The 2015 Philadelphia Union season was the club's sixth season of existence, competing in Major League Soccer, the top flight of American soccer. The team was managed by Jim Curtin, his second season with the club and first full season after taking over from John Hackworth midway through the 2014 season. For the second consecutive season, the Union finished runners-up in the 2015 U.S. Open Cup, this time to Sporting Kansas City. The 2015 season also marked the departure of CEO Nick Sakiewicz, who had been with the club since its inaugural season. Sakiewicz was replaced with former U.S. men's national team player, Earnie Stewart, who was named Sporting Director in October 2015.

Background

2014 MLS regular season The 2014 Philadelphia Union MLS Regular Season saw the team go 10–12–12 finishing 6th in the Eastern Conference and 12th overall. The Union had a slow first half of the season, winning only 3 of their 16 games. Because of this, head coach John Hackworth was fired and Jim Curtin was named the club's interim head coach. Following the summer break, the Union saw better results, and were in a position to reach the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs. However, a loss to the Columbus Crew SC on October 11, 2014, put them out of the playoff race. After the season was over, the title "interim" was taken removed from Jim Curtin's title and is now the permanent head coach.

2014 U.S. Open Cup The 2014 U.S. Open Cup was the most successful Open Cup in the club's history. The Union entered the competition in the fourth round along with the other 18 MLS clubs. In that round, the Union defeated the Harrisburg City Islanders, a team in the third tier of the American soccer pyramid, 3-1 after extra time. In the next round, the Union defeated the NASL team the New York Cosmos 2-1 after extra time. The Union then defeated the New England Revolution 2-0 in the quarterfinals and FC Dallas 4-3 on penalty kicks after a 1–1 tie in the semifinals. In the final, the Union lost to Seattle Sounders FC 3-1 after extra time.

2015 roster

As of August 29, 2015.

Out on loan

Squad breakdown

Current squad

No. Name Nationality Position Date of birth (age) Signed from Goalkeepers 1 Andre Blake GK UConn 49 Brian Sylvestre GK Carolina RailHawks55 John McCarthy GK Rochester Rhinos Defenders 2 Warren Creavalle FB/DM Toronto 8 Maurice Edu CB/DM Stoke City 15 Ethan White CB D.C. United 16 Richie Marquez CB Redlands 23 Steven Vitória CB Benfica 28 Ray Gaddis RB West Virginia University 33 Fabinho LB Sydney FC Midfielders 5 Vincent Nogueira MF Sochaux 7 Brian Carroll DM Columbus Crew SC 10 Cristian Maidana AM/LW Argentinos Juniors 13 Michael Lahoud MF/DM Chivas USA 14 Eric Ayuk Mbu MF/RW/LW Rainbow FC Bamenda 20 Jimmy McLaughlin LW/RW Colgate University 21 Eric Bird MF University of Virginia 27 Zach Pfeffer MF IMG Soccer Academy 77 Fred MF Melbourne Heart 85 Tranquillo Barnetta MF Schalke 04 Forwards 6 Conor Casey ST Colorado Rapids 9 Sebastien Le Toux ST New York Red Bulls 11 Andrew Wenger LW/ST Montreal Impact 17 C.J. Sapong ST/RW Sporting Kansas City 18 Fernando Aristeguieta ST Nantes 29 Antoine Hoppenot ST Princeton University

Competitions

Preseason

MLS season

Standings

Eastern Conference standings

Overall standings

U.S. Open Cup

Philadelphia entered the 2015 U.S. Open Cup with the rest of Major League Soccer in the fourth round.

Friendlies

Statistics

Statistics are from all MLS league matches.

