Union open Concacaf Champions League Quarterfinals against Atlas FC at Subaru Park

Jim Curtin wasn’t thrilled with his side’s performance against Sporting Kansas City, but after a pair of losses in which the Union gave up early goals, a 0-0 draw is a first step toward recovering the club’s 2022 form. 

But long-term thinking is for the MLS regular season. The Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League Quarterfinals, which resumes Tuesday night, is just two 90 minute matches with seven days and a trip to Cincinnati in between. Play well now or go home. 

Philly is hosting Liga MX powerhouse Atlas FC in the first leg of the quarters, which means the club needs to walk away with a win if they want Atlas to chase, stretch, and concede at home on April 12. Last Saturday, Curtin highlighted how his team is currently dwelling on errors instead of turning the page, and a big emphasis on Tuesday will be on putting together a cohesive performance from start to finish. That means generating shots on the counter and making the final step into tackles in the defensive third. The Union are still immensely talented and can go blow-for-blow with an Atlas side that currently sits midtable in Liga MX with a 2-7-4 record. But they need to re-inject the swagger that helps them become elite. 

The swagger comes through in combination plays at the top of the attacking third, and in the directness of the first pass after a turnover. It’s expressed in a willingness to make runs off the ball to test and tease a defense instead of waiting to make the run most likely to receive the ball. The speed and certainty of the team’s off-the-ball movement is a barometer of the Union’s confidence and a measure of the gap between their current and peak forms; on Tuesday night, Philly needs that gap to be small. 

Atlas is led by Julian Quinones and Jonathan Herrera. The former scores and the latter dishes out helpers while occasionally chipping in with one of his own. Over the past two weeks, these two have combined for 7 goals and an assist. Atlas is 2-0-1 over that span, with a pair of 4-0 wins giving way to a wild 3-3 draw last weekend against Chivas Guadalajara in Clasico Tapatio, 

Carrying that form — which includes wins over Olimpia in CCL and mid-table Puebla in Liga MX — into Philly will be incredibly difficult, and the visitors will be looking for an early goal to knock the Union on their heels or a set piece finish. 

The Liga MX side will also look to their defense to rebound after the wild showdown with Chivas. A clasico is always a different beast than a typical game, and there’s reason to believe the three goals conceded to Veljko Paunovic’s Chivas were an anomaly. Atlas is able to field four defenders who have appeared in 12 of their 13 league contests this year, and that consistency can be key when traveling to an unfamiliar ground. Plus, a looming leg 2 at home means the visitors can be content with even a close loss at Subaru Park as long as they pick up a goal or two and put themselves in a strong position to close things out in Estadio Jalisco. 

Get ready for an epic matchup when the Union and Atlas face off on April 4. Both clubs are looking for a result to kick start their seasons, and Philly needs a full-throated home atmosphere to help put them in a good position for leg 2 in Guadalajara on April 12. 

Kickoff from Subaru Park is set for 8:00 p.m. ET and the match will be televised live on FS1 and TUDN. Tickets are still available but going fast so grab yours now.