The Philadelphia Union head to Snapdragon Stadium on Sunday, September 13th at 9pm ET for their first-ever matchup against San Diego FC, a 2025 MLS expansion team. The match will air on Apple TV’s Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire.
Philadelphia arrives in strong form, riding a nine-match unbeaten streak. The Union dominated FC Cincinnati 5-0 on Wednesday, with 24-year-old Uruguayan striker Bruno Damiani scoring his first-ever MLS hat trick. Midfielder Quinn Sullivan and striker Milan Iloski also contributed goals. According to the source, the Union have accumulated 23 points since the World Cup break and now sit 8th in the Eastern Conference with 30 total points—above the playoff line. Interim Head Coach Ryan Richter has overseen what the source describes as a historic turnaround for the club.
San Diego enters Sunday tied with Philadelphia on points (30), but in ninth place in the West and struggling with consecutive losses. They fell 3-2 to San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday. The expansion team will be without starting goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos, 26, who is from Philadelphia but picked up two yellow cards in the recent match. San Diego’s top attacker, 30-year-old Danish forward Marcus Ingvarsten, remains sidelined with an injury sustained in an August 22nd match against Colorado Rapids; he leads the team with 11 goals and five assists.
The fixture carries personal significance for Philadelphia’s Milan Iloski. The 26-year-old striker is from Escondido, California, and played for San Diego on loan from April through mid-July 2025, scoring 10 goals in 14 appearances. After the loan ended, Iloski transferred to Philadelphia in August and has become integral to their campaign. When asked about returning, Iloski said, “I’m there to show some people that they made a big mistake. I think I have a big chip on my shoulder.” He added that he appreciated his time in San Diego and looks forward to seeing familiar faces.
For San Diego, key players to watch include 28-year-old Danish midfielder Anders Dreyer with nine goals in 23 matches this season, and 27-year-old Scottish midfielder Onni Valakari, who has four goals and eight assists. Philadelphia Academy product David Vazquez, 20, signed permanently with San Diego in December 2025 after a loan and will face his former club for the first time since his MLS debut in 2025.
Key facts
- Philadelphia Union are unbeaten in nine matches after defeating FC Cincinnati 5-0
- Bruno Damiani scored his first MLS hat trick in the Cincinnati match
- The Union have 30 points and sit 8th in the Eastern Conference, above the playoff line
- San Diego FC finished their inaugural 2025 season in 4th place in the Supporters’ Shield standings with 63 points
- San Diego currently sits 9th in the Western Conference with 30 points, same as Philadelphia
- San Diego’s goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos and striker Marcus Ingvarsten will be unavailable Sunday
- Milan Iloski played for San Diego on loan from April to July 2025, scoring 10 goals in 14 appearances