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Tag: 2025 Supporters Shield

  • Philadelphia Union Have Hands on the Shield – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    Just two weeks ago, the Union suffered its worst loss in club history, a 7-0 loss to Vancouver. Now, the Union has control of its own destiny. Win on Saturday against NYCFC, and they hoist their second Supporters’ Shield in the club’s history.

    3 Points Does the Job

    With 2 games left in the MLS season, the Union just need to gather 3 points from the final two games. The Union got all the help the club could have asked for over the weekend. Vancouver, Cincinnati, and San Diego all dropped points. Finally, tonight Inter Miami suffered a 5-3 defeat to Chicago, meaning their games in hand now do not affect the Union.

    The easiest path to the shield is to win this coming Saturday. It will be yet another classic match between NYCFC and the Union, with a trophy on the line for the Union. In 2021, all Union fans remember a COVID-stricken Union losing the Eastern Conference Final to New York. In 2022, the Union would get its revenge and head to the MLS Cup. Now, the Union can force its I-95 rival to watch them lift another trophy.

    Should New York successfully stunt the Union’s hopes of celebrating a Shield win in their final home match, the Union will have a final chance to snag three points on the road in Charlotte. However, the simplest path is just winning at home, something the Union have had no issue doing this season.

    This would be the Union’s second Supporters’ Shield in club history. The first came in 2020, in a COVID-shortened season. An asterisk is on this shield as the league only played in regional bubbles. There was even a committee that almost voted not to award a Supporters’ Shield at all.

    Should the Union see out just 3 points in the final two games, there will be no asterisk on this shield. Coming off a season where they let go of Jim Curtin and countless fan favorite players, no Union fan expected a successful 2025 MLS campaign. Let alone one that saw the Union atop all of MLS.

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    Ryan Hall

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  • Union Can’t Make it Easy – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    The Philadelphia Union have hit a patch of uncertainty at the worst time. Last Saturday, the Union suffered the worst defeat in club history. A 7-0 defeat to the Vancouver Whitecaps. A team vying to jump the Union for the Supporters Shield. Then, Philly crashed out of the US Open Cup embarrassingly. The Union allowed the MLS Golden Boot winner to net 3 easy goals en route to a 3-1 scoreline.

    Just when all hope felt lost, the Union bounced back with a 1-0 home win against their northeastern rival, New England. With three MLS games to go, it is clear that the Union will not simply and easily secure the Supporters’ Shield for themselves.

    Extremely Tight Shield Race

    MLS fans are being treated to one of the closest Supporters’ Shield races in league history. Five clubs have a realistic shot at bringing home the Shield. The Union, despite its stumble, still leads the way. Unfortunately, two teams control their destiny before Philadelphia does.

    Vancouver has 2 games in hand, and should they turn that into 6 points, they can jump the Union. Simultaneously, Inter Miami has 3 games in hand and can still jump everybody as well. Philly is even on games played with Cincy and San Diego, and sits 2 and 3 points in front of the clubs.

    Ultimately, the Union is going to have to win the last 3 games to truly put pressure on their opponents. First up is a game in DC. After that, the Union gets NYCFC at home for their home finale. Finally, the Union faces its toughest test left. On the road against a surging Charlotte FC.

    For those Union fans who have forgotten, Charlotte cost the Union the Supporters’ Shield in 2022. Ultimately, the Union had to go down to the turf in Charlotte late in the season and suffered an awful defeat. Unfortunately, the loss would cost the Union, as LAFC was able to tie the points and hold the tiebreaker.

    Perhaps the Union can purge the demons from 2022 with a huge win down south.

    Nothing Will Come Easy

    Just a few weeks ago, the Union were cruising in MLS and the Open Cup. Dreams of bringing home 3 major trophies in a year were in the minds of Union fans. Of course, the Union cannot make anything easy. Historically, the Union has fallen short every single time. Take a look back at the 3 lost US Open Cup finals, the loss in the 2020 playoffs after winning their first shield, and, of course, the collapse with 90 seconds to play in the MLS Cup.

    The Philadelphia Union has put its fans through some tough times in its short history. Nothing will ever come easy for the Union. However, all the suffering could be worth it if the club can deliver some hardware for its fans in 2025.

    While the Union has stumbled, there is still time to correct course and put the pressure back onto their opponents. This last month of the season will show if this Union team is different from years past, or if fans will be leaving with the same disappointment they have had for many years now.

    Whether the Union pulls it off or not, it is never going to be easy.

     

    Featured Image: Wes Shepherd/PHLSportsNation

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    Ryan Hall

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  • Is Something Magical Brewing for the Union? – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    The Philadelphia Union came into 2025 a mess. The club was selling fan favorites, not listening to fans’ needs, and trying to find its identity in the post-Jim Curtin era. Surprisingly, they found that identity quickly.

    Now, the Union are 5 games away from glory.

    Leading the Shield Race

    The Union has a slight grasp of the 2025 MLS Supporters Shield. The reward is given to the team with the most points in MLS at the end of the season. Last week, the club achieved perhaps its greatest victory in 2025, a 1-0 win in Cincinnati. 

