The World Cup is over, MLS is Back and optimism has returned to the Philadelphia Union camp with the shock return of Kai Wagner and the time-tabled return of Quinn Sullivan from injury. The big question heading into Wednesday night is whether it will be enough to salvage the 2026 season.

In the email today:

With all the excitement of the World Cup, it’s understandable if you forgot about just how dreadful the first part of the season has been for the Philadelphia Union.

But even for a team with just one win in their first 15 there have been small glimmers of hope in recent weeks, if for no other reason than the belief that continued development of Cavan Sullivan and the return of his big brother from ACL injury. Things weren’t the same after Quinn went down last season and things have definitely not been the same since Kai Wagner signed with Birmingham City in England.

Wagner made an immediate impact in the Championship, but his heart never really left Philadelphia and when the chance to get the Best XI left back to Chester the retooled front office staff of the team jumped at the chance.

You could read it cynically as the Union paying more to get him back than they were paid to sell him, as proof of the flaw in the model of replacing veteran stars with unproven 20-year-olds from abroad or just appreciate that Wagner and his family are back where they felt so at home for seven seasons. If a left back ever deserved to be a designated player, it’s Kai Wagner.

Wagner’s presence will have an immediate impact both on the back line and the attack of the team while Quinn’s return when it is fully realized should be a shot in the arm to the attack that has come up short too often this season.

The climb from Wooden Spoon territory to playoff spot will be steep but in a league where every team is essentially starting anew it’s not insurmountable. If nothing else, the longer the possibility of playoff soccer lasts - or knockout competition success in Leagues Cup - the easier it will be to forget the spring ever happened.

Of course, no amount of marketing budget can convince anyone that MLS will be a cure for the World Cup hangover or that it won’t require a recalibration of expectations but this Wednesday will be a welcome return of hope to the banks of the Delaware River.

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The Ocean Nor’easters became the second team from the area to come up short against Vermont Green on their home field Sunday night in a 4-0 loss that ended their unbeaten season.

West Chester United came up short earlier in the summer in a loss to Vermont Green in the Hank Steinbrecher Cup final and playing in a similar atmosphere (sellout crowd of 2,700) the Nor’easters were unable to hold a Green attack that scored three times in the first half and added a fourth after halftime.

Berwyn, Pa. native Ryan Zellefrow had a goal and an assist for the defending USL League Two champions, which advanced to the Eastern Conference final with the victory.

West Chester United met a similar fate when they hosted New Haven United on Saturday at the WSFS Bank Sportsplex for the NPSL East Region final. West Chester knocked New Haven out of the East Region semifinal a year ago but were unable to repeat the feat in a 4-2 loss.

One final local amateur squad remains for the summer with Atlantic City FC taking on Met Oval in Queens tonight in The League for Clubs East Region final. The match was rescheduled to tonight due to storms on Saturday.

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