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From a season where it felt like the Philadelphia Union were going to always find a way to win to this season, the decline has been swift and inexplicable. Five games into the MLS season, the Philadelphia Union have zero points. Zero. The international break appears to be the only defense against losing at this point. Time to get things right.

In the email today:

1. 🐍 Union Woes Continue with Loss to Chicago

The Philadelphia Union keep digging a deeper hole for themselves, losing for the fifth straight time on Saturday to the Chicago Fire at home in a match where the game felt further out of reach in the second half than the scoreline suggests.

Coming off a respectable 1-1 draw to Club America in their Champions Cup exit in Mexico, the Union looked like the better team in the early stages of the match on Saturday afternoon but it was the Gregg Berhalter-coached Fire that struck first in the third minute of stoppage time when Hugo Cuypers headed in an Andrew Gutman cross from the left flank.

Stunned after conceding first for the fifth straight game – and for the fourth time in the first half – the Union took advantage of a lengthy chunk of stoppage time added for a head injury to Philip Zinckernagel to find an equalizer.

Milan Iloski was the beneficiary of a flick from Alejandro Bedoya off a long throw from Frankie Westfield into the box and Iloski was able to loop a header in to tie the game 1-1 in the 7th minute of stoppage time. Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady initially took a step forward on the play and was unable to keep the ball from going in.

Where the Union have been better in the second half than the first this season, the second half did not build on the late heroics of the first. Instead, the Union looked flat and likely tired from the midweek travel to Mexico City.

After finding a goal on one of their few clear chances in the first half, the Fire attack created multiple opportunities in the second, including the game-winning goal produced in the 58th minute by Jonathan Bamba. Sloppy play in the Union attack created the opportunity for the Fire going the other way and a ball played in by Robin Lod to Cuypers set up a cross that Bamba volleyed past Andre Blake at the back post.

The Union had opportunities in the final half hour to level the score but it was Chicago that looked the likelier to tack on with Maren Haile-Selassie just missing wide in the 63rd minute and Lod hitting the crossbar in the 83rd minute. Iloski had a couple of looks and Nathan Harriel nearly connected from close range but the xG battle won by Chicago 2.8-0.8 was indicative of the way the second half and the season so far has gone for the reigning Supporters’ Shield winners who five weeks in at the international break are the only team in MLS without a point.

You have to go all the way back to the inaugural season for a comparison to the futility of the Union’s start. The Union lost five of their first six games but at least could hang their hat on the 3-2 win in the home opener at the Linc thanks to a Sébastien Le Toux hat trick. This team has to replay highlights of their 12-0 thrashing over two legs against Defence Force FC to find a pulse.

Saturday’s latest disappointment – on Kids Day of all days – closes the book on March. They’ll open April with a visit to Charlotte FC on April 4 in a building they’ve never won in.

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2. 🏋️ Union Enter International Break with Work to Do

The Philadelphia Union’s 2-1 loss to Chicago Fire FC on Saturday was a bitter ending to a positive beginning. After taking the first-half momentum with an equalizer deep in stoppage time, the Union were overpowered by the Fire in the second half.

This loss marks the Union’s fifth MLS loss in a row and keeps them at the bottom of the MLS. The Union is also the only MLS team with 0 points after the first five games.

Union head coach Bradley Carnell went with Alejandro Bedoya as the starting captain for this match, giving him and Cavan Sullivan their first MLS start of the 2026 season. Carnell also returned to the 4-4-2 formation with another defensive lineup: Frankie Westfield, Nathan Harriel, Olwethu Makhanya, and Philippe Ndinga.

The first half was a good showing for the Union. They showed high energy and high pressure as they did in past games this season. The game seemed to be played mainly on Chicago’s side of the field.

Looking at the first half from a tactical perspective, the fullbacks, Westfield and Ndinga, pushed really high, while Danley Jean Jacques covered the back when the Union had possession. This ultimately left a three-back defense to defend the Fire’s counterattacks.

Something that doesn’t go unnoticed with the Union’s defense is the marking on crosses and through balls. Multiple marking mistakes this season led to multiple goals. Chicago’s two goals were both a result of bad marking on crosses from the Union’s defensive line.

“You have to be the better defensively, but you have to be better on both ends of the ball,” Bedoya said. “It’s just simply not good enough from guys that we expect to do better. The quality has to be better.”

The Union’s goal came right before halftime. A long throw-in from Westfield and a pop-up header from Bedoya found Milan Iloski, who headed the ball over the Fire’s goalkeeper, Chris Brady, to tie the game.

The second half was where things started to fall apart for the Boys in Blue, particularly in the final third. The passes were moving upfield, but the passes into the box and into shooting range were not connecting.

“Unfortunately, we made too many mistakes with the reactions that got away from us. You know, the follow actions to the bad pass or the bad touch or whatever it was… We can’t get shots off. We can’t organize and arrange our feet and what have you,” Carnell said in his post-game conference.

In the post-game conference, Carnell said that the team is “a little fragile.” However, he notices the players are still putting in their 100% during this downward slope.

“I don’t see anyone shying away. I don’t see anyone not taking responsibility. I don’t see anyone not taking ownership or accountability,” Carnell said. “The guys are hurting, but it’s my job to help them with the basics and kind of go down two levels.”

This was the last game before the international break, which comes at a very important time for the Union.

“We need a mental and physical break, I think, from how we started, and just make sure that we can finally put in a proper week of full training,” Bedoya said. “We haven’t been able to properly work on things because of the Champions Cup… But now it’s time to turn the page, we’re out of that competition. The focus has to be on league play now and make sure we get proper training sessions in.”

This break is crucial for the Union. Carnell said this time needs to be “a calibration.” It needs to be an assessment of where the team stands and what needs to be done to reverse the downward slope.

For Bedoya, the message is simple.

“Like I said, from top down, man, the club, the team, everybody’s got to take a hard look in the mirror at how the season has started and where we are at this moment,” Bedoya said. “…the fans deserve a lot better than this. It’s simply not good enough. This is supposed to be our fortress at home, and we’re losing, cheaply. It’s ridiculous.”

3.💧Water Cooler: Mood Check Results

Wonder if the results would be different after Saturday.

Did performance against America give you hope?

🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ A Little (9)
🟨🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️ Ask Me After Saturday (9)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 They Still Didn't Score from Open Play (11)
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Talked Me Down from the Ledge (2)
⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Let's Go Win MLS Cup!!!! (0)
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Other (3)
34 Votes

via @beehiiv polls

4. ⛓️‍💥 Social Post of the Day: No Union Game

5. 🔗 Link Roundup

• Greg Oldfield profiled Philadelphia Union II head coach Ryan Richter for Backyard Pitches.

• George Marks stood on his head (and scored in the shootout) to lead Union II to a thrilling two-point performance at Red Bull II.

• Five players from Princeton University helped bolster West Chester United in their cupset bid last week against Loudoun United in the U.S. Open Cup.

• Andre Blake and the Reggae Boyz have a massive game tomorrow against New Caledonia in a FIFA World Cup playoff semifinal.

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