Eastern Conference leading Philadelphia Union start 2nd half of MLS season with short-handed test at home against Charlotte FC

“There’s no prizes for halfway through the season, there’s no silverware or hardware anywhere, and I can’t buy a loaf of bread at the bakery with 17 games done, so we have to perform, and the business end now is the next 17 games and it starts now on Saturday.”
-Union Head Coach Bradley Carnell

After a marvelous month of May and a short international break, the Philadelphia Union are back in action on Saturday night to officially kick off the 2nd half of the 2025 MLS Season as Charlotte FC makes their yearly visit to Subaru Park.

The Union, who went 6W-3D-0L in May across all competitions, come into matchday 19 against Charlotte FC sitting top of the Eastern Conference standings and just one point behind the Supporters Shield lead, a spot no one – not even Bradley Carnell – imagined the Blue and Gold faithful would be in heading into the 2nd half of the season. But Bradley Carnell knows the work isn’t done, and the Union must refocus on the remaining 17 games ahead of them.

Union, MLS — Image Credit: Philadelphia Union

How to watch Union vs Charlotte FC

When: Saturday, June 14th @ 7:30 pm
Where: Subaru Park, Chester, PA
Where to Watch: MLS Season Pass, Apple TV+

Philadelphia Union vs FC Dallas Betting Odds

Philadelphia Union: -125
Charlotte FC: +280
Draw: +280

Preview By The Numbers

*Current Form – Last 5 MLS Games*	Philadelphia Union: W, W, D, W, D	Charlotte FC: L, L, W, L, W
*Expected Goals:*	Philadelphia: 34.13 xG (4th best)	Charlotte FC: 31.98 xG (7th best)
*Total Goals Scored:*	Philadelphia Union: 32 goals scored (4th best)	Charlotte FC: 28 goals scored (T-8th best)
*Expected Conceded Goals:*	Philadelphia: 18.2 xGA (3rd best)	Charlotte FC: 26.2 xGA (T-18th best)
*Goals Conceded:*	Philadelphia Union: 18 goals conceded (T-4th best)	Charlotte FC: 27 goals conceded (T-7th worst)
*Top Goal-Scorers:*	Philadelphia: Baribo – 13 Damiani, Danley, Lukić, Uhre, Sullivan, Harriel – 2 Vassilev, Glesnes, Westfield, Glavinovich, Wagner – 1	Charlotte FC: Agyemang – 6 Abada, Biel – 5 Zaha – 4
*Top Assists Leaders:*	Philadelphia Union: Sullivan, Wagner – 7 Uhre – 4 Jean-Jacques, Westfield, Vassilev – 3	Charlotte FC: Biel – 7 Zaha – 3 Toklomati, Westwood – 2

Head To Head

The Philadelphia Union and Charlotte FC have met just seven times leading up to Saturday’s Eastern Conference clash. The Union holds a slight 3W-2D-2L advantage, but in those seven games, it has been outscored 8-6.

The all-time leading scorer in this matchup is Daniel Rios, who scored all four goals in a 4-0 win back in 2022 that sealed the Union’s Supporters Shield hopes that season.

“They have a lot of experienced guys on their team, they have some real weapons and players in the final third that can produce change, for sure they’re out [Patrick] Agyemang, which I think in anyone’s roster is a big loss, and I think Tim Ream is an excellent leader in the locker room as well. Pep Biel, I think he’s excellent, technical, plays between the lines, can finish on both sides, and brings others into play.”
– Head Coach Bradley Carnell

Charlotte FC’s Season So Far

Coming into Saturday’s match, Charlotte FC has a record of 8W-1D-8L and 25 points, good enough to currently claim the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Charlotte FC started 2025 off on a high note, going 6W-1D-2L in their first 9 games and outscoring opponents 16 to 7 while keeping 4 clean sheets during that span. Since then, Charlotte has struggled quite a bit, winning just 2 of their next 8 MLS matches and crashing out of the US Open Cup on penalties to DC United. During that span, Charlotte FC has been outscored by a total of 20 to 10 in league play.