    The win gives the Union a firm hold of the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Union holds a 5-point advantage over second-place Cincinnati. Realistically, the Union should have their eyes on Inter Miami and Lionel Messi. Miami has 4 games in hand on the Union. If they turn those 4 games into 12 points, Miami can snatch the shield away.

    However, Miami has been in the headlines for the wrong reasons. In their loss to Seattle in the Leagues Cup final, a post-match altercation will leave Miami without Luis Suarez for 3 MLS games. Simultaneously, Miami’s busy summer schedule has them shoving 9 games in their final 6 weeks of play. There is a high chance that an older Miami team just runs out of gas.

    This does not mean the Union is in the clear for the Shield. Their biggest contenders are going to be expansion side San Diego, in the Western Conference. San Diego is just 1 point behind the Union. Both San Diego and the Union likely face their biggest remaining challenge this weekend. San Diego hosts Minnesota, who are 2nd in the West. While the Union travels up north to face Vancouver, who are 3rd in the west.

    All Trophies Still in Play

    The Supporters Shield is not the only trophy the Union is fighting for. Philly is still in the US Open Cup tournament, and any team can make a run through the MLS Cup playoffs. The Union travels to Nashville in the Open Cup semifinals next Tuesday. 

    As far as the MLS Cup goes, should the Union at least hold on to the top spot in the East, the Eastern Conference playoffs would come through Philadelphia. In 2022, Union fans learned how valuable home-field advantage is in the playoffs.

    Who would have thought that an American treble would be on the table for the Union in 2025? The Supporters Shield, US Open Cup, and MLS Cup are calling the Union’s name. Can the Union shock the world and dominate American club soccer in 2025? Or is more heartbreak in store for the Union faithful?

    Nonetheless, the 2025 campaign has been a pleasant surprise for Union fans. Let’s hope the club leaves with some trophies to show for it.

     

    Featured Image: Wes Shepherd/PHLSportsNation

    The post Is Something Magical Brewing for the Union? appeared first on Philadelphia Sports Nation.

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    Ryan Hall

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  • Union Falter as the Shield is Slipping Out of Their Hands – Philadelphia Sports Nation

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    The Philadelphia Union were in control of their destiny. However, after a disappointing loss against the New York Red Bulls, the Union’s grasp on the Supporters’ Shield is slipping.

    What Went Wrong in New York

    Entering the match Saturday, the Union had just defeated the Red Bulls 3-2 in the US Open Cup on Wednesday. Despite that, the Union could not get anything going against their rival. Both teams featured different starting 11s from their meeting earlier in the week. Unfortunately, it seems it was another week where Bradley Carnell chose squad rotation over chasing trophies.

    The Union did not put their best team on the field, and it cost them. To make matters worse, the Union lost Andre Blake to a hamstring injury mid-game as well.

    The bigger issue is that if Tai Baribo isn’t scoring goals, the offense has been a snoozefest. New addition Milan Iloski is still getting his feet wet with the Union. But if Chris Donovan is the best guy you have off the bench when you need a goal, then your team will not sniff a trophy.

    The Union has dropped points on multiple weeks now since Bradley Carnell has chosen squad rotation. With just 7 matches left in the MLS season, the Union cannot afford any more slip-ups if they want to grab their second Supporters’ Shield in club history.

    Where the Standings Sit Now

    Unfortunately, the Union now sits 3rd in the Supporters Shield race. They sit 1 point behind Cincinnati and San Diego for the top spot. The Union’s Shield hopes ultimately lie in the next 3 MLS games. They face Chicago at home in a must-win game. Then, they got on the road back-to-back against Cincinnati and Vancouver.

    If the Union can manage at the very least 7 points from that stretch, then they may have a chance at the Shield. However, a loss to Cincinnati would all but close the door on the Union’s hopes.

    However, as always, a GOAT is lurking in the shadows. Lionel Messi and Inter Miami still have their 3 games in hand. If Miami wins out, they run away with the shield, and there is nothing anyone can do about it. Taking a look at Miami’s schedule, while it is very crowded, it is far from the hardest we have ever seen.

    What Can the Union Do?

    The Union can still run the “American Treble”. Meaning they grab the Supporters Shield, MLS Cup, and US Open Cup, in one season. However, that reality gets bleaker by the day. Besides, the fact that we are nearing September and the Union is vying for all the trophies is a shock considering the state of the team heading into the season.

    The ball ultimately falls in Bradley Carnell’s lap. This is not Carnell’s first rodeo with an overperforming team. We all saw him take St Louis to the top of the Western Conference in their first-ever MLS season just a few years ago. Now, he finds himself in a similar situation.

    While grabbing all 3 trophies is unlikely, the most interesting aspect is which ones the Union chase the most. If the last few weeks tell us anything, the Supporters Shield is likely at the bottom of the list. Next, being the US Open Cup and the MLS Cup is the number one goal.

    When it comes to a team that has a fairly bare trophy case, beggars can’t be choosers. Any trophy that comes out of what was supposed to be a rebuild year will be a welcome sight and achievement. It is up to Bradley Carnell to ensure they stay on track and not leave 2025 empty-handed.

     

    Featured Image: Wes Shepherd/PHLSportsNation

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    Ryan Hall

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