The Philadelphia Union make their Concacaf Champions Cup return on Tuesday night, looking to start on favorable terms in Leg 1 of their Round One series vs. Costa Rican powerhouse Deportivo Saprissa.
How to watch & stream
- English: FS2
- Spanish: TUDN
When
- Tuesday, February 20 | 10 pm ET/7 pm PT
Where
- Ricardo Saprissa Stadium | San José, Costa Rica
Leg 2 awaits on Feb. 27 at Philadelphia's Subaru Park, with the winner facing 2022-23 Liga MX Apertura champion Pachuca in the Round of 16 come early March. The advancing team is first decided by aggregate goals, then (if necessary) by away goals.
Expanded and rebranded for 2024, the Champions Cup winner qualifies for both the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and the 2024 FIFA Intercontinental Cup. The tournament final is held on June 2.
Sarprissa qualified for Champions Cup action as the 2023 Central American Cup play-in winner. They're also in midseason form, topping the Costa Rican Primera División Apertura before sitting third in the ongoing Clausura.
Their squad features a handful of former MLS players – ranging from defenders Fidel Escobar and Joseph Mora to midfielders David Guzmán and winger Luis Diaz.
Philadelphia met Saprissa during their 2021 Champions Cup run, soaring to a 5-0 aggregate victory – highlighted by a 4-0 victory in Leg 2. Even still, head coach Jim Curtin knows results seldom come easily in Central America for MLS teams.
The Union, who have made two of the past three Champions Cup semifinals, are running it back with almost the same squad from last year when they reached an Eastern Conference Semifinal. Goalkeeper Andre Blake, left back Kai Wagner, center back Jakob Glesnes, midfielder José Martínez, midfielder Dániel Gazdag and striker Julián Carranza are all centerpieces.
