(Photo by Kyle Grantham/The Philly Soccer Page)
After going pointless in their two opening matches the Union looked to claim their first win of the year at home against a Western Conference side they haven’t faced since June 2023. The good news going into the game was that Ezekiel Alladoh was back from suspension, but the Union would be missing Olwethu Makhanya at center back.
First Half
Much of the first half was difficult to watch. The Union seemed a step behind on offense and defense. The Quakes did a good job of holding up play through the midfield, and the Union compounded the effect of their opponent’s defense with errant passing and confusion in the build up. The playing field seemed to give the players trouble. Many slipped or left a foot out just a moment too long, drawing fouls. San Jose were physical and picked up their first yellow card in the 15th minute of the half, but the Union showed little sign of backing off, garnering a few of their own. Alladoh did not start the game, with coach Bradley Carnell noting that the player needed to “rebuild trust within the team.”
For the first half hour, San Jose looked the more likely to score, but they were wasteful in front of goal on two occasions. The Union began to grow into the game in the final ten minutes of the half as they started to get wide players involved. The best effort came in the final minutes of the first half after some high pressing forced a turnover that Vassilev hit strongly on frame. In the end, it didn’t trouble the San Jose goalkeeper, but the turnover and rapid Union interplay between Danley Jean Jacques and Westfield looked promising and would give coach Bruce Arena concern going into the half.
Second Half
Alladoh came in for Anello to start the second half for the Union, and San Jose brought on their new signing, Timo Wermer. Barely a minute into the half, a curling free kick and a brave header from Nathan Harriel forced a strong save from the Quake goalkeeper. The addition of Werner seemed to calm and focus the Quakes’ attack, even as the Union had the majority of the ball. But they were not able to sustain their attacks, which were narrow and predictable.
In the 58th minute Gio Sequera had a nice shot saved, and a minute later, a promising attack after some good interplay was cut short when Westfield’s pass went wide of Vassilev, a clear miscommunication. In the 59th minute, Timo Werner opened up the Union defense and fed Ousseni Bouda for the first and only score of the game. The Union continued to have the ball and to force the issue, but couldn’t get on the the score sheet, in spite of having an 11 to 1 advantage in corner kicks. The addition of Ben Bender in the 82nd minute gave a spark to the attack in the final minutes of the game as the Union pushed for an equalizer. But it was not to be.
PSP’s Three Points
- Alarm Bells? Yes. The Union are 0 for 3, and don’t look like they have gelled as a team. However, losing Kai Wagner and Jakob Glesnes from the back line was bound to have an effect, and Quinn Sullivan’s injury is particularly bad news for the balance of our attack. Alladoh has only had two half games in MLS to get acclimated. If they can settle down, and if the likes of new sighing Phillipe Ndinga can find their place, there is still ample time to right the ship.
- Passing/Rhythm. Despite feeling that the team needs time to gell (see above), the errant passing, kicks forward to no one, and the predictable nature of the Union’s attack in these first three MLS games are worrisome.
- Stas Korzeniowski. Has looked lively and dangerous in his starts for the Union. Should he be getting more playing time with the first team?
Lineups
Philadelphia Union (4-2-2-2) Andre Blake; Nathan Harriel, Japhet Sery, Giovanny Sequera (Ben Bender 82′), Frankie Westfield; Danley Jean Jacques, Milan Iloski (Ale Bedoya 74′), Jovan Lukic, (Jose Buena 66′) Indiana Vassilev; Agustín Anello, (Ezekiel Alladoh 45′) Bruno Damiani, (Stas Korzeniowski 74′)
Unused Substitutes: Andrew Rick; Geiner Martinez, Jeremy Rafanello, Cavan Sullivana
San Jose Quakes (4-3-3): Daniel, Reid Roberts, Daniel Munie, DeJuan Jones, Benjamin Kikanovic, Niko Tsakiris, Beau Leroux ( Ian Harkes 82’), Ronaldo Vieira, Preston Judd (Jack Skahan 82’) , Jamar Ricketts (Timo Werner HT), Ousseni Bouda.
Substitutes not used: Jonathan González, Dave Romney, Earl Edwards Jr., Paul Marie, Vitor Costa, Nick Fernandez.
Scoring Summary:
GOALS/ASSISTS
SJ – Ousseni Bouda (Werner, Tsakiris) 59’
Disciplinary Summary:
SJ – Benji Kikanovic (caution) 15’
PHI – Jovan Lukic (caution) 20’
PHI – Nathan Harriel (caution) 65’
SJ – Preston Judd (caution) 75’
PHI – Ezekiel Alladoh (caution) 88’
While the officiating was not the reason the Union lost the game, Alladoh did appear to be brought down in the box in the 66th minute by Bouda, but there was no call, and no VAR review. Sequera’s second shot on goal was tipped wide by the San Jose goalkeeper for a corner, but the referee gave it as a goal kick. Ousseni Bouda could easily have been given a yellow in the first half for persistent offense.
