Photo: Marjorie Elzey
Here is a worksheet to track the activities of Philadelphia Union players who have been away on international duty during the November international break.
Israel’s two international matches during the October break were postponed because of the Israeli-Hamas war and were made up during the November window. That probably explains Tai Baribo’s absence from Foxboro, Mass. on Wednesday, November 8 as Israeli national team camp probably had already started, but that theory is unconfirmed.
Worksheet Key: Underlined and italicized subheads specify the regional confederation, the tournament, and the national team’s involvement in same. When Opp has no prefix it means a home game, the prefix @ means away. For Day and Date, R = Thursday, U = Sunday. The left column under Score records W, L, or D. Role records start, sub, dnp (did not play), or dnd (did not dress).
The only players who played two full 90s were Andre Blake and Damion Lowe for Jamaica.
| Match One (except for Israel) | ||||||||
| Who | Team | Opp | Day/Date | Score | Role | Min | ||
| Concacaf Nations League. League A Quarterfinals | ||||||||
| Blake | Jamaica | Canada | S | 18-Nov | L | 2-1 | Start | 90 |
| Lowe | Jamaica | Canada | S | 18-Nov | L | 2-1 | DNP | 90 |
| UEFA Euro 24 Qualification, Groups G & I | ||||||||
| Gazdag | Hungary | @Bulgaria | R | 16-Nov | D | 2-2 | sub | 9′ |
| Baribo | Israel | @Kosovo | S | 12-Nov | L | 1-0 | DNP | — |
| Switzerland | W | 15-Nov | D | 1-1 | DNP | — | ||
| CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup Qualification, Match 5 | ||||||||
| Martinez | Venezuela | Ecuador | R | 16-Nov | D | 0-0 | Start | 84′ |
| USMNT U23s friendlies in Spain | ||||||||
| McGlynn | US of A | Iraq | S | 18-Nov | D | 1-1 | sub | 29′ |
| Harriel | US of A | Iraq | S | 18-Nov | D | 1-1 | Start | 45′ |
| Match Two (except for Israel) | ||||||||
| Who | Team | Opp | Day/Date | Score | Role | Min | ||
| Concacaf Nations League, League A Quarterfinals | ||||||||
| Blake | Jamaica | @Canada | T | 21-Nov | W | 3-2 | Start | 90′ |
| Lowe | Jamaica | @Canada | T | 21-Nov | W | 3-2 | Start | 90′ |
| UEFA Euro 24 Qualification, Groups G & I | ||||||||
| Gazdag | Hungary | Montenegro | U | 19-Nov | W | 3-1 | sub | 45′ |
| Baribo | Israel (X) | Romania | S | 18-Nov | L | 2-1 | sub | 13′ |
| @Andorra | T | 21-Nov | W | 2-0 | Start | 74′ | ||
| CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup Qualification, Match 6 | ||||||||
| Martinez | Venezuela | @Peru | T | 21-Nov | D | 1-1 | DND | — |
| USMNT U23s friendlies in Spain | ||||||||
| McGlynn | US of A | Morocco | T | 21-Nov | L | 1-0 | Start | 45′ |
| Harriel | US of A | Morocco | T | 21-Nov | L | 1-0 | Start | 45′ |
(X) Israel is assured a spot in the second-place playoffs for actual qualification because earlier it won UEFA Nations League B. Baribo will probably be called up next March for those playoffs.
Hungary have qualified for Euro 2024 in Germany, so Gazdag may have that international duty next summer.
Curiously, in his Match One Harriel started at left outside back and was replaced by John Tolkin at halftime. Logic suggests he was being tested as a defensive-minded reserve at the position. The extra reps will probably benefit the Union against Cincinnati this Saturday.
Jamaica has qualified for Conmebol’s 2024 Copa America that will be played in the United States. Blake and Lowe will likely be called up for that tournament next year.
Since they both started against the more difficulty friendly opponent, Morocco, McGlynn and Harriel may be called up next summer for the Paris Olympics.
Martinez will probably continue to be called up for Venezuela’s World Cup qualification matches next season, although his age may begin to indicate an upcoming transition.
Miscellaneous
During the first team absences noted above Andrew Rick, Francis Westfield, Nelson Pierre, Neil Pierre, and C. J. Olney all practiced with the first team to make up the numbers. Daniel Kreuger, Kyle Tucker, and Stefan Stojanovic we also called in for first team training as needed, although they also continued to practice with Union II.
David Vazquez was away with the US of A U17s at the 2023 FIFA U17 World Cup in Indonesia, where they finished second in their group to France and lost to Germany 3-2 in the first round of the knockouts. Vazquez came on against the Germans in the 60th minute and from a direct free kick in the 80th scored the goal that temporarily tied the match. The Teutons winner came in the 87th immediately after the US had made three substitutions including one in the back line. Apparently the German U17s are this year’s champions of Europe.
