Preseason is underway at the Marbella Football Center in Spain and thanks to SK Sigma Solomouc Philadelphia Union fans were able to get their first glance at the 2026 team, which included three newcomers and a couple familiar faces from Philadelphia Union II. It looked like you would expect for a team playing its first game in preseason but there were plenty of positives and developments from the first of five preseason matches.

In the email today:

1. 👕 Union Open Preseason with 1-1 Draw

Stas Korzeniowski picked up right where he left off late in the season with Philadelphia Union II, scoring the Philadelphia Union’s first goal of 2026 with a first half goal against Sigma Olomouc in a preseason friendly on Tuesday morning at Marbella Football Center.

Captain Alejandro Bedoya registered the assist on Korzeniowski’s goal in the 9th minute and fellow Union II standout Giovanny Sequera started the goal-scoring play with an interception on the right flank.

The Union held onto the lead past the hour mark but Tihomir Kostadinov headed in the equalizer in the 73rd minute off a long cross. The Czech Republic team had several chances to add another but Union goalkeeper George Marks stepped up to make a couple key saves.

Union head coach Bradley Carnell fielded two XIs, swapping out the team in the second half and also used academy striker Malik Jakupovic, CJ Olney and Sal Olivas off the bench.

Newcomers Japhet Sery Larsen, Ezekiel Alladoh and Finn Sundstrom all saw their first action in a Union uniform while Ben Bender and Frankie Westfield each took a half playing left back. Andre Blake, Neil Pierre (on his way out on loan?), Quinn Sullivan (injured) and Markus Anderson are the only currently rostered players that didn’t make an appearance in the first of five preseason matches scheduled.

While the result was respectable the game looked like a first preseason match for the Union, which had some good moments but also some sloppy lapses too, which is not unexpected at this point in their preparations for the 2026 campaign. They’ll get a couple more days of training in before their next match at Marbella against FC Nordsjælland on Friday morning.

Lineups
First Half Starting XI: Andrew Rick, Gio Sequera, Japhet Sery Larsen, Olwethu Makhanya, Ben Bender, Danley Jean Jacques, Jesus Bueno, Alejandro Bedoya, Milan Iloski, Stas Korzeniowksi, Ezekiel Alladoh

Second Half Starting XI: George Marks, Olivier Mbaizo, Finn Sundstrom, Nathan Harriel, Frankie Westfield, Jovan Lukic, Jeremy Rafanello, Indiana Vassilev, Cavan Sullivan, Eddie Davis III, Bruno Damiani

2. 🏟️ Bradley Carnell Preaching Positional Flexibility

By Owen Boyle

Philadelphia Union head coach, Bradley Carnell, and Director of Academy and Professional Development, Jon Scheer, met with the media on Friday morning for the Union’s preseason press conference, addressing offseason arrivals and departures, player development, and the club’s overall strategy heading into a season that will see the team participate in three major competitions. 

The Union will participate in Major League Soccer’s 34-game 2026 season, is guaranteed at least two games in the Concacaf Champions Cup and three Phase One matches in the Leagues Cup. There is a strong chance the Union will play more than the already guaranteed 39 competitive fixtures, with opportunities to advance in all three competitions. 

The last time the Union participated in those three competitions in a single season was 2024. They played 45 games, but missed the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Union played 41 games last season, only participating in MLS play and the U.S. Open Cup. 

With additional games comes the need for a bigger squad. The Union’s roster currently sits at 25, with an appetite to add more. 

“We want to look at our whole squad in terms of the first team and the second team in a way that we feel we have enough pieces to help us in what will be a busy first half of the season, leading into a World Cup where there is a break,” Jon Scheer said. “As we mentioned, we are not done, we’re gonna be adding, and there will be news here shortly where you’ll start to see some of those pieces come in.”

Read More

3.💧Water Cooler: Outlook

4. 🎤 Social Post of the Day: You’ll Never Sing That

4. 🔗 Link Roundup

• Catch up on former Philadelphia Union players playing abroad in the latest DOOPing Overseas.

• Get Concacafed has a feature on Philadelphia Union and Jamaica star Andre Blake.

• South Jersey native Kelli McGroarty is continuing her soccer career down under.

• Mackenzie Pluck announced her retirement from professional soccer, the founder of Shawnee girls soccer passed away, the PIAA soccer finals are moving to Pittsburgh and more in the latest Philly Soccer notebook.

• Philadelphia-based Love City FC is joining the WPSL ahead of the 2026 season.

• Keep track of local college soccer signings and transfers with the Philadelphia Soccer Now College Signing Tracker.

• Keep track of local offseason local player movement with the Philadelphia Soccer Now Offseason Transfer Tracker.

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