Epic Fury’ missile strike coming in. Brace. If the elephant in the room has already turned you off. Do yourself a favor. B gone.
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We’ll start with the quality.
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Timo Werner doing derivative mathematics not a soul on the field for the Philadelphia Union understand. The game moving in slow motion for him. His teammates would do well to find him more often. A pleasure to watch him move, caress a football – get his head up – dab the quill to his tongue and solve. LEVELS.
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The amount of times I’ve already heard the words, “needs more composure,” as it relates to this iteration of a team is however a ‘Fatal Error’ failure to compute for me. Genuinely. There is a crevasse of quality out there… Union look like 70 year olds trying to learn percussion rudiments with whatever wiring remains….
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… and can therefore comfortably say through three games this is the least enjoyable Union team to watch since the franchise began. Congrats.
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I get it. I get it. Still just three games. Turnover. Adjustment. Etc. Doesn’t make it any less unwatchable. Does not excuse it.
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Meanwhile…an all world 16 year old sits the bench while other 16 -17 year olds are lighting MLS chakras up.
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The coach gets asked about Cavan Sullivan pre game and gives a canned ‘yada yada’ response about joint task forcing his development—total evasive tactic btw-which receives ZERO follow up. ZERO.
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What gives Bradley? Why is he not a starter with this group of under achieving players you are sending out there. Why is he not a half time sub with this under achieving group of players you are sending out there? What are you not seeing day in day out? Do you have a bone to pick? Do you? Is something personal going on? Because birdies chirp. Egregious to not press him about this.
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Manchester City people. Not Mother’s of the Poor. Not Brooklyn FC, Lexington FC, Not Boston River. Manchester City. I could give a shit about Cavan Sullivan’s arc and development. Truly. I got a 16 year old kid living by himself in a foreign country because his road has been so difficult here with the Rubes Who Abound in coaching circles. Real Madrid and Manchester City care though….
….and there is legitimate reason to press this guy about Cavan Sullivan— meanwhile patsy cake MLS ‘reporting,’ and general ‘KUMBAYA, my Lord’ typical hollow One Ring press corping. Course, it’s all AI now anyway, right? The scorched earthing of MLS reporting. Is any of it real?
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So then, where were we…Nathaniel Harriel at center back. Because? Enough said. The outside backs lacking composure & decision making quality.
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The inability to pick out passes with this franchise, years on…the City’s albatross of no skill soccer an ongoing insult to my sensibility. Odd man rushes yet again with nothing to show but the dormitory sophomore year walk of shame to find a Jimmy-hat. Pathetic. Center backs standing on the ball, all day to pick out a pass, then mindlessly whack it into empty channels or better yet— the fucking back of a teammate’s head. It is a sin. Sin.
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ZERO ability to play through the lines. What strain of cannabis is Mr. Danley partaking in this season? He has quite possibly been the poster child of ineffective negligence. He showed promise. He has been terrible at the soccer.
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I know Damiani gets plowhorse props from the ‘Blue Collar Union Sect’ of plowhorsing fans … which is a club staple for the position—- but there used to be a LeToux, a Carranza …. Tai Baribo—you do know there is also a requirement to score and get service you have preemptively moved for when you wear #9. He is too slow of thought, too ungood technically on the rare occasions when they are actually MOMENTARILY dangerous.
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Not good enough. And don’t even give me a second to reload about Anello. Did he even play tonight?
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Not good.
Not at all.
You better figure this out. Unacceptable.
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JUST PLAY WELL, from The elephant, for those of you around here longer than a cup of coffee to remember I skewer this franchise’s ineptitude.
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In summation I am left with only one other question. How poor are Defense Force, then? You have earned this.
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Fix it.
Where to begin with this rant….f#$!ng nailed it. Every pass looks hopeful instead of with purpose. Can someone tell Indy, hold the ball instead of backhealing on to the abyss constantly.
Well, if this is how Union will look after a ‘full week of practice’ and ‘time to work on transition moments’, just shut it down.
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Turns out The System doesn’t work all that well if the players on the field are of low quality. But anyone who looked at Union’s record in 2025 against non-playoff teams compared to playoff teams knew this. Gut the roster of quality, and The System can’t beat the bad teams.
