Preview: Philadelphia Union vs Seattle Sounders - prediction, team news, lineups

Back-to-back home games give Philadelphia Union a timely opportunity to build on their first victory at Subaru Park this season, but Ryan Richter’s side face a significant test when Seattle Sounders arrive in Chester on Sunday morning in the MLS regular season.

Seattle come into the fixture having lost four consecutive matches and will be desperate to arrest that slide before their playoff position is seriously threatened, making this a contest between two sides in need of points for very different reasons.

Match preview

Philadelphia head into Sunday’s match rooted to the bottom of the Eastern Conference with just 10 points from 16 matches - a record of two wins, four draws and 10 defeats that reflects a deeply difficult campaign for Richter’s side.

Their home form has been particularly disappointing, with just one win, three draws and three defeats from seven fixtures at Subaru Park - though that solitary home victory came in their most recent outing, a 3-1 triumph over the New York Red Bulls that ended a nine-match winless run and gave the club a much-needed lift heading into Sunday’s game.

That result against the Red Bulls was especially significant given the circumstances - Philadelphia’s first home win of the entire season, delivered in front of their own supporters, and a result that Richter will be hoping serves as a turning point rather than an isolated moment of form.

The hosts have scored 21 goals and conceded 31 across their 16 matches, a goal difference that underlines the defensive vulnerability that has undermined their season, and tightening up at the back against a Seattle side that will arrive looking to respond after a difficult run will be as important as finding the net at the other end.

Philadelphia’s overall form across their last six matches - one win, two draws and three defeats summed up their season of a side that has struggled for consistency.

Seattle Sounders arrive in Chester in sixth place in the Western Conference with 24 points from seven wins, three draws and five defeats in 15 matches, though their recent form has deteriorated sharply and will concern Brian Schmetzer considerably heading into the trip east.

The Sounders have lost each of their last four matches - a run that included a 3-1 defeat away at Austin FC in their most recent outing, where Paul Rothrock equalised for Seattle before Myrto Uzuni gave Austin the lead in the 86th minute and Christian Ramirez added a third in the 92nd to seal the victory.

Away from home this season, Seattle have posted three wins, two draws and three defeats - a record that offers some encouragement, though the recent losing run has cast doubt on whether they can recapture the form that initially put them in playoff contention.

Schmetzer will be acutely aware that a fifth consecutive defeat would place serious pressure on his side’s position in the playoff race, and with Philadelphia having found some momentum from their Red Bulls win, this is far from a straightforward assignment for the visitors despite the gap in the standings between the two clubs.

In the last five head-to-head meetings between the sides, the record is evenly poised - Philadelphia have claimed two wins and one draw to Seattle’s two victories, with the most recent encounter ending in a 3-2 win for the Sounders.

Philadelphia Union Major League Soccer form:

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Seattle Sounders Major League Soccer form:

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Team News

Philadelphia have no injury concerns heading into Sunday’s match, and Richter is expected to name a settled side following the confidence boost of last week’s victory over the Red Bulls.

Bruno Damiani and Milan Iloski are expected to lead the attack, with Jovan Lukic and Danley Jean Jacques providing the midfield engine alongside them.

The defensive unit of Frankie Westfield, Nathan Harriel, Japhet Sery and Kai Wagner is expected to remain intact.

Seattle head into the fixture with a significant injury list. Jackson Ragen will serve a one-match suspension after picking up a second yellow card against Austin FC.

Pedro de la Vega remains sidelined with the knee injury he sustained in 2025 and is not expected to return until mid-August, while Kim Kee-hee is out with a hamstring complaint and Jordan Morris is unavailable with a muscle injury.

Nikola Petkovic is absent with a knee injury, Alex Roldan is sidelined with a hip problem, and Cristian Roldan is out with a quad injury.

Yeimar Gomez Andrade is out with a hamstring injury, while Ryan Sailor is considered doubtful with a similar complaint, leaving Schmetzer with limited choices ahead of a must-win road trip.

Philadelphia Union possible starting lineup:

Blake; Westfield, Harriel, Sery, Wagner; Sullivan, Lukic, Jean Jacques, Vassilev; Iloski, Damiani

Seattle Sounders possible starting lineup:

Thomas; Tolo, Hawkins, Lopez, Kingston; Brunell, Dotson; Rothrock, Rusnak, Ferreira; Musovski

We say: Philadelphia Union 2-1 Seattle Sounders

Philadelphia’s first home win of the season against the Red Bulls has arrived at exactly the right moment, and with Seattle stumbling into Chester on the back of four consecutive defeats and a lengthy injury list, Richter’s side have every reason to believe they can make it back-to-back home victories on Sunday.

Seattle’s away record gives them some hope, but the sheer volume of absentees and the weight of a four-match losing run makes it difficult to back Schmetzer’s side to turn their fortunes around at a venue where the hosts will be playing with renewed belief and the backing of a crowd that finally has something to cheer about.

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