The Philadelphia Union have felt polar opposites to start their 2026 season after three matches. Two games in Concacaf Champions Cup (CCC) and Philly beat Defence Force by an aggregate score of 12-0; one matchday in MLS showed some structural issues in a 1-0 loss to DC United. Now the club is preparing for their home opener in the MLS campaign against the team that knocked them out of the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, NYCFC.
Will the Union be able to capture some CCC momentum and get their first MLS points in Matchweek two, or will they falter again against a conference rival?
The Philadelphia-New York Rivalry is one that has been observed in all sports. Whether it's Phillies-Mets in the MLB, Eagles-Giants in the NFL, Sixers-Knicks in the NBA, or Flyers-Rangers in the NHL, the hatred between fans on either side is great. These are two cities that downright don't like each other, and the same holds true for matches on the soccer pitch.
It has been 12 years since NYCFC first kicked a ball, and from the jump, they have played some wildly entertaining games vs Philly. The first matchup ended in a thrilling 2-1 Union win, with a 90th-minute game-winning goal. The sides have gone on to play each other in meaningful matches: four times in the playoffs (twice in the Eastern Conference Finals to reach MLS Cup), with NYC holding a 3-1 record vs Philly. Last season, Philadelphia clinched its second-ever Supporters' Shield trophy with a 1-0 win over New York, and the Pigeons repaid the favor to Doop with a 1-0 win in the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs. This year, both teams are turning over new chapters.
The Union has seen a changing of the guard, with leading scorers and former captains departing the club. Because of that, they faltered in their first MLS game of the 2026 season, falling 1-0 to DC, where last season's top goal scorer Tai Baribo got his revenge on the Union, scoring the game's only goal. They have since won 7-0 in Concacaf Champions Cup play and hope that can carry over to the league this weekend.
NYCFC has seen highs and lows in the last five years. New York beat Philadelphia in the 2021 Eastern Conference Final and then went on to win the MLS Cup. The two had an epic rematch in the ECF in 2022, with Philly winning that round but failing to claim the Championship. The club has dropped off over the last three years, finishing 11th in 2023, 6th in 2024, and 5th in 2025. They are looking to get back to the top in 2026, but don't look ready yet.
NYCFC boss Pascal Jansen is beginning his second season in charge of the Pigeons in 2026, and it didn't get off to a great start in week one. New York City went on the road to LA Galaxy and clawed their way to a 1-1 draw. They conceded inside the second minute, and had to rely on a red card and PK to draw level in the second half. Will they be able to play better in week two?
New York will use a 4-2-3-1 formation that looks to utilize possession of the ball and width to attack, while clogging up the middle of the field in defense. They rely on Nicolás Fernádez up top for goal scoring, even though he's not an out-and-out striker. That is a position NYCFC is currently missing, with failed transfers and injuries plaguing the team. One thing they do have is a Union-killing legend.
The X-factor for NYCFC is their 39-year-old string puller, Maxi Moralez. Moralez has scored six goals against the Union in his career, four of those being goals in playoff games. While he is an aging player, he will be the one to watch in the middle of the field when NYCFC attacks. Of course, NYCFC also has former Union homegrown goalkeeper Matt Freese between the sticks. He has played his way into being the starter for the US National Team while with New York, and will be another big x-factor for NYCFC's hopes in this matchup.
Philadelphia has its work cut out for it. They failed to get a result in week one and were the talk of the league. The team that won last year's Supporters' Shield fell to the 2025's Wooden Spoon recipients to open the 2026 season. Now Philly takes on the club that knocked them out of the playoffs in the quarterfinals last year. It's the home opener and the debut of the beautiful new 1776 Kit. How can Philly claim their first victory of 2026?
The first key to victory in this game is going to come in the middle of the pitch. NYCFC loves to use its triangle of central midfielders to move the ball up the field to find its wide attackers. It'll be up to Philly's defensive midfielders, Lukic and Jean Jaques, to stop them from doing so.
If they can, and the Union attacking midfielders, Iloski and Vassilev, can then progress the ball forward, then Philadelphia should be on its way to picking up its first points of 2026.
In the last three meetings between the Union and NYCFC, the games have been decided by a single goal. Those goals were scored in the transition moments. Think of that like a fast break, one team moving the ball from up the field to create a numbers advantage.
Philly will need to jump on those opportunities. Win the ball when NYCFC tries to build up centrally, then turn a numerical advantage into scoring chances. This sounds like the perfect opportunity for the new attacker, Agustin Anello, to showcase his speed and decisiveness. With Alladoh being suspended, I'd expect Anello to start in his place. If Philly can score a goal or two from these moments, they'll be on their way to three points.
In the close games these two teams have played in over the last year, the game's lone goal came in a transition moment, and was a moment of brilliance. It wouldn't be surprising if something similar were going to be the case in this match.
Philly will need to limit those chances for NYCFC, mainly by stopping Fernández and Moralez from running into open space in the center of the pitch. However, on the attacking side, Philly will need some of their more crafty players to find that moment of brilliance. Last season, it was Uhre making a great run and finish to secure the Supporters' Shield; this season, it will likely need to be players like Anello or Iloski creating the scoring chance. If they can, then Philly may just get their first win of 2026.
GK: Blake
LB: Westfield CB: Sery Larson CB: Makhanya RB: Harriel
DM: Lukic DM: Jean Jacques
AM: Iloski AM: Vassilev
ST: Damiani ST: Anello
