MLS is Back and soccer returns to Chester tonight with the Chicago Fire on the cold weather home opening slate. The big news heading into the game is that Andre Blake will be a game-time decision but Jim Curtin’s side is otherwise healthy and ready to be back for a Saturday/Tuesday two-gamer with Saprissa on deck.

In the email today:

1. 🏟️ MLS is So Back

After a thrilling first leg of the Champions Cup in San Juan, Costa Rica, the dawn of a new MLS regular season beckons at Subaru Park. The Union, aiming to build off a strong second-half performance against Deportivo Saprissa, set their sights on the Chicago Fire this weekend, trying to begin their MLS campaign on the right foot before shifting their focus to a second-leg cup draw next week.

As for the Chicago Fire, the trip to Chester will provide the club with its first meaningful match of 2024. The Fire, who finished 13th in the Eastern Conference last season with a record of 10-14-10, enter this season with various changes to the lineup and managerial staff. Frank Klopas returns to the head coaching position in Chicago for the second time in his career. As a former player, coach, and now member of Chicago’s Ring of Fire, a sense of familiarity within the locker room may be what the Fire needed to improve from last season.

Additionally, the match at Subaru Park will be the first minutes for defender Chase Gasper, who transferred to Chicago from the Houston Dynamo, U.S. international and former LAFC player Kellan Acosta, and most prominently, Hugo Cuypers from Belgian Club KAA Genk. These players, along with returning stars such as Xherdan Shaqiri, Chris Mueller, and former Philadelphia Union forward Fabian Herbers, look to start the 2024 season strong and reach the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2017.

For the Boys in Blue, the inaugural match of the MLS Regular Season comes sandwiched between a two-leg Champions Cup draw with Saprissa. After an abysmal first half sent the U to the dressing room down a goal, the squad responded emphatically, netting three goals in 24 minutes, all of which came from the boot of Julian Carranza. The match finished in a 3-2 Union victory, with the tie’s second leg coming this Tuesday at Subaru Park.

When asked about the differentiation between the first and second halves of the match last Tuesday, Curtin said, “We leaned on our cohesiveness and remained calm… we showed in the second half what we are capable of and what we’re about.”

When looking at the lineup for the Union, there are various questions regarding injuries and rest minutes with the Champions Cup looming. Most importantly, Andre Blake, who picked up a strain mid-match against Saprissa, will be a game-time decision. Oliver Semmle would be the man to fill Blake’s shoes if he could not play, making the match Semmle’s debut for the U. Oliver moved to Philadelphia over the offseason from Louisville City FC. Curtin commented that the club feels confident with him between the sticks for the club when Blake is not available.

An addition to the squad from the Saprissa match will be veteran center-back Jack Elliott. Entering his seventh season with the Boys in Blue, Elliott provides an essential piece to the Blue and Gold backline that ranks among the best in the league over the last few seasons. Curtin also discussed the importance of depth for the Union this year, highlighting the contributions made by Alejandro Bedoya and Jesus Bueno from the bench.

This match should feature a variety of players, limiting the starters’ minutes to emphasize the importance of the Champions Cup for the team. The notion of rest brings homegrowns such as Quinn Sullivan, who played 91 minutes against Saprissa on Tuesday, to the eyes of the Union faithful. Curtin discussed Sullivan’s maturity and growth over recent years, claiming that “we had two really good, mature plays from him,” one of which led to the go-ahead goal from Julian Carranza in the second half. Sullivan proved integral to the reserves toward the end of last season, and one would expect his youth and growing impact on the club to shine in the condensed start to the season.

The return to Subaru Park also motivates the squad to continue making the stadium a fortress for the home side. “This [Subaru Park] has become the hardest place to play in this league,” Curtin proclaimed, “The group is comfortable in this building.”

The comfort is exemplified in results, as the Boys in Blue have only dropped four matches since the 2020 season in Chester.

You can catch the Philadelphia Union against the Chicago Fire with the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

-Brady Ferguson

2. 🧤 From German lower divisions and college titles to success in Louisville, Oliver Semmle seasoned for his age

When the Philadelphia Union went out looking for a new backup goalkeeper during the offseason, they found a player who fit the profile in the USL Championship coming off a strong rookie season with Louisville City FC.

Now less than a month since joining the team, 25-year-old Oliver Semmle might not have long to wait to make his MLS debut. Star goalkeeper Andre Blake will be a game-time decision with a right abductor injury, leaving open the possibility of one of the team’s newest arrivals stepping in on opening night against the Chicago Fire.

“We see a guy that progressed and is ready for this next step so if he’s called upon tomorrow, I know he’ll be ready,” head coach Jim Curtin said Friday. “The backline has full confidence in him and he’s done really well in training so far, getting acclimated to his team.”

The Union paid a six-figure transfer fee (Transfermarkt lists the fee at around $116,000) after a season that saw him step in and lock down the goalkeeper position with 31 appearances. Holden Trent, who was drafted 13 picks before Semmle in last year’s draft – is also on the first team roster but he’s had a couple injury concerns so far in his second campaign.

Semmle won two national championships while in college at Monroe College (NJCAA) and Marshall (NCAA) after coming to the U.S. from his native Germany, where he played in the lower divisions with Karlsruher SC’s reserve team.

Louisville City signed Semmle after he didn’t make the team in preseason camp with the Colorado Rapids, which drafted him 41st overall.

Louisville City FC goalkeeper coach Scott Budnick said Semmle came in as a rookie a little more seasoned than most rookie keepers coming out of college. His maturity for his age was quickly apparent, Budnick said.

“He’s psychologically strong, which is important,” Budnick said. “He doesn’t get too too flustered and frustrated, which is an important trait to have. I know he played in Germany in some of the lower divisions so he wasn’t coming in as someone matriculating from high school to college and college into the pros.”

3. 💪 Tweet of the Day: Back Home Tonight

4. 💧 Water Cooler: Worst Goal Result

5. 🔗 Link Roundup

• Joaquin Torres’ loan to Chile was announced earlier this week. He’ll be at Universidad Catalico for the duration of the 2024 season.

• JP Dellacamera and Sebastien Le Toux will be on the call for 97.5. The Fanatic tonight. You can switch to the home broadcast on Apple TV or tune in on the radio or web.

• A day after learning that Argentina is coming in March, the announcement was made yesterday that Liverpool and Arsenal will play at Lincoln Financial Field in July.

• Matthew DeGeorge has an article for the Delco Times on Alejandro Bedoya’s new role with the Union this season.

• Evan Cohen shares his realistic expectations for the Philadelphia Union this season.

• Union assistant coach Ryan Richter will be inducted into the La Salle University Athletic Hall of Fame in April.

• Voorhees, N.J. native Dawson McCartney, a YSC Academy grad, has joined Birmingham Legion FC ahead of the USL Championship season.

• The USWNT advanced in Concacaf W Gold Cup after another lopsided win.

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