come Saturday as at least six consistent starters including Andre Blake, Danley Jean Jacques, Nate Harriel, Quinn Sullivan, Tai Baribo, and Mikael Uhre will all be unavailable for selection.
The first four names in that list are away with their respective national teams gearing up for Concacaf Gold Cup which begins on Saturday, while the latter two are recovering from injuries.
During his media availability on Thursday, Carnell shared that the pair of strikers are about 10-12 days away from returning to the group.
“Tai's in Israel, he's got a couple of appointments on the side there that he has to honor, and he used this opportunity now to honor that. So for us, he's getting his treatment there. We have a good connection with the national team and the doctors there that he's chosen to use. So he's progressing in a really good way,” Carnell said.
“Mika was out on the field today running around. He still feels something, but it's not a setback. He's just progressing as usual and I think we still have a bit of credit in terms of days we expect these guys back.”
17 games into the 2025 season, Philadelphia Union is at the top of the East and near the front of the Supporters' Shield Race behind only Western Conference side Vancouver Whitecaps.
This year’s squad has enjoyed one of the best starts to a season in club history, securing 35 points over 10 wins, four draws, and three losses, but success aside, Carnell ensured his team's focus is locked on what's to come in the second half of the season.
“I just see cohesion. I just see spirit, team fight, mentality. Everything we spoke about, what defines the Union and defines this building or defines us as a group – I think we've seen it in the month of May, and that's been awesome to watch,” Carnell said.
“There's no prizes for halfway through the season. There's no silverware, hardware anywhere, and I can't buy a loaf of bread at the bakery with 17 games done. So, we have to perform, and the business end now is the next 17 games, and it starts now on Saturday.”
While this weekend's opponent sits in the bottom half of the Eastern Conference standings, they're still a formidable opponent with eight wins, one draw, and eight losses so far this year. Jut like the Union, they'll be shorthanded, missing players like leading goalscorer Patrick Agymemang and defender Tim Ream, who are both part of the USMNTt's Gold Cup roster alongside Harriel and Sullivan.
After a lackluster start to their 2025, Charlotte FC will visit Subaru Park eager to begin the second half of the regular season with a postiive result, making for another excitiing matchup at Subaru Park. Don't miss the action -- click here for tickets to Philadelphia Union's lone home game in June!