Nat.No.PlayerPos.AppsStartsGAAcquired 2 CreavalleWarren CreavalleDF 2 1 0 0 0 0 SuperDraft 3 LeeRaymond LeeDF 1 0 0 0 0 0 SuperDraft 5 NogueiraVincent NogueiraMF 20 17 5 0 5 0 Signed 6 CaseyConor CaseyFW 11 2 1 0 1 0 Re-Entry Draft 7 CarrollBrian CarrollMF 19 18 0 0 2 0 Trade 8 EduMaurice EduMF 21 21 1 1 8 0 Signed 9 Le TouxSebastien Le TouxMF 2421 6 4 3 0 Trade 10 MaidanaCristian MaidanaMF 24 21 1 14 1 1 Signed 11 WengerAndrew WengerMF 2219 1 2 0 0 Trade 13 LahoudMichael LahoudMF 12 9 0 0 2 0 Trade 14 Ayuk MbuEric Ayuk MbuMF 22 9 2 2 3 1 Signed 15 WhiteEthan WhiteDF 13 11 0 0 2 0 Trade 16 MarquezRichie MarquezDF 15140 0 0 1 SuperDraft 17 SapongCJ SapongFW 21 14 7 4 2 0 Trade 18 AristeguietaFernando AristeguietaFW 16 12 4 1 2 0 Loan 19 CaticDzenan CaticFW 0 0 0 0 0 0 SuperDraft 20 McLaughlinJimmy McLaughlinMF 1 0 0 0 0 0 Signed 23 VitóriaSteven VitóriaDF 13 13 0 0 2 0 Loan 25 WilliamsSheanon WilliamsDF 1715 0 2 3 0 Signed 27 PfefferZach PfefferMF 2010 2 1 0 1 Signed 28 GaddisRay GaddisDF 2322 0 0 2 0 SuperDraft 29 HoppenotAntoine HoppenotMF 1 0 0 0 0 0 Supplemental Draft 33 FabinhoFabinhoDF 20 17 1 2 1 0 Signed 77 FredFredMF 6 0 0 0 0 1 Signed 85 BarnettaTranquillo BarnettaMF 5 4 0 0 1 0Signed 31 33 40 5

Goalkeepers Nat.No.PlayerAppsStartsRecordGAGAASOAcquired 1 BlakeAndre Blake2 2 1–1–0 1 0.50 1 0 0 SuperDraft 49 SylvestreBrian Sylvestre12 12 5-6–1 19 1.58 5 0 0 Signed 55 McCarthyJohn McCarthy8 8 1–4–3 15 1.88 1 0 0 Signed 92 M'BolhiRais M'Bolhi5 5 0-3-2 9 1.80 1 0 0 Signed 7-14-6 44 1.63 8 0 0

Honors and awards WeekPlayerOpponentPositionRef3 Sebastian Le TouxD.C. United FW22 C. J. Sapong Ilsinho John McCarthy FWMFGK24 Cristian Maidana MF29 Tranquillo Barnetta MF

End of Season Awards 2015 MLS Team Fair Play Award

Transfers

In DatePlayerNumberPositionPrevious clubFee/notesDecember 8, 2014 CJ Sapong 17 ST/RW Sporting Kansas City Traded for allocation money and a 2015 SuperDraft pickJanuary 16, 2015 Dzenan Catic 19 ST Davenport University 2015 MLS SuperDraftJanuary 16, 2015 Eric Bird 21 MF University of Virginia 2015 MLS SuperDraft January 16, 2015 Raymond Lee 3 LB Saint Louis University 2015 MLS SuperDraft March 3, 2015 Eric Ayuk Mbu 14 MF Rainbow FC FreeJuly 29, 2015 Tranquillo Barnetta 85 MF Schalke 04 FreeAugust 7, 2015 Warren Creavalle 3 DM Toronto Acquired for a 2016 SuperDraft pick

Out DatePlayerNumberPositionNew clubFee/notesDecember 8, 2014 Amobi Okugo 14 MF/CB Orlando City SC Traded for allocation money and a 2016 SuperDraft pickDecember 8, 2014 Corben Bone 19 MF Wilmington Hammerheads WaivedDecember 8, 2014 Brian Brown 17 ST Indy Eleven WaivedDecember 8, 2014 Cristhian Hernández 23 MF/FW WaivedDecember 10, 2014 Pedro Ribeiro 30 MF/FW Orlando City SC 2014 MLS Expansion DraftFebruary 14, 2015 Aaron Wheeler 12 ST/CB Wilmington Hammerheads ReleasedJuly 23, 2015 Sheanon Williams 25 RB Houston Dynamo Traded with an international slot for allocation moneyJuly 27, 2015 Carlos Valdes 3 CB Santa Fe Mutual TerminationAugust 24, 2015 Rais Mbolhi 92 GK Antalyaspor Mutual TerminationAugust 29, 2015 Raymond Lee 3 LB Waived

Loan in DatePlayerNumberPositionLoaned fromFebruary 9, 2015 Steven Vitória 23 CB Benfica February 20, 2015 Fernando Aristeguieta 18 FW Nantes May 7, 2015 Brian Sylvestre 49 GK Carolina RailHawks

Loan out DatePlayerNumberPositionLoaned toJanuary 6, 2015 Zac MacMath 18 GK Colorado RapidsJanuary 15, 2015 Leo Fernandes 22 MF New York CosmosFebruary 6, 2015 Carlos Valdes 3 CB NacionalMarch 2, 2015 Austin Berry 4 CB FC AnyangMarch 18, 2015 Danny Cruz 44 MF Bodø/GlimtMay 15, 2015 Dzenan Catic 19 FW Carolina RailHawks

References