Preview | A ‘big win for both teams’ in Canada

Philadelphia Union heads north again — they return to Canada for a Saturday night matchup against Toronto FC at BMO Field. All games are free this weekend — tune in with MLS Season Pass on Apple TV to watch the action!

The upcoming match is a huge one for both sides — their first meeting this season ended in a 0-0 draw at Subaru Park on May 29, and they’ve struggled to add points to their respective totals since then. Toronto are currently on a six-game losing streak in Major League Soccer, and it has seen them drop to ninth in the Eastern Conference standings, while the Union are 14th.

“Toronto is a big one for both teams. We’re both struggling, we’re both not where we want to be, I think they both have more quality in their groups than their points total shows. But I’ve said it before: You are what your record says you are, and we’ve got to find a way to get a result,” said head coach Jim Curtin.

Philadelphia’s most recent match against the New York Red Bulls was a step in the right direction, as the hard-fought scoreless rivalry night ended a five-game winless streak for the Boys in Blue. In net was 18-year-old backup goalkeeper Andrew Rick, who recorded his first Major League Soccer clean sheet at home.

The match also saw the return of centre-back Damion Lowe who had been away with Jamaica in the CONMEBOL Copa America. He was in defence, partnering Jakob Glesnes and Jack Elliott for a trio of centre-backs, while team captain Alejandro Bedoya returned from a quadriceps injury as a second-half substitute.

Curtin will have more players to choose from this weekend, as his team is expected to welcome a new wave of starters who were injured or on the national team. During his press conference on Thursday, Curtin announced that striker Mikael Uhre and midfielder Jesus Bueno are back from injury, while José Martinez, who represented Venezuela in the Copa America, is not yet back but could join the group in time to make the trip.

“Bueno is coming back, Uhre is coming back. Bedoya can play a little bit more of a role in the game, which is helpful,” Curtin said.

“Jose is still coming back from Venezuela. Hopefully he can make the trip and come with us to at least help from the bench. So we are getting stronger, but not at full strength yet. That would be the best way to put it.”

While things are looking up for Curtin’s team, there will be no shortage of challenges to overcome. It will be the team’s first game without Homegrowns Jack McGlynn and Nate Harriel, who left for Paris on Monday ahead of the 2024 Olympics. The duo have appeared in 21 games this season, logging 3,518 minutes of playing time.

As for Toronto FC, they’ve had a busier week than the Union, losing 2-1 to Forge FC Hamilton in the Canadian Championship semi-finals. Their most recent result before that was a demoralizing 4-0 loss to Columbus Crew.

Like Union, first-year coach John Herdman has had to make do with a short-handed team of late. Defender Richie Laryea and midfielder Jonathan Osorio helped the Canadian national team reach the Copa America semifinals, where they eventually lost 2-0 to Argentina at MetLife Stadium.

With both teams hungry for points, this looks set to be a can’t-miss match in Canada. Watch for free on MLS Season Pass on Apple TV!