“I think the competitive willingness of Zaha down the left hand side brings an edge to their game and sometimes using and edge, you say momentum a certain way, whether you pick up a foul, whether you make a challenge or have a certain moment, he has that ability to magnetize the team in a certain way with the momentum and that’s what we have to try and break, we have to stop the momentum especially at Subaru Park.”
– Head Coach Bradley Carnell

Union’s Season So Far

The Philadelphia Union enters the second half of the MLS season with a record of 10W-4D-3L and 34 points. This puts them at the top of the Eastern Conference standings and just 1 point off the Supporters’ Shield-leading Vancouver Whitecaps.

Currently on an 11-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, the Union just finished a near perfect month of May, during which they put together a record of 6W-3D-0L, outscored their opponents by a total of 18 to 11, kept two clean sheets, had 11 different goal scorers, and fielded nine unique starting XIs.

The Philadelphia Union is exceeding expectations halfway through 2025

Despite a great start to the season, Bradley Carnell knows the work is still just getting started, and the Union has a long way to go before it can really start celebrating its accomplishments this season.

“I just see cohesion, I just see spirit, team, fight, mentality, everything we spoke about that defines The Union, and defines this building, or defines us as a group, I think you’ve seen it in the month of May, and it’s been awesome to watch.“
– Head Coach Bradley Carnell

Union Predicted Starting XI

The Union will be missing several important players going into Saturday’s match due to international duty and injury. Quinn Sullivan, Nate Harriel, Danley Jean-Jacques, and Andre Blake are all set to miss several matches due to representing their country at the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Union will be without 4 starters thanks to Gold Cup callups

Ian Glavinovich, who hasn’t played since April 5th with a torn meniscus, is progressing well and getting closer to returning to action, but is still a few weeks out.

“Ian is still progressing, we’ve seen him on the field now, he’s running around, we’re slowly introducing the ball to him hopefully in the next couple of days, but we’ve got past the hump of “hopeful”, and now we’re trying to give him time to get ready and feel confident in the best way possible. So for me, there’s no date really, I’m just reassessing it and seeing, but it’s not anytime now in the next near future.“
– Head Coach Bradley Carnell

According to Carnell’s latest assessment, Mikael Uhre and Tai Baribo are both dealing with injuries that will keep both strikers out for a couple of games as well.

“Tai’s in Israel, he’s got a couple of appointments on the side there that he’s got to honor, and he used this opportunity now to honor that. So for us, he’s getting his treatment there, we have good connection with the national team a the doctors there he’s chosen to use, so he’s progressing in a really good way. Mikael was out on the field today running around, he still feels something, but it’s not a setback, he’s just progressing as usual, and I think we still have a bit of credit in terms of days we expect guys back, so I think they’re 10 to 12 days away maybe.”
– Head Coach Bradley Carnell

Formation: 4-2-2-2

GK: Rick
RB: Westfield, CB: Glesnes, CB: Makhanya, LB: Wagner
CDM: Lukic, CDM: Bueno
CAM: Bender, CAM: Vassilev
ST: Damiani, ST: Donovan

It’s going to have to be that “next man up” mentality for the Union, and Bradley Carnell doesn’t seem phased by that in the slightest. He cites the cohesion and commitment to the plan from every single player on the roster. If anything, guys getting opportunities in big moments excites Carnell, and it’s worked out at almost every step of the way so far.

“We could continue our 2 striker system with two 10’s, or we could flood it with three 10’s and a striker. I do feel we’ve created some depth in and around there, and I also think that based on the Atlas game, it shows guys are coming along in a real good way with Union II, thinking Eddy Davis, Marcus Anderson, Cavan [Sullivan], Ben Bender, so there’s been a few guys that have put their hands up – and in a real meaningful way – to be an option for us going forward here for the month.”
– Head Coach Bradley Carnell