In re: Wagner
MLS left backs or left wing backs ranked by latest annualized salary data
| Club | left back | Ann. salary | Tot. comp. |
| Miami | Jordi Alba | $ 1,000,000 | $ 1,250,000 |
| Vancouver | Sam Adekugbe | $ 729,516 | $ 817,516 |
| NYC FC | Braian Cufre | $ 672,000 | $ 757,800 |
| Philadelphia | Kai Wagner | $ 630,000 | $ 701,000 |
| Toronto | Raul Petretta | $ 625,000 | $ 856,625 |
| Columbus | Yaw Yeboah | $ 600,000 | $ 663,750 |
| Charlotte | Nathan Byrne | $ 560,000 | $ 607,833 |
| Nashville | Daniel Lovitz | $ 551,250 | $ 551,250 |
| Seattle | Nouhou Tolo | $ 550,000 | $ 571,875 |
| LA FC | Diego Palacios | $ 540,000 | $ 564,000 |
| Dallas | Marco Farfan | $ 425,000 | $ 457.813 |
| NY Red Bull | John Tolkin | $ 400,000 | $ 435,500 |
| New England | DeJuan Jones | $ 375,000 | $ 395.000 |
| Houston | Daniel Steres | $ 355,000 | $ 402,175 |
| Kansas City | Logan Ndenbe | $ 350,000 | $ 396,125 |
| D. C. | Pedro Santos | $ 350,000 | $ 390,000 |
| Colorado | Andrew Gutman | $ 350,000 | $ 381,250 |
| Salt Lake | Bryan Oviedo | $ 325,000 | $ 375,826 |
| Portland | Claudio Bravo | $ 315,000 | $ 371,654 |
| Cincinnati | Alvaro Barreal | $ 300,000 | $ 519,217 |
| Austin | Jon Gallagher | $ 300,000 | $ 300,000 |
| Orlando | Rafael Santos | $ 300,000 | $ 326,188 |
| LA Galaxy | Julian Aude | $ 275,000 | $ 285,000 |
| Chicago | Miguel Navarro | $ 260,004 | $ 299,004 |
| Montreal | Mathieu Choiniere | $ 250,000 | $ 276,667 |
| San Jose | Paul Marie | $ 180,000 | $ 191,375 |
| Atlanta | Caleb Wiley | $ 85,444 | $ 87,044 |
| St. Louis | Kyle Hiebert | $ 85,444 | $ 85,444 |
| Minnesota | Joseph Rosales | $ 85,444 | $ 85,444 |
Thanks Tim for this. A few items:
– I watched Hungary v. Montenegro, Gazdag started and was subbed at HT.
– Martinez missed the Peru match because of YC accumulation (this is my shocked face!)
– I’m most surprised at Harriel seemingly out of nowhere getting call ups for U-23s. Good for him and hope he makes it to Paris.
Many thanks, nagjs1.
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Martinez yellow cards is a most useful addition!
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What follows is not confirmed from an independent source, but is factual according to my records of dates of birth. Harriel is 22.6 years old, born in 2001. McGlynn is 20.4 born in 2003.
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So Harriel was not eligible for the US side during qualifying when it was a U20 team. Because the October and November matches were friendlies, and because the requirement for Paris is U23 eligibility, with three over-age additions, Harriel will be eligible for the Olympics[ics next summer. So he was auditioning.
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Harriel and Tolkin are MLS starters. I would guess they are likely to go to Paris as the expected starting outside backs, as complete guesswork.
This better not spread down I-95, Union management…
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The New York Red Bulls’ holiday ticket promotion involving next season’s home opener has a catch written in the small print: A game against Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami CF isn’t included.
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The Red Bulls distributed an email to consumers yesterday offering a two-game “Holiday Pack” that includes next season’s home opener and the derby against NYCFC. Price per ticket pack ranges from $98 for upper corners/endline, $125 corner endline/upper sideline, $174 sideline A/upper center midfield and $495 for club seats.
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But there’s an asterisk next to the home opener, and at the bottom of the email the asterisk is explained in small type: “If RBNY plays Inter Miami CF in the home opener, each home opener ticket will be replaced with a ticket to RBNY’s 2nd home match.”
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RBNY declined to comment on the ticket plan.
Thanks for the detail, PaulContinuum22.
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The cynic in me is not surprised.
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The only Union ticket information I have noticed was the price for full season ticket renewal. It had a price jump a little more that I expected, which I took to be a Messi and Leagues Cup premium spread out across all 20 games.
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After checking, similarly to what you report, any Inter Miami home game is specifically excluded from the Union’s holiday package game choices available, namely one of three designated home matches from February or March.
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A February match or matches will exist because of Conmebol’s 2024 Copa America which will be held in cooperation with Concacaf in the United States. The hiatus will not be as large as that for a World Cup because there are only 16 teams. But it joins Concacaf;s Champions Cup (replaces Concacaf Champions League), the US Open Cup, and the Leagues Cup as extra games above and beyond the regular MLS schedule’s timing.
Lowe tore it up in the second Canada match. MOM type performance. Thing is he was pushing up aggressively. Hope he settles back into his center back role with the union and doesn’t foray up the field too much.