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Union, you have one reason anyone cares about you right now, his name is Cavan Sullivan. If you fail to start or play him, no one will care. And if as Carnell said in the pregame, that City is involved in how much he plays, send him to Europe tomorrow and move on.
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Only question I have left in Union 2026 is does Carnell get fired before, during or after the World Cup break.
The new Stadium Lights are nice. Made Subaru Park feel like an entirely different place, and brought a big league feel and presentation to the game.
Timo’s pass was sublime
The defense is actually not that bad.
The attack lacks cohesion. All of the attacking players make the same runs and occupy the same spaces…… which makes the Union easy to defend. Bruno literally blocked a potential goal for Anello because he made the same run.
Lukic has been awful thus far this season. His passing is as atrocious as it is aimless. Bueno should start for the foreseeable future.
Unpopular opinion: this team misses Uhre more than anything. More specifically his ability to stretch a defense and be a threat to run in behind, and create space for the other attackers. Sure, Baribo’s goals would be nice, however the other attackers would just be clattering into him since they all make the same runs. Simple solution would be to play Milan up top. Not sure if Anello can play the other 10 spot (or, you know play Cavan). Not having Quinn until the Summer limits the immediate options.
As far as Cavan goes, my suspicion is that Man City has him on a minutes restriction. It’s seriously the only explanation at the moment for him not getting any minutes in this game.
I get the Stas love early this season. After the World Cup break his gameday spot is going to be taken by the Union Academy’s best prospect Jakupovic.
Good news is that what’s ailing the Union currently is fixable. It’s going to take a little time unfortunately. The Union actually have real expectations now unlike back in 2012 the last time this happened. So patience will be short.
The other good news: the Union aren’t nearly as bad as Portland, Orlando and Atlanta. Those teams look absolutely clueless on the field.
They are saving Cavan Sullivan to play Tuesday against Club America. He has the recovery resilience of a 16 year old not a 26 year old.
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They have to try to beat Club America in Philly because they certainly are not going to do that at 1.4 miles high in Mexico City. Last time they played at comparable altitude in central Mexico’s valley between the serious mountains Pachuca beat them 6-0, then being the better team that has been broken up.
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They prioritized Club America over San Jose. Whether they should’ve is an entirely different issue.
No argument there, just a follow-up. Added to my frustration with ownership is the lost opportunities in tournaments like CCC. Had Sugarman invested to improve our past CCC qualifying teams, we very well may have made the CWC.
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León was removed from the CWC due to ownership conflicts with Pachuca, who to their credit won the CCC after we lost the second leg to them 6-0.
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We made the CCC semis in 2021 and 2023. Close, but no cigar again due to lack of investment in key players to deliver the goods.
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Beyond winning CCC and directly qualifying for CWC, had we advanced to the CCC final in 2023 over LAFC but lost the final, then we would have gone into the default playoff due to León’s disqualification. That’s how LAFC got into CWC and we didn’t. Had there been any double qualification, other default playoff scenarios may have occurred.
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Given how Sugarman gutted the team, we have no realistic chance with CCC or Leagues Cup this year. It’ll also mean going back to USOC for probably another close but no cigar flop there too.
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Sugarman is truly a grim reaper when it comes to fan aspirations. Even when the development talent brings us close, he sabotages it.
I chose to listen to the Flyers game over this. Listen because I’m without CSN at the moment. Though I have Apple no-longer-MLS Pass, I actively chose to listen to a team who are also a train wreck — we sure love them in this sports market. The Flyers are missing the playoffs again. They are playing the kids and boy, is it fun. Was I going to watch this Union match later? Likely. Did the result get spoiled on no-longer-Twitter? Yup. Am I watching this or the embarrassment on Tuesday? Nope. Was I at that last Club America match? Yup. Do I want to be drenched in beer again by their majority-populated fans as they celebrate each goal scored on us? Nope. Hoping things gel but I remember 2012 and see history repeating.
I put my CA tickets up for sale before going to the game yesterday. I don’t want to suffer through being an away supporter at home yet again. Not to mention the general chaos trying to get to the game. The only fans not speaking Spanish around us were Mexican NYFC fans who made the trip to root for the Mx side!
After last night’s performance watching the CA game on TV seems like the right call. Hope they prove me wrong.
In a game in which you’re trailing 1-0 and you bring in Bedoya for Iloski…there’s NOTHING that can justify this I’m sorry. Sitting in section 107, you should have seen the look of disgust from Iloski as he walked to the bench. Seriously I get everyone being upset Cavan’s not playing. But Iloski being substituted each game has me just as befuddled. Especially with the lack of depth we have right now…I really hope we get a nice surprise Tuesday night, but no one is counting on it.
