The Philadelphia Union battled through adversity Sunday night at Subaru Park, prevailing on penalty kicks against the Chicago Fire FC after a late two-goal lead slipped away.
After a back-and-forth first half to kick off the Round One Best-of-Three series, the Union broke through in the second half. Indiana Vassilev opened scoring in the 70th minute, finishing a sharp pass from substitute Mikael Uhre, and Milan Iloski doubled the advantage five minutes later after an impressive solo run created by Tai Baribo’s setup.
Chicago responded late, with Jonathan Bamba and Jack Elliott leveling the match at 2-2 to force penalty kicks. In the defensive sequence, goalkeepers Chris Brady and Andre Blake traded early saves before Baribo converted in the fourth round and Chicago’s attempt struck the post. Substitute Jesús Bueno then stepped up and calmly buried the winner from the spot to give the Union the advantage in the series.
Philadelphia will look to close out the Round One matchup on Saturday, November 1 at 5:30 P.M. E.T. at SeatGeek Stadium. Fans can watch live on the MLS Season Pass on Apple TV or join one of the club’s official watch parties across the region.