Philly Leader

Philadelphia Union is set to face St. Louis CITY FC in a historic matchup at Subaru Park on Saturday night. The game, presented by College Ave, will be the first encounter between the two teams and also marks Philadelphia's initial contest against a Western Conference opponent this year.

Bradley Carnell, St. Louis' head coach, expressed his anticipation for the game during a press conference on Thursday. He acknowledged the personal connections he has with individuals at Philadelphia Union, where he previously served as head coach. "At the end of the day, it's just another game, a cross-conference opponent," Carnell stated. "But sure, there's special people there that I connect with and keep in touch with."

St. Louis CITY FC has had an impressive start to their season under new Head Coach Olof Mellberg. After beginning with two scoreless draws, they remain unbeaten through four matches, securing victories against LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders without conceding any goals so far this year.

Carnell highlighted St. Louis' defensive strength: “They haven't conceded a goal for a reason... They defend the box really well.” He emphasized that breaking down their defense would be challenging but is something his team has been preparing for.

Philadelphia Union faces its own challenges ahead of Saturday's match. The team suffered its first loss last weekend against Nashville SC and will be without several key players due to national team call-ups and suspensions. This situation necessitates changes in their lineup for the first time this season.

Despite these absences, Carnell reassured that all remaining players are fit and ready to play except Markus Anderson who remains unavailable due to injury concerns. Notably, center-back Ian Glavinovich might make his debut at Subaru Park after recovering from an injury sustained earlier in the season.