Tuesday is here, it’s beautiful outside and the Philadelphia Union battle Saprissa at home tonight with a chance to advance in Concacaf Champions Cup play. Let’s get to it.

In the email today:

1. 🏟️ Union lead at 'halftime' but aren't underestimating Saprissa

Typically when you score three away goals in the first leg of an intercontinental competition you're sitting pretty returning home, but in the case of the Philadelphia Union and their tilt with Costa Rican giant Saprissa they are still in for a potential dogfight after a conceding a late second goal last Tuesday. 

“It's only halftime right now and I've told that to our players," head coach Jim Curtin said in a press conference at Subaru Park on Monday. "There still is a lot to play for 90 minutes, anything can happen. We set ourselves up in a good position for sure scoring three away goals.”

Quinn Sullivan, who helped spark the second half comeback with his team down 1-0 on an ugly own goal, was asked a lot about Saprissa and wouldn't bite on questions of where they would finish if they played in MLS. He did offer insight into the team's approach back at home, though. 

“We definitely understand that this is a two leg series for a reason," Sullivan said. "We’re confident at home, we're confident with the fans that have our back but we know that the series is by no means over.”

Tactically, the Union will want to keep Saprissa off the board and look for ways to put the game out of reach on the counter. The longer Saprissa has a zero on the board the more risks they'll have to take. At a minimum they need to win 2-0 to advance. If the Union score Saprissa would need to get three away goals to cancel out the Union's tiebreaker advantage. 

Through two games one of the brightest signs for the Union has been their attack. They have put the ball in the back of the net seven times all from open play (two goals against Chicago on Saturday were called back for offside). But as uncharacteristic as it is for the Union to be scoring without the help of penalty kicks, own goals and set piece execution it's less characteristic for them to go behind in each of those games and concede four times over the course of two games. 

“The message (to the players) is, yes, it's great that we score these goals," Curtins said. "But let's not concede in the ways that we do and that's not just the defenders and goalkeeping that's the whole group. Our foundation is still defense.”

Tonight's match is slated for an 8:15 p.m. start and will be broadcast live on FS2. 

2. 🇻🇪 Fernando Aristeguieta takes over as interim manager at Puebla

Another former Philadelphia Union player is managing in Liga MX, if only temporarily.

Fernando Aristeguieta, who played for the Union on loan from Nantes in 2015, assumed the interim manager role last week after returning to his former club as a reserve and academy coach.

Aristeguieta retired last fall at the age of 31 after suffering a serious tibia and fibula injury while on loan from Puebla with Caracas, the club where he turned pro in his native Venezuela.

Aristeguieta is the third former Union player to serve as a head coach in Mexico’s top flight. Veljko Paunović had a stint as Chivas manager in 2023 and Eduardo Coudet managed Tijuana in 2017. Coudet is currently the head coach of first division Brazilian club Internacional.

During his lone season in Chester, the Venezuelan international had 5 goals in 21 appearances.

3. 📐 Tweet of the Day: That Pass

4. 💧 Water Cooler: Goals vs Saprissa

5. 🔗 Link Roundup

• Sporting PA 2009 boys, YMS Premier United 2010 boys and Premier Warriors 2009 boys all punched tickets to the US Youth Soccer National Championships with successful National League P.R.O. outings in Tampa. Sporting PA won the Champions Pool and the two YMS teams won their respective Wildcard Pools to book passage to Orlando.

• Former Super Nova FC standout and USMNT U-17 player Alex Shinsky has joined the University of Maryland women’s soccer staff. The York native coached previously on the men’s side with Temple and Army and has coached locally at the Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals.

• Matt DeGeorge profiled Oliver Semmle and an eventful few weeks for the 25-year-old German.

• The USWNT was stunned last night with a 2-0 loss to Mexico in the Concacaf W Gold Cup. It’s just the second ever defeat for the U.S. against Mexico in 43 matches. Eugene Rupinski wrote about the massive result for the Mexican side.

• Brian Sciaretta of American Soccer Now reports news of David Vazquez coming to terms with the Philadelphia Union. Vazquez is one of the top prospects in the Union’s academy.

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