Philly Leader

Philadelphia Union have secured a place in the Leagues Cup Semifinals for the second consecutive year. This time, they will travel to face Columbus Crew. Coverage begins at 7:30 PM ET on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV.

Wednesday’s match is expected to be competitive, as the defending MLS Cup Champions are in strong form this year. Head Coach Wilfred Nancy has led his team to third place in the Eastern Conference standings. In the Leagues Cup, they have defeated top opponents including Inter Miami CF and New York City FC, and started their campaign with a dominant 4-0 win against Sporting Kansas City. Columbus Crew's recent matches have been closely contested, winning by just one goal against Miami and defeating New York City in penalties. Their success in 2023 earned them a group stage bye, while Philadelphia Union have played five games to reach this point.

Head Coach Jim Curtin’s squad has two more Leagues Cup games on their legs than Columbus and may travel with a thinner squad due to suspension and potential transfers. Tai Baribo will not play on Wednesday after receiving two yellow cards against Mazatlán. Additionally, José Martinez will not be on the team travel list despite no official transfer announcement.

Curtin commented on the challenge ahead: "We'll be the underdog. We recognize that, but we have confidence from going on the road and beating a really good Cincinnati team recently. So it's not an impossible task, and this is a group that, again, is hungry to win a trophy."

Columbus Crew holds a significant home-field advantage with only two losses out of 41 games at Lower.com Field across all competitions since Head Coach Wilfred Nancy joined in 2023. They boast a +57 goal differential at home.

"There are four really good MLS teams left, all you could make a case for to find a way to win it," Curtin said. "I expect a really hard match against Crew, probably the best team in our league."

Despite Columbus being formidable opponents, Philadelphia Union has gained momentum with three-time MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Andre Blake back in net after an injury hiatus. The Union has only won two games without Blake this season and lost twice when he played full matches.

Blake's impact was evident on Sunday against Mazatlán when he made crucial saves despite being down a man and helped secure victory during penalties.

The winner of Wednesday's match will advance to face either LAFC or Colorado Rapids in the Leagues Cup Final on August 25th. The losing team will still compete for a spot in Concacaf Champions Cup through a third-place game on the same date.

With both teams vying for an opportunity to battle for a trophy and secure Round of 16 berth in Concacaf Champions Cup, Wednesday's match promises to be must-see TV.

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