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Philadelphia Union Hoping to Finally Bring the MLS Cup Back to Pennsylvania

June 20, 2025
Opinion

In a competition in which a single team has been able to amass a squad featuring Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba – despite a robust salary cap allegedly being in place, you wonder what hope is there for any MLS franchise that isn’t Inter Miami.

 

But the 2024 season was evidence that it takes more than just financial heft to thrive in Major League Soccer, while this year canny operators like the Philadelphia Union are upsetting the Miami applecart once more.

 

So could the Union finally bring the MLS Cup back to Pennsylvania?

 

Back to Basics

 

At the halfway mark of the regular season, Philadelphia top the Eastern Conference and Supporters’ Shield tables having racked up an impressive W10 D4 L3 run of form.

 

Confidence in Pennsylvania is building ahead of the business end of the campaign, with partisan locals are backing the Union to lift the MLS Cup at their local and online sportsbooks; the typical offers for PA players – be it sports betting or casino – provide opportunities to place bonus-backed bets on such an eventuality occurring.

 

However, can Philadelphia sustain their golden run?

 

 

The team has made interesting progress under new head coach Bradley Carnell, of whom little was expected by most, given that he was sacked by St Louis City for failing to push the expansion franchise forward.

 

But Carnell has developed a successful counter attacking system with his new players, with Philadelphia currently leading the MLS for shots taken per 90 minutes despite averaging just 47% possession.

 

And while there may not be anything flashy about Carnell’s rigid 4-4-2 shape, it’s generating results: the Union rank second in the Eastern Conference for xG created and top for xG conceded.

 

Those are the sort of stats that can see form maintained in the long run…

 

Old School

 

It’s very rare to see two striker systems deployed in modern football; let along a rather old-fashioned 4-4-2.

 

But Carnell is making it work with Philly. They are adept at creating overloads in wide areas, with full backs bombing on and midfielders willing to hold their width or step inside as the situation dictates.

 

The two central midfielders tend to hold their positions, with one of the strikers dropping in out of possession to help with pressing the opposition pivot.

 

In truth, some of Philadelphia’s best work comes from rather agricultural sources. They have scored more goals from set pieces than any other MLS side – 12 of their 32 goals, or 38%, have come from such positions.

 

They have a stack of players that stand 6ft 2in or taller, including Tai Baribo – the Israeli striker enjoying one of the best goalscoring seasons of his career.

 

 

The 27-year-old has notched 13 goals in as many starts; for context, he only scored nine in the entirety of the 2024 season.

 

The xG stats suggest that Baribo’s improvement is no fluke, while those same numbers suggest that Philadelphia’s successes on the pitch are sustainable, rather than a short-term anomaly.

 

So will football fans in Pennsylvania get to celebrate first MLS Cup win in the Union’s history this season?

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