I made it to the 80′ minute before turning it off. I don’t think they’re this bad and will improve later this spring, but it’s not enjoyable to watch at all right.
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Recently freed Matt Doyle keeps saying the Union’s off-season moves prove they are not serious about winning a trophy. Tough to disagree. Maybe Sugarman sells post-World Cup. One can dream… until then… enjoy your $8 bottle of waters and subpar product on the pitch.
A year ago, I asked members of the press who attend practice what this team actually works on there.
Crickets……
Good news is now I actually know:
Running into each other.
Damiani over Baribo might be their worst decision of all time-and there have been some doozies……
1 CB. 3 FB.
Rendering your best creators so inept they keep getting pulled for grunts and thinking that will change the outcome……
One thing to lose, another to make me consider canceling my subscription.
Only thing that comforts is hearing that “Club America isn’t as good as it used to be “. Know who else isn’t?
This circus needs a new Carney.
Last (and only prior) time the Union started with 0 points after 3 games was 2012. Nowak made it 11 games. Does Carnell get that long to right things? His choices seem…questionable and his players seem unprepared to compete.
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Regarding the last point in the article, specifically the play where Villereal missed the corner kick, I take a different approach to his performance there. He thought there was no touch but wasn’t sure. While he initially made a call of goal kick, he went over to the AR and checked with him to confirm. When the AR wasn’t able to correct him, he made the “wrong” call. But he did all he could to try to get the call right, so I’m OK with that. (Yes, he “could” have looked at the replay on the scoreboard, but do we really want refs to do that to correct calls? That would give home teams a HUGE advantage since they control which replays get shown.
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At least the pregame light show worked better at night than during the day.
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And it is supposed to be warmer on Tuesday.
By mid-April, there is still daylight at kick off. So Union invested in a light show that will look good for two months of the season? Actually, that’s exactly something Union would do.
ROFL. You forgot to mention that they still have another day game during that time 🙂
Here is the view from Section 105, and unfortunately, we saw pretty much what everyone else saw last night:
1) We saw what the Union spent their money on, new lights for the stadium. The pre-game cell phone light show might have been very cool except the stadium seemed not to be even half full.
2) Quality of Play–“boom ball” by both teams. Possession may be a bad word in “The Exorcist,” but it is not in soccer. So far as I know, the ball was not radioactive, but you wouldn’t have known that from both teams last night. I have seen better flow in youth league matches.
3) Do you know where your teammates are? Though I was not counting, I saw at least half a dozen offensive gaffes by the Union where multiple players were in the same place on the field, and when the ball came there, multiple players did not know what to do with it. It seemed as though the players had not played together before, which would have been an excuse, but supposedly they train together. Not acceptable.
4) Who are the team leaders on the field? Those of us who were expecting Lukic and Iloski to lead this team were mightily disappointed. Both were awful last night.
5) Why does this team lack urgency? If the team lacks skill (and it does) and the team is behind (which for 30 minutes it was), then at the very least the players can try to move the ball to the offensive end to create chaos from which they might get a lucky goal. But everything seemed to be in slow motion. This is unacceptable.
6) All inswingers all the time. In the absence of Kai Wagner, corners are being taken as in-swingers all the time, ala Arsenal. I thought that the Union’s services for the most part were pretty good, though no goals resulted.
7) Yes, Alladoh was fouled in the 66th minute. Referee Villareal called those pushes all over the field from the 3rd minute on, but neglected to call the foul in the box, though it was right in front of him.
8) No goals from the run of play in 270 minutes is the mark of a last place team.
The existence of CF Montreal will save Union from your last item. The others are spot on.
Montreal’s number ones cleaned house in the second half down in Clearwater.
I’m trying to be positive for once!
Hmmmmm. Sunday had different ideas.
What is the best way to prepare crow? Thanks Pink Cows for making me look bad.
WSSM
How ineffective or unfit is Geiner that we prefer a temp contract player starting at LB instead of inserting him into the starting lineup?
That’s exactly what I thought! Why wasn’t Geiner in at either LB or LCB?!? Why did you sign him if you won’t play him?!?
Seems like you all saw what we all saw. It’s a team of:
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1) promising but raw development projects that Sugarman can sell to make championship trophy dreams come true for others,
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2) development busts that Sugarman can’t sell, and
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3) one experienced serviceable but not stellar veteran long past prime trying to string along his career on budget one year contracts by training development projects for sale.
