CHESTER, Pa. — When the Philadelphia Union step on the field on Saturday afternoon, they will once again be on the hunt for their first points of the 2026 MLS regular season as they face off against CF Montréal at Stade Saputo in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

While no one would have expected these first six matches of the regular season to go as they have, it is also not like the Union have been getting blown out in every match. Outside of the club’s result against Atlanta United, in which they fell 3-1, the club has been on the unfortunate side of one-goal losses through their other five matches to this point.

But regardless of the squad’s six losses in six matches so far, Union head coach Bradley Carnell knows that they have had some good moments this year, along with moments that have cost them points.

“I think you’ve seen, we’ve had many good moments in games, but then we’ve had poor moments, singular, I would say, to then shoot ourselves in the foot during games,” he said in his weekly press conference to media this week. “So, can we step up in these moments? Can we take the seriousness of when we score a goal? Are we dialed in for the next few minutes? So, that’s the biggest thing to be dialed in as a group and to help each other on the fields when it’s loud and rowdy and, you know, competitive.”

And while in Carnell’s mind that might very well be the case, there have been moments against NYCFC, Chicago, and even last week against Charlotte where Philadelphia will give up a goal early, only to fight back in hopes of a result, only to have that moment slip away.

“Unfortunately, these little moments aren’t going our way, not just his way, or not just the easiest way. Like, there’s a whole complement of things that are not falling our way,” Carnell mentioned about the results so far.

“But it’s up to us in terms of a mentality and a desire to to correct it at every angle. And I said, there’s never been for a lack of willingness, and that I’ve that I’ve always seen from the guys and yeah, not that I feel sorry for us. We don’t feel sorry for us. We have to earn and work for everything that we achieve right now.”

Perhaps in a bit of fortune this weekend, their opponent has not had exactly an electric start to their MLS campaign either. Montréal is currently sitting two spots ahead of Philadelphia with just one win in their first six matches, with their only result coming on matchday three in a 3-0 decision against the New York Red Bulls.

Following that result, they have gone on to concede nine goals over their next three matches, all of which they have dropped. In total, through six matches, they have given up the second-most goals in MLS with 17, which is second only to Orlando City’s league-high 23 goals this season.

So, while for an offense that is struggling to create goals, this might be promising, it is important to note that Montréal has not always been a place where the Union have been able to get results historically.

In 16 matches all-time in league play, Philadelphia has only come out on the winning side five times, with two additional matches ending in draws. Philadelphia did pick up a 2-1 result last season following goals from Mikael Uhre and Indiana Vassilev, but historically, they have never been able to muster two wins in a row in Montréal.

If Carnell and his staff want to change that, they will have to get their last two club-record signings, Bruno Damiani and Ezekiel Alladoh, going. Neither player has scored yet in MLS and has not been able to create many of the scoring opportunities the club had hoped for when the two were signed.

However, Carnell is aware and knows that it is something the club is still working on moving forward this year.

“In terms of the development units, strikers, 10s, supply, crosses, finishes again, there has been the alarm bells ringing, and we have been working on this, right?” he said. “But it’s a problem when you don’t get shots off. It is a problem when you don’t get shots off on target. It is a problem when you don’t execute this. And like I said, staff, players, club, we’re all engaged in, you know, applying the right moments and the right measures within the training windows.”

On the flip side, Marco Donadel’s CF Montréal side is also looking for a result on Saturday after a disappointing 2025 campaign. Should they manage to get their second win of 2026, two players Union fans should keep an eye on are forward Prince-Osei Owusu and Wikelman Carmona, who account for all seven of Montréal’s goals this year. Owusu has four goals in his last five matches, while the former Red Bulls midfielder Carmona has three goals on the year.

“Prince holds up the ball really well,” Carnell said of the forward. “And Wiki just feeds off him in the right areas. And, I coached Wiki at the Red Bulls. I know exactly, you know, he’s got a hammer of a left foot from any range, from any angle. And he’s really coming to his own, you know, he’s always needed the confidence of a starting berth or being a starter in the league.”

On the player availability side, the Union will once again be without Agustín Anello, who remains out since his goal in Atlanta. Eddy Davis and Quinn Sullivan also remain out. Midfielder Danley Jean-Jacques is listed as questionable ahead of tomorrow, citing a knee injury, which Carnell was not asked about.

If he is unable to go, Jesús Bueno will likely get the start, unless Carnell decides to mix things up, which might not be the worst idea.

For Montréal, they will be without Bode Hidalgo, Sunusi Ibrahim, and Josh Nteziryayo, with Noah Streit listed as questionable with an illness.

For Philadelphia to secure all three points in Montréal and perhaps start righting the ship would be a big step in a critical early-season match. Should they falter again, they risk joining the Toronto FC squad of years prior that lost their first nine matches to start a season. This match is as close to a must-win as one can be.

The match is scheduled for a 2:30 p.m. kickoff from Montréal and will be available on Apple TV.

Main article photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Union