Led by a second-half brace from Bruno Damiani, Philadelphia Union kicked off its 2026 campaign with a 5-0 victory over Defence Force FC in Concacaf Champions Cup action on Wednesday night.
Starting off the season in Trinidad & Tobago, the Union were on the front foot early with first-half goals from Milan Iloski and Ezekiel Alladoh. The Union's No. 10 scored the first goal for the Boys in Blue, with a perfectly weighted free kick just outside the box in the 30th minute while Alladoh made a splash in his Union debut with a headed finish of a Frankie Westfield cross.
The Boys in Blue didn't hold back in the second half as center back Olwethu Makhanya smashed home a corner kick in the 64th minute off service from Iloski. Damiani make entered in the 65th minute and was quick to start scoring as he finished off a pass from Cavan Sullivan in the 69th minute. The assist was a historic one as the 16-year-old became the youngest player in Union history to record an assist, surpassing his brother Quinn who set the mark in 2021. Damiani added the Union's final goal of the evening in the 81st minute, coverting from the penalty spot to give Philly a commanding lead heading into the second leg next week at Subaru Park on Thursday, Feb. 26.
Philadephia Union continues its season opening road trip this weekend, facing rivals D.C. United for the 2026 MLS opener. Kick off from D.C. is set for 7:30PM with the match on Apple TV.
How The Match Unfolded
Head Coach Bradley Carnell's first starting XI of the year was a never-before-seen one, featuring a mix of promising young talent, new signings, and team veterans.
20-year-old Homegrown keeper Andrew Rick started between the posts, making his Concacaf Champions Cup debut behind a backline made of Frankie Westfield at left back, Jeremy Rafanello out of his typical position at right back, and a familiar centerback duo of Olwethu Makhanya and Nathan Harriel.
Danley Jean Jacques, Jesus Bueno, Alejandro Bedoya, and Milan Iloski started in the midfield, while club-record signing Ezekiel Alladoh and 2024 MLS Superdraft pick Stas Korzeniowksi were paired up top.
2', Bike attempt | Alladoh's first touches for the Philadelphia Union were memorable -- just under two minutes in, the 20-year-old Ghanian took a bicycle shot in the box but was stopped by Defence Force's keeper.
30', Union goal! | The Boys in Blue opened scoring in the 30th minute with an impressive free kick goal from Milan Iloski, who sent it over Defence Force's defensive wall and into the back of the net to make it 1-0.
32', Alladoh makes it 2-0! | Ezekiel Alladoh extended his new team's lead quick, scoring a header off a pass from Frankie Westfield for his first goal in Blue and Gold.
45', Halftime | Philly finished the first half on top, entering the locker room with a dominant two goal lead.
64', Makhanya goal! | Another header goal made it 3-0, this time from 20-year-old centerback Olwethu Makhanya off a corner from Iloski.
65' Subs | Carnell made his first changes of the match in the 65th minute, swapping Alladoh, Iloski, and Harriel for Bruno Damiani, Cavan Sullivan, and Japhet Sery Larsen.
69', Damiani makes it 4! Four minutes after they subbed onto the pitch, 16-year-old Homegrown midfielder Cavan Sullivan found 23-year-old Bruno Damiani for a powerful shot to make it 4-0. With his assisst, Sullivan became the youngest Union player to record an assist in Concacaf Champions Cup.
73, Substitutions | Carnell made another change, adding in offseason signing Finn Sundstrom to replace Makhanya.
81', Damiani again! | After Cavan Sullivan was taken down in the box, the Union earned a shot from the spot. Damiani stepped up to take it, scoring his second goal of the night, to make it 5-0 for the Philadelphia Union in the final 10 minutes of the match.
82', Another change | Coming back from a brief preseason injury Indiana Vassilev played a short shift to end the game, replacing Westfield in the 82nd.
90+', Red card | In the waning moments of the match, Defence Force FC's Joevin Jones was sent off after taking down Cavan Sullivan. The referee was quick to issue the defender a second yellow, ruling him suspended for the second leg at Subaru Park on Feb. 26.