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I like Bedoya, a class act with good values. He gives what’s left in his tank on the pitch and passes along his elder leadership and experience to the youth. He’s a NJ native with a wife and two kids. He frequently shares family moments and states family is the most important thing to him. He’s earning for the family benefit and keeps them local rather than constantly.relocating. He might even be a planned replacement for Carnell.
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Carnell knows he’ll be scapegoated like Curtin. He probably held back Cavan because he’s throwing his effort into Tuesday. Playing CA in CCC is always a high visibility match. If he gets a good result with this depleted squad, then that’s a feather in the cap along with last year’s SS for finding a new job.
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Coaches, like players, are never given a true chance to win championship trophies here. Where’s our ‘Turbo Timo’ Werner who burnt us last night? Sugarman won’t pay for that like San Jose just did. Where’s Werner’s kind of support like Baribo? Not here anymore while beating us and scoring again against Miami last night.
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What’s needed is intense and relentless pressure on ownership to deliver serious investment in championship runs. If not, then he needs intense pressure to sell the club to someone who will.
Curtin and Carnell both were given a true chance to win a championship trophy and both won one. Despite the Supporters Shield being given short shrift in the US, there is a reason that its equivalent is one of the most sought after trophies in the rest of the world indicates that it is an accomplishment worth acknowledging. And Curtin certainly had the opportunity to win 2 more. It wasn’t his fault that on one occasion the team came down with COVID after an international break and on another the team couldn’t hold the lead for 30 more seconds with a man advantage.
The SS isn’t a championship here because we don’t play every team in home and away fashion. Due to the vast North American geography and number of clubs, we use an East/West format with partial, sporadic, and unevenly selected interconference challenges.
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The advantage of SS is top playoff seeding and a CCC spot, that’s all. The sideshow is supporters clubs like SOB getting something to carry around for a year. I’d rather have it than not, but it has zero championship value.
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Carnell and Curtin had chances handicapped and sabotaged by ownership. Water eventually finds its own level when facing teams that invest in championships.
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Who got that late goal in the 2022 MLS final? Gareth Bale. Would Chris Donovan off the bench done that? COVID in 2021 was a bad break, but we still would have had to win the semi and final anyway with the full squad we had. Who knows. Things have gotten much harder now too with more clubs investing in championship runs.
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Curtin should have bagged a USOC in three finals chances, granted. Seattle was a much better side. Of the other two, he shouldn’t have dropped both. A stronger side would have improved the odds though.
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We stunk for years, then became competitive due to the development program. That often gets us far, but never to the promised lands of championship trophies. Then Sugarman sells off the developed assets rather than go for the kill.
And tournaments are basically a crapshoot. Yes, having Messi means you’re more likely to win then not, but it’s no guarantee. And personally, I don’t want the team to be spending that kind of money because they will pass it on to us as higher ticket prices.
Good point on price ranges, but you get what you pay for. Plus, comparative prices aren’t as bad for championship driven teams as often believed.
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Messi is the arguable GOAT and other aged superstars also play for Miami. They sold out M&T Bank on the road yesterday. For other competitive clubs with trophies, the pricing seems similar to ours from what I’ve seen. This year, the Sounders even introduced a new $19.74 price tier for General Admission.
Sell The Team.
Oops. Sorry. With the new webpage format, I posted this on the wrong article:
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Even more than the players lost, this team is being destroyed by the minutes continually given to Vassilev and Bruno Damiani. Also, at this point, if Manchester City is not giving specific instruction on Cavan’s limited play, then we need new leadership.
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Back to Damiani, it amazes me how this guy is held in such high regard by this club. It’s not like he doesn’t have a body of work to look at. Let’s go back to 2025. He had stretches of 7 scoreless games and 11 scoreless games, but Baribo fell out of favor down the stretch (despite Baribo having a mid season scoreless stretch of just 6 games).
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What also took immense gall was for Damiani to take Baribo’s No. 9 this year. Why doesn’t he score some goals first? He had to know that he literally scored less than half of the goals of Baribo last year. Right? This year, Damiani is on a 3 game scoreless run already.
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Therefore, for these reasons, I will exclusively refer to our new number “9” on these pages as “Fauxribo”.
My guess is that Sugarman still wants his ROI on his $3.4 million purchase of Damiani, so he’ll keep insisting on him being played until he either improves or all hope is lost for resale value. Damiani is 23 y/o so this year or maybe another will be used for that determination. It’s not like anyone else will buy him right now as a major bust prospect. If he short sells him and he succeeds elsewhere, that’s worse.
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That was a factor for firing Curtin. He wanted to keep pressing for gold where ownership wanted him to focus on training and showcasing development prospects for resale.
Bah humbug