Philadelphia Union entered their Leagues Cup Phase One clash against Santos Laguna on August 13, 2026, looking to bounce back after a slow start to the tournament.
A cautious lineup
The Union fielded a rotated starting eleven that included Ben Bender, Jeremy Rafanello, Malik Jakupovic, Rafael Uzcátegui, Geiner Martinez and Agustín Anello, while also giving minutes to emerging players.
The first half ended goalless, with both sides testing each other but failing to break the deadlock, leaving the score level at 0-0 at the break.
Second‑half strikes
Santos Laguna struck first in the 48th minute when Ramiro Sordo found the net, opening the scoring, and three minutes later doubled their lead to make it 2-0.
Philadelphia responded by introducing Stas Korzeniowski, Finn Sundström and Kellan LeBlanc, who logged significant minutes in the second half as the Union chased a response.
Despite pressure, the Union could not find a goal, and the match concluded 0-2 in favor of the Mexican side, marking a disappointing night for the home team.