This matchup had the eyes of the league thanks to the high stakes that have been building all season. The Philadelphia Unions’ win could have halted FC Cincinnati’s Supporters’ Shield push.
This win over Cincinnati puts the Union in the driver’s seat in the Supporters’ Shield race, as every game in the regular season is more crucial than ever.
The Union needed a strong appearance against Cincinnati in order to get ahead in the race, something they have struggled to do since San Diego FC became a frontrunner in the West.
With the regular season on the line, Philadelphia came up strong against Cincinnati, a game that many thought Cincinnati had the advantage in.
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The Biggest Game in the Supporters’ Shield Race
Where does this leave Cincinnati
FC Cincinnati needed a win against Philadelphia to make sure that no one had an advantage going into the last few games of the season, as we start the MLS Cup playoffs.
The loss set them back five points behind the Union and a point behind San Diego, who could separate themselves further from Cincinnati before the end of the week. The biggest question for Cincinnati is if this loss ended their hopes for the shield.
They now sit in a tough spot that leaves them behind and out of what was once considered a three-team race.
Even if the supporters’ shield hopes are gone, they still can achieve most of their goals by winning the MLS Cup when those playoffs begin. The team still has gaps to fill as they have to figure out how to be a more consistent offense that creates chances regularly.
If their focus shifts off the Supporters’ shield and onto preparing for the MLS Cup, it may improve their chances of winning hardware this season rather than going trophyless for another season.
Are their Supporter Shield hopes gone?
Cincinnati still has a chance to win the shield, though it will require the Union and San Diego to fall off slightly to open up a lane for Cincinnati to walk through.
They are just a few points back from Philadelphia and only one from San Diego for now. They could come back and make a run in the last six or seven games that sit before them.
It would be premature to count them out as they are still a contender in the race points once. When you look at how they have played compared to the other two teams in front of them, it is easy to count them out, considering how many games they have left.
With a player like Evander, they can play tough with anyone in the league. When losing a head-to-head matchup like they did, it sets them back to a spot that feels nearly impossible to come from.
Though their situation is less than ideal, they are still in the race by a thread. If they drop another game that Philadelphia wins, it will set them back further and out of the race.
Main Photo
Credit IMAGO/NurPhoto
Recording Date 29.08.2025