It was a big weekend for Philadelphia Union players, both at home and across the globe.
In Chester, the team added an important three points to their total with a 1-0 win against St. Louis City, and they did so without a handful of players who were away representing their national teams. Here’s how the contingent abroad fared during their respective national team call-ups while the Boys in Blue held it down back at Subaru Park.
Andre Blake
Team leader Andre Blake was called up to the Jamaican National Team for the first round of CONCACAF Gold Cup Qualifiers, and just like he does for the Philadelphia Union, he wore the captain’s armband for the Reggae Boyz, starting between the posts for Jamaica’s 1-1 match against Saint Vincent and the Grenadines on Friday, then again against in their 3-0 win against the same squad on Tuesday.
Danley Jean Jacques
After starting in four straight games for Philadelphia, Danley Jean Jacques put on an impressive performance for Haiti in their friendly against Azerbaijan, sealing a positive result for his country with an 83rd minute goal in their 3-0 win.
Daniel Gazdag
It was an unfavorable weekend for the Hungary, as they lost both of their matches against Turkiye for a final 6-1 aggregate score. On the bright side, Daniel Gazdag earned some meaningful minutes, subbing in during stoppage in match one, then joining the starting lineup for a 60-minute shift on Sunday.
Tai Baribo
On Saturday, Tai Baribo subbed on for Israel in their 2-1 win against Estonia in the group stage of the World Cup qualifiers. He entered in the 71st, four minutes before his country scored their second goal of the night. He remained on the bench during the team's 4-2 loss against Norway on Tuesday.
Frankie Westfield
Homegrown defender Frankie Westfield was selected for the U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team, first facing Mexico on March 22. He earned the start, helping his side earn the 2-0 win against Mexico. They played again on Monday, securing a draw against Japan.
Neil Pierre
Homegrown Neil Pierre was also called up to represent the stars and stripes, this time returning to Marbella, Spain for U-18 camp. Pierre appeared in the starting lineup for their first match against Morocco, which finished with a 2-2 final score. Their Tuesday game had a more favorable outcome -- Pierre started again against Norway, and his group finished with a 4-3 win.
Jesus Bueno
Jesus Bueno got the call-up