Philadelphia Union will be back at Subaru Park on Friday, August 11 to host Queretaro F.C. in a contested Leagues Cup Quarterfinal matchup that will decide which team will earn a spot in the tournament’s Semifinal round. Don't miss the action with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.
“47 teams have entered this competition. It's been a very, very good competition with a lot of talented teams, and eight remain. We have a chance now to get to the final four, and we're excited for that," said Head Coach Jim Curtin on Thursday ahead of the team's matchup against their familiar foe.
A second win against Queretaro would bring yet another Leagues Cup game to Subaru Park on Tuesday, Aug. 15, with Philadelphia hosting the winner of the Charlotte F.C. vs Inter Miami CF match which kicks off at 8:30PM on Friday. Though it’s becoming increasingly likely that the Florida side’s newest roster additions in Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets could soon play in the Union’s beloved fortress, Head Coach Jim Curtin expressed that the team is solely locked-in on the opponent ahead.
“We don't say the M-word at all this week. We were solely focused on Queretaro,” Curtin said.
Friday’s game marks the pair’s second meeting in the past month, first facing off in the Leagues Cup group stage on July 22nd. Philadelphia handily won that match 5-1 with a hat trick from Daniel Gazdag plus goals from homegrowns Nate Harriel and Jack McGlynn. Though the four-goal victory is still fresh in the minds of Union faithful, the team hasn’t overlooked the Mexican side. Since their loss at Subaru Park, Queretaro has found their footing in the tournament, winning their subsequent three games against both Liga MX and MLS opponents.
“You're seeing a team that has grown into the tournament. Yes, we did beat them, but beating the team twice in this quick amount of time is very, very hard to do,” said Head Coach Jim Curitn, acknowledging the challenge ahead.
The squad defeated Liga MX’s Club Tijuana and Pumas UNAM by matching 1-0 scorelines then knocked off the New England Revolution in the Round of 16 in a shootout, netting four penalties to advance.
In addition to a three-win confidence booster, Queretaro made a notable personnel change since their first visit to Subaru Park, replacing goalkeeper Alejandro Arana with 22-year-old Fernando Tapia who’s on loan from Club América. Since taking over as Queretaro’s starting net protector, Tapia has made 12 saves, conceding just one goal. On the offensive side, right-back Jaime Gómez Valencia, forward Angel Sepúlveda, and defender Emanuel Gularte have each found the back of the net.
As for Philadelphia, they’ve won their slate of Leagues Cup games by a six goal differential so far, maintaining dominance despite the absence of team captain Alejandro Bedoya due to a quadriceps injury, though he’s on track to rejoin the team should they make it to the Semifinal round. Midfielder Daniel Gazdag leads the team’s Leagues Cup push with four goals, but after suffering a Grade 1 knee sprain in the team’s Tuesday Round of 16 match against New York Red Bulls, he’ll be sidelined for Friday’s match.
Defender Nate Harriel and forward Julian Carranza sit behind Gazdag in the team’s scoring leaderboard, each with two goals so far. On Tuesday against Red Bulls, Harriel scored a header off a Kai Wagner cross for the second time in the tournament, doubling his all-time Union goal total to four.
“Reflecting back on the Red Bulls game, I thought we had a strong second half that got us the win and gained us momentum. It's about surviving and advancing. We played a Queretaro team that we played earlier in the competition. Yes, we were able to beat them. The score line was a little bit unfair, I thought of their performance, and again, it's a team that has been kind of galvanized and has been really strong and growing throughout the competition,” Curtin said.
“They just beat a very, very good New England team. They have an extra day rest compared to us, which is a huge advantage when you're playing in quick succession now, and they're a very well coached and organized team. So we expect a tough test. We know we have to play at our max, and we're fortunate to be here at Subaru Park.”
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