Match Preview: Philadelphia Union vs. Nashville SC

The Union are back home on Sunday against Nashville SC.

Even the most optimistic person in the Philadelphia Union fan base wouldn’t have expected the team’s three-game winning streak to start the 2025 MLS regular season.

Bradley Carnell’s team has the attention of the league and it will be in the national spotlight for Sunday afternoon’s clash with Nashville SC.

Everything seems to be going right for the Union, even on the injury front.

Nathan Harriel is “ready to play” according to Carnell and Ian Glavinovich is officially listed as questionable.

So the big question here is whether Carnell actually has to make his first big lineup decision as Union head coach.

Harriel was the established starter at right back in 2024, but due to his early-season injury, Frankie Westfield stepped in and played well at right back.

Will Carnell throw out the same XI because that’s the in-form lineup, or do we see Harriel, or even Bruno Damiani at striker.

Carnell has said repeatedly that each match week is new and players have to earn their spots, but there’s been no change to the XI yet, even though the manager pointed out the performance of players like Jesus Bueno in training. Last week, he claimed Bueno was right there with Danley Jean Jacques and Jovan Lukic.

If ain’t broke don’t fix it is a good motto to live by in your fourth game of the season with no midweek interruptions.

Having no Champions League to participate in was the luxury this team needed to get off on the right foot. The Union and Vancouver Whitecaps are the only perfect teams left in MLS. Vancouver won on Saturday to move to 4-0-0.

The Union can become the first Eastern Conference team to reach 10 points on Sunday. They can finish the weekend on top of the East with a win, or through a draw and an Inter Miami win over Atlanta United of less than three goals.

Nashville comes into Subaru Park off a 2-0 win last week over Portland.

The challenge with Nashville, as it has been for years, is how to contain Hany Mukhtar.

Mukhtar and Sam Surridge are the danger men in the Nashville attack. This could be the toughest early test for Jakob Glesnes and Olwethu Makhanya because of the movement between the Nashville attackers.

When Nashville has been at its best, its defense has been strong.

B.J. Callaghan’s side earned two clean sheets in its first three games. Only 10 of the 32 shots Nashville gave up went on target.

Being accurate with minimal shots on target hasn’t been a problem for the Union’s front three. I’m interested to see how Daniel Gazdag, Tai Baribo and either Mikael Uhre or Damiani adjust to the alterations made by opposing defenses.

I’m going by an old NFL adage here. The first few games under a new coach, or with a new star player are typically successful, but then the challenges come when there’s film out on the player/coach’s playing style.

We’re getting close to that point with the Union. Teams will make adjustments and how the Union respond to them will give us a real idea into how successful the club can be in 2025.

Photo courtesy of Philadelphia Union.