The Philadelphia Union are one of just three teams Atlanta United has beaten during the 2026 MLS regular season. But the Union, now led by interim head coach Ryan Richter, have suddenly won back-to-back matches against Red Bull New York coming out of the World Cup break. Will Atlanta be their next victim on Saturday night at Subaru Park?
For more on the Union, I connected with Jimmy King (X, Bsky) from the Philly Sports Network.
For the first time since last year, the Philadelphia Union have won two matches in a row. Is there a feeling among the Union fanbase that this is a “new coach bump“ and that things may be turning around for the better, or is it more of a “wait-and-see” approach?
There has been a complete energy shift at Subaru Park over the last two weeks. Everyone seems lighter, everyone seems more confident and excited, everyone seems to be pulling in the same direction under Ryan Richter and that’s getting this team back to winning ways and pushing for a playoff spot. I think most fans don’t have any real demanding expectations for this team for the remainder of the season, but I think fans are genuinely excited to see how Ryan can help develop guys like Cavan Sullivan, Neil Pierre, and Frankie Westfield into becoming everyday first team players for this team, and it’s worked out great so far.
I wouldn’t say the Union are completely in “we’re back” mode just yet, but the last two games have certainly been a reminder to this fanbase and people around the league of the potential this team has as reigning Supporters’ Shield champs.
Related to the first question, but from a tactical standpoint, have things essentially remained the same under Ryan Richter since he took over as interim head coach, or has he employed any tactical wrinkles?
There have certainly been some adjustments made but at the core it’s still the same style of Union soccer that’s earned this team success over the years. High energy press, direct passes after turnover, not much focus on possession, etc. etc.
The big differences so far have been adjustments to the lineup. Milan Iloski, who has scored seven goals in his previous five matches, was told by Ryan Richter that he will be playing more as a striker than a No. 10 for the remainder of the season, opening up a spot for Cavan Sullivan in the midfield. Likewise, Nate Harriel, a Union homegrown who has been a defensive jackknife for the Union over the years but primarily plays at right back, looks to be playing more center back for the U moving forward, slotting Frankie Westfield into the vacant RB position.
The big news surrounding the Union involves a departure — Olwethu Makhanya to Rangers — and an arrival, or rather, a reunion — Kai Wagner from Birmingham City. How much of a lift can Wagner’s return give the Union, and how will they go about replacing a player in Makhanya who emerged as a key member of the defense after signing for the club out of his home country of South Africa?
The return of Kai Wagner was a massive mood-booster for the Union. Kai choosing to leave Europe and come back to Philadelphia meant a lot to fans, and it really brought an important piece of leadership back into the locker room and onto the pitch that the U were desperately missing the first half of the season. The applause he got from fans at Subaru Park during the announcement of the starting lineups in his first game back was a massive tone-setter, and it was no surprise the Union scored nine minutes into the match after that.
As for Makhanya, I think fans are happy for his service and his incredible form last season which helped lead the Union to a Supporters’ Shield, but at the same time they’re probably relieved to see the transfer finalized after Makhanya failed to show back up to training after the World Cup. The move opens the door for 18-year-old center back Neil Pierre, one of the most promising center backs in the USYNT talent pool, to enter the fray and test his ability as an MLS starting defender. So far so good, as Pierre scored his first MLS goal on his return to the Union from a loan spell in Denmark against the Red Bulls, and logged a 90-minute clean sheet performance against Seattle a week later.