Philadelphia Union will renew their rivalry on Wednesday, hosting New York City FC for a contested battle at Subaru Park. Don't miss the latest chapter with coverage on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV!
Head Coach Jim Curtin’s squad enters the match with a hunger for points after dropping their last three home matches in uncharacteristic fashion, falling to Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders, and Orlando City SC. They had one away match amidst those disappointing results, stealing one point on a road against D.C. to make their current total 14.
The past month’s results have been a far cry from Philadelphia Union’s hot start to the season that saw them go seven straight league games without a loss. A hard-fought pair of matches against Western Conference opponents splintered their solid start placing them at ninth in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, their rivals in New York City have fared a bit better, sitting at fifth place in the standings with five wins, two draws, and five losses so far in 2024.
In his fourth season on the squad, 24-year-old Uruguayan midfielder Santiago RodrÃguez has had an impressive start to the season, matching his former season-high in goals through just 12 games played. He’s scored five so far, leading the team above Julián Fernández and Alonso MartÃnez who’ve each hit the back of the net twice.
Former Union midfielder Andrés Perea was officially traded to the New York City side in January after playing with them on loan for several months, and he’s recently stepped into his own, scoring his first goal of the season in New York City’s 3-2 win against Toronto FC on Saturday. He’ll return to Subaru Park as an opponent for the first time since his trade was completed, which is an experience his teammate, Matt Freese knows well. The 25-year-old Union Homegrown from Wayne made the move to New York City ahead of the 2023 season and has since claimed the starting goalkeeping spot, starting all twelve of the team’s matches.
Meanwhile, the Union side has leaned on a rookie keeper for the lion’s share of its matches, sending in Oliver Semmle to back up Andre Blake who’s been battling an lingering injury. Semmle has played in nine games for the Union, and Curtin announced he’ll be the starter again on Wednesday.
Curtin and New York City FC’s Head Coach Nick Cushing could utilize their depth and rotation in this week's match, as both sides have another game in quick succession on Saturday. For NYCFC, their upcoming match is a highly anticipated one, as it’s the first New York Derby fixture of the year against Red Bull, while the Union will take on the conference’s bottom team in New England Revolution on Saturday.
Related Stories
Related Stories
