Union
Thursday night, the Philadelphia Union kicked off the 2026 campaign in the Concacaf Champions Cup. Down in Trinidad and Tobago, the Union would down Defense Force FC 5-0. Now, the Union looks to stay hot as they open the MLS season in DC.
Tore Through the Force
Defense Force FC truly struggled to keep up with the Union. Despite the Union taking about half an hour to knock some preseason rust off, the last hour of the match was dominated by the boys in blue.
Milan Iloski got the party started in the 29th minute with a great free-kick goal. Then, Ezekiel Alladoh wasted no time showing Union fans what he can do. Alladoh got open in the box and sent a free header to the back of the net. Something Union fans are hoping will be common in 2026.
Despite the commanding 5-0 scoreline, the Union was far from its strongest starting 11. The reasons for that likely range from squad integration for new players, a few preseason knocks, and keeping legs fresh for a short recovery to DC. Ale Bedoya started in his usual spot down the right of the midfield, as fans were surprised to see Jeremy Rafanello start at right back.
Perhaps the most exciting takeaway is prodigy Cavan Sullivan starting the year firing. Sullivan would win a penalty kick and notch his first-ever assist with the Union in his time on as a substitute. Ultimately, Union head coach Bradley Carnell would say postgame that it is the sharpest he has seen young Sullivan look so far.
This Thursday, the Union will look to close out Defense Force in Chester, healthily. After that, they will be on to the next round of the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Off to DC
Now, the Union takes off the CCC hat and looks to MLS action kicking off. The Union will kick off the defense of the Supporters Shield against I-95 rivals DC United. There is more to the story than just the rivalry between the Union and DC. This will be the Union’s first time seeing their golden boot of 2025, Tai Baribo.
Baribo was traded to DC United early into the Union’s winter restructure of the roster. There is no doubt that Baribo will be eager to show his former team what they will be missing out on.
Simultaneously, DC United should be eager to try and flip what has recently been a one-sided rivalry. The Union has had DC’s number. In just the last 5 meetings, the Union has 4 wins, 1 draw, and a total scoreline of 18-3. Go back a few more seasons, and it just gets uglier for DC, including a 7-0 defeat to the Union in 2022.
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