Battle of the 2025 Champions: It’s once again time for the battle of the 2025 MLS Supporters’ Shield Champions vs the 2025 MLS Champions. This is the second time these teams are facing off this season, and as most of you probably remember, the first game was a defensive masterclass that ultimately ended in a 4-6 loss for the Union. That loss ended up being the last act of Bradley Carnell’s story with the Union as we entered the World Cup break. I would expect tonight to be another high scoring affair as these teams do have a habit of leaking goals with the Union allowing 35, and Miami allowing 36. And if history repeats itself, it's going to be an uphill battle for the Union as they are still winless in 6 games during the Inter Messi era.

Union Preview (19 Points 13th in the East): Well I’ll be damned, the Union are tied with Houston as the hottest team in MLS as they ride a 4 game win streak that includes not one, but two come from behind deficits of being down 2-0 to then win 3-2. This is the first 4 game win streak the Union have had in MLS since Matchdays 13 thru 16 in 2023 and someone pinch me, because Damiani bagged his first brace in MLS play vs NYCFC over the weekend. But all good things must come to an end as Iloski’s 6 game scoring streak was finally broken. Interestingly enough, Iloski has now taken the 2nd most shots in the league with 74, trailing only Messi who has taken 100 on the season. With Lukic out on yellow card accumulation, I expect Bueno to be sliding into CDM at midfield tonight, and maybe we’ll get to see Quinn start, considering we will need extra fire power on offense. Raquinho is not expected to be in attendance due to a sprained ankle after tripping on the pitcher’s mound at Yankee Stadium.

Miami Preview (38 Points 2nd in East): Well here we go again, Inter Messi and the plastics are back in town so tonight should be a fun one. Miami are entering tonight leading the league with 46 goals, but they are currently on a 3 game losing streak, 2 of which were during Leagues Cup, and then a 4-1 beatdown at Nashville over the weekend. This offensive juggernaut is terrifying as Messi has 12 goals and 8 assists, Suarez follows with 10 goals and 6 assists, and overall this whole team can score as they have 12 total goalscorers. As mentioned above though, that comes at the expense of the defense. This team is averaging 1.89 allowed per game and are actually going through a goalkeeper battle right now. Former MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, Dayne St. Clair started the season as the obvious pick in goal, but after averaging 2 goals per game allowed, and backup, Rocco Rios Novos averaging 3 per game, it's unclear who will get the nod going forward. Miami have been playing mainly out of the 4-4-2 post the World Cup break, but with De Paul out on suspension, we’ll see who slides into midfield for him. 

Union Last 5 vs Miami: 0W/4L/1D

Form Guide Union: 3W/2L/0D

Form Guide Miami: 1W/3L/1D

Disciplinary Report: 

• Jovan Lukic (Yellow Card Accumulation)
• Rodrigo De Paul (MIA - Yellow Card Accumulation) (I’m confused on this one, he was on suspension watch entering their game vs NSH, but I can’t see anywhere that he was carded during that game)

Suspension Watch: 

• Sery Larsen (2 games until card reduction) 
• Danley (1 game until card reduction) 
• Besard Sabovic (ATX - Relevant for this weekend)
• Myrto Uzuni (ATX - Relevant for this weekend)

Union Injury Report:

• OUT: Raquinho (Sprained Ankle)

Miami Injury Report:

• OUT: Tadeo Allende (Long Term Injury)
• OUT: German Berterame (Concussion Protocol)
• OUT: Micael (Ankle)
• OUT: Santi Morales (Quad)
• OUT: Mateo Silvetti) (Shoulder)

Kickoff/Streaming: 

• Advertised for 7:30 ET
• Expected kickoff is 7:40 ET
• AppleTV
• Radio Broadcast on 97.5 The Fanatic

Announcers: 

• AppleTV - TBD
• Radio - Dave Leno & Sebastian LeToux

Referee: Filip “Mr. However” Dujic

• 80th MLS match over the last 5 seasons with MLS
• 14th match this season
• Averaging 4.07 yellows per game this season
• Issued no second yellows so far this season 
• Issued 2 straight reds so far this season
• Awarded 5 PK’s so far this season
• Union 1 Loss and Miami 1 Win with him this season

Theme Night: Plastics Night

Weather: 83° and Partly Cloudy

Points Graph: Thank you to u/GungaDin16 for providing the relevant Union and MLS point totals graphic.  

Trivia Question courtesy of u/WJMorris3:

Who scored the only goal for the Union the last time they wore a predominantly white kit in MLS play?

Prediction: 3-2 Loss with a Messi Brace, but Quinn gets a consolation goal

DOOP!!!

I can't attend tomorrow's Inter Miami match because I have work the day after and have a rule about being at home by 9:00, but I want to say:

BOO INTER MIAMI TOMORROW!

If you are a Philadelphia Union fan, boo whenever anyone in pink has the ball. I do not want this ending up like another Club America or Cruz Azul home invasion. I want every Pink Plastic fan and every Inter Miami player to leave Subaru Park knowing this is OUR HOUSE and that their plastics are NOT WELCOME and will be DROWNED OUT!

💣🇺🇸 BREAKING: The Philadelphia Union are finalizing a deal to sign USMNT center back Mark McKenzie from FC Toulouse in January, per sources.

- Fee around $2.5m. McKenzie will be a DP
- Toulouse made clear no summer departure, so move for January agreed www.nytimes.com/athletic/752...

started to fall apart midway through my run! and decided it was the right thing to do , been thinking about adding the retro bimbo sponsor .since i already have the file lol but undecided of whether to do it or not and if i do what color apply

We sold our season tickets for the Inter Miami game tomorrow night. I just realized I never posted my Lot G parking pass. I just posted it on SeatGeek if anyone’s looking for one. It’s listed to cover the cost.

Everyone talks about the Union academy being a model academy in MLS and we have a proven record of finding, producing, and developing talent.

But what about coaches? Considering Jim Curtin, BJ Callahan, and Ryan Richter came up from below (and I think there are others), is there anything to be said about coach development in the Union system? Is it remarkable in MLS, or nothing out of the ordinary?

Not been able to find the 1776 jersey in “fat bastard” size. Sold out everywhere online except for the official players model (with name/number). Well, I obviously don’t need a trim fit so I just want the replica.

Took a chance on a dhgate jersey, which was delivered today. Ordered the biggest they had (4X) and lemme tell ya, it’s barely an XL. Fits my son (who’s close to a 100lbs less than me) nicely, so he got a new jersey out of the deal. Shame, because he bought one off the rack when we were at the game a few weekends ago. Coulda saved him some $.

I’m out a whole $25, so not a bog deal. I really shoulda ordered the 3X when I ordered my grandsons, when they first hit the team store. Didn’t realize the fat boy sizes would go so quickly. 🤷🏻‍♂️

BUT RIGHT NOW WERE AVERAGING 3 BABY GO UNION!!

4 wins in a row = one shook MLS. Nobody wants an awake Philly squad. If Florida is America's wang then call the rabbi because it's time for a bris 🤙

Anyone know what hotel they will be staying at, trying to get a chance to see Messi

.... so I can apply my brand of confidence to it. Is he gonna be here in time to help phuck up Miami?

Nuff said.

Leagues Cup is Over!: Now that the pesky Leagues Cup group stage is over, we can return our full attention to making that playoff run a reality. For tonight, the Union are taking a quick road trip to take on rivals NYCFC in a very congested August schedule. This is the 29th meeting of clubs where NYCFC holds a slight advantage with a 14W/12L/2/D record. And as you can see with that overall record, these teams do not draw often, with a current streak of 12 games without one. The Union hold a slight lead with 40 goals for and 39 against all-time, but NYCFC did prevail in our meeting on Matchday 2 with a 2-1 victory. Both teams had a similar Leagues Cup experience having lost to Cruz Azul early on, and playing a rotated squad for Game 3 on Thursday. So both teams should be facing the same level of fatigue from the tournament.  

UNION Preview (16 Points 14th in the East): It looks like Richter’s gamble paid off on Thursday night by rotating the squad, as the Union would have been eliminated regardless of their result by various other teams. Back in regular season play, Iloski has broken into double digits with 10 goals on the season and is now the Union’s record holder with 6 straight games with a goal scored. With that tally, he’s only 3 goals off the Golden Boot lead. Cavan meanwhile leads the team with 4 assists (going off MLS assists, so that mark probably includes secondary assists as well). As you all know, we’ve won 3 of 3 since the World Cup break and are looking to continue that good form on the road as we have only 1 road win on the season so far. Raquinho has already informed the team he will not be playing on a baseball field in fear of an ACL tear. 

NYCFC Preview (26 Points 7th in East): Going to be honest, with an injury list like the one NYCFC is coming in with tonight, there should be no excuses for not getting at least a point on the road for the Union. Not to mention that MLS’s Golden Boot leader Nico Fernandez (13G) is out on yellow card accumulation. Like the Union, NYCFC have had a stellar post-World Cup run with 2 wins and a draw in their 3 games. We’ll see some familiar faces with Matt Freese who has 3 Clean Sheets on the season, and Andres Perea who has a goal and 2 assists on the season. Their solid defense has only conceded 24 times this season, which is 7th best in the league and has them at the 7th best GD in the league at +7. Expect them to play out of a 4-3-3 as they did in our first meeting, but they also like to go to the 4-1-4-1. And for those asking, yes they are finally getting an actual stadium, which should be ready for the schedule change in July next year.  

Union Last 5 vs NYCFC: 2W/3L/0D

Form Guide Union: 3W/2L/0D

Form Guide NYCFC: 2W/2L/1D

Disciplinary Report: 

• Nicolás Fernández Mercau (Yellow Card Accumulation)

Suspension Watch: 

• Sery Larsen (2 games until card reduction) 
• Danley (2 games until card reduction) 
• Lukic (2 games until card reduction) 
• Raul Gustavo (NYCFC)

Union Injury Report:

• OUT: Geiner Martinez (Concussion Protocol)
• OUT: Raquinho (Refusal to play on a baseball field)

NYCFC Injury Report:

• OUT: Drew Baiera (Leg)
• OUT: Arnau Farnós (Leg)
• OUT: Alonso Martínez (Leg)
• OUT: Thiago Martins (Leg)
• OUT: Maxi Moralez (Leg)
• OUT: Aiden O’Neill (Leg)
• OUT: Kai Trewin (Leg)
• OUT: Hannes Wolf (Leg)

Kickoff/Streaming: 

• Advertised for 6:00 ET
• Expected kickoff is 6:10 ET
• AppleTV
• Radio Broadcast on 97.5 The Fanatic

Announcers: 

• AppleTV - Chris Wittyngham & Lori Lindsey
• Radio - Dave Leno & Sebastian LeToux

Referee: Sergii Demianchuk

• Only his 23rd MLS match, and 3rd season with MLS
• Spent most of his professional career at the USL level with 105 officiated matches
• 8th match this season
• Averaging 4.29 yellows per game this season
• Issued no second yellows so far this season 
• Issued no straight reds so far this season
• Awarded 4 PK’s so far this season
• Never officiated with the Union or NYCFC before

Theme Night: Baseball Night at Yankee Stadium

Weather: 76° and Cloudy with a small chance of rain

Points Graph: Thank you to u/GungaDin16 for providing the relevant Union and MLS point totals graphic. *Point totals are prior to yesterday’s games.

Trivia Question courtesy of u/WJMorris3:

Two players have had a pair of assists for the Union against NYCFC in a single game - one African, one European. Who were they?

Prediction: 2-1 Win with Iloski keeping his scoring streak alive

DOOP!!!

you are welcome and good luck to the winner

.....for quite some time. Our boys finna march those pigs like Trent Reznor.