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Preseason matches are futile to read too much into, beginning with the starting XI and continuing to the final score but thanks to a stream fans were able to get their first glimpse of the Union playing in a game under new head coach Bradley Carnell against the Czech League leaders. Considering it was a team playing their first match of the year against a team three days away from Europa League, it wasn’t too bad (unlike their last overseas preseason friendly).

In the email today:

1. 📚 One in the Books

Twenty-six of the 29 players on the travel roster got a run in as the Philadelphia Union fell 1-0 to SK Slavia Prague Sunday morning in a match that was mostly lopsided in favor of a team three days out from a Europa League clash with PAOK of Greece.

Though there were promising signs to take away, the match in Marbella, Spain looked more or less like what you’d expect from a team just a week into preseason. Moments of brilliance followed by sequences of sloppy play. SK Slavia Prague had little trouble breaking the Union press or creating dangerous chances but also didn’t have their finishing boots on with Andrew Rick making multiple saves to deny them a second during a fantastic half hour shift.

Even with their leading scorer and playmaker both out of the lineup – along with a few other core players in the spine of the team – Slavia Prague looked as they should to start a Europa League match day week. The Union, however, looked their best early in each of the two halves as they looked to disrupt Slavia Prague’s combination play and create chances off quick strikes in transition.

Mojmír Chytil was the beneficiary of some fine play that led to the game’s only goal. A big switch of play from the right flank to the left by Mikulas Konecny gave Malick Diouf time and and space to pick out a left footed diagonal cross to the back post where Chytil was there to hit it home in the 24th minute. The Red and Whites thought they had doubled their lead in the 36th minute when Diouf hit home a David Zima cross off a free kick but the offside flag was up.

Union head coach Bradley Carnell started his rotations shortly after the play and again at halftime. The first few minutes of the second half were all slanted toward the Union as Cavan and Quinn had their first chance to cook together in the attack of 2025. After not registering a shot in the first half, the brothers quickly combined to create the first shot just into the half with Cavan running into space in the box to collect a cut back pass and hitting a shot that forced Ales Mandous to make a diving save to his right. The 15-year-old Union prospect also had a shot inside the D moments later that went high of the target.

After the quick shot of adrenaline from the Union, SK Slavia Prague settled back in and were able to break through the Union press at times with ease, break lines with sharp passes and put the Union defense on their back heel. Whether it was Rick making a stop or Neil Pierre deflecting a final ball or winning a header, Carnell’s youngest lineup of the match was able to hold them off and keep the scoreline a respectable one. Cavan and David Vazquez had a couple more moments going forward – Markus Anderson could’ve done better with a ball he played into him – but the equalizer wasn’t to be found.

Still, the first outing for the Union of 2025 – and the first under Carnell – had plenty to be optimistic about. The young players we heard so much about when Jim Curtin was fired held their own, Ian Glavinovich looks like he fits like a glove in the Union back line and Nick Pariano deputizing at right back for the second half showed their might just be some tactical flexibility and creativity we hadn’t yet thought of to be found this season.

While Carnell will largely be playing the same system dictated from above to Curtin, he seems poised at the very least to use more players and to give more minutes to young players off the bench to keep the intensity going in the latter stages of matches. The roster isn’t complete and there wasn’t a minute played with what you would expect would be the opening day starting XI on the field but things appear to be trending in the right direction so far. Now we wait until the next game Sunday to see if there’s a stream available.

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2. 📢 Jack McGlynn Golazo Leads USMNT in win over Venezuela

Beating up on Venezuela’s B squad isn’t really anything to get too excited about but Jack McGlynn’s golazo in the first half of that 3-1 win and his Man of the Match performance are getting the attention it well deserves.

Making just his second appearance and first start for the senior national team, the 21-year-old Philadelphia Union midfielder made the most of the chance and scored a 30-yard screamer to put the U.S. up 1-0 at the time. He also had an assist on the third goal of the day setting up penalty kick theft (and misser) Matklo Miljevic’s second half strike.

McGlynn’s call-up is still somewhat shrouded in mystery since his Union teammates were blocked but if it was to showcase him for a potential sale Saturday’s outing was a smashing success for all parties.

3. 🪨 Tweet of the Day: Doomed

4. 💧 Water Cooler: Union Man of the Match

5. 🔗 Link Roundup

• Ryan Richter was finally announced as the new Philadelphia Union II head coach. The original captain of the team formerly known as Bethlehem Steel is the fourth head coach of the club.

• Hatfield native and Ocean City Nor’easters and Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals star Josh Jones won’t be going far to start his career, signing with Louisville City FC for the 2025 season.

• Philadelphia native Femi Awodesu has been promoted to the first team by the Houston Dynamo after a successful stint as a rookie in MLS Next Pro.

• Temple and YSC Academy grad Kemali Green has signed on with first year USL League One team Portland Hearts of Pine.

• Irishman Keith Conway has been named the new head coach of Rosemont men’s soccer.

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