Philadelphia Union vs NYCFC

It was a party over in Chester, Pennsylvania. With a 1–0 win over New York City FC on Saturday night at Subaru Park, the Philadelphia Union officially locked up the 2025 MLS Supporters’ Shield—securing home-field advantage through the playoffs and a return to continental competition next year.
It’s the second Shield in club history, coming five years after their first in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. But this one feels different—earned over a full campaign under first-year head coach Bradley Carnell, who has quietly turned the Union back into one of the most consistent forces in American soccer.
In a tense, back-and-forth match, it was Mikael Uhre who provided the decisive breakthrough. In the 40th minute, midfielder Jovan Lukić forced a turnover and slid the ball to Uhre on the right side of the box. The Danish striker took one touch and fired—his shot taking a deflection off Raúl Gustavo before rolling past former Union goalkeeper Matt Freese.
The goal sent Subaru Park into full voice, the familiar “DOOP” anthem echoing through the stadium as blue smoke poured over the River End.
NYCFC had their chances—none bigger than in the second minute, when Alonso Martínez missed an open goal after an uncharacteristic miscue from Andre Blake. The veteran goalkeeper quickly redeemed himself, producing a diving stop on Hannes Wolf minutes later to preserve the clean sheet. Blake finished with four saves, adding yet another chapter to his legacy in Philadelphia.
For Carnell, the Shield caps a remarkable turnaround. Fired by St. Louis City midway through last season, he arrived in Philadelphia with a simple mission: restore belief. The Union, who missed the playoffs in 2024, responded immediately—posting a 20-6-7 record and setting a new club mark for most wins in a season.
“I always expect because I have high standards, and these players do too,” Carnell said after the match. “It’s a winning team. It just needed rediscovering. These guys emptied the tank tonight.”
While MLS’s newer stars—Lionel Messi in Miami, Son Heung-min in Los Angeles, Thomas Müller in Vancouver—grab headlines, the Union have thrived by staying true to their identity: disciplined, homegrown, and collective.
“We’re not the superstars,” Carnell added. “We like it this way. We make mistakes, we learn, and we move on—and then we’re 66 points later.”
The Shield guarantees the Union home-field advantage throughout the postseason and a place in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup. They’ll open the MLS Cup Playoffs later this month against the Eastern Conference Wild Card winner, hoping to add another piece of silverware to an already historic campaign.
For now, though, Saturday night belonged to the fans in Chester—singing, chanting, and savoring the sight of their captain hoisting the Shield under the lights.
Philadelphia is back on top of MLS. And this time, it feels like they plan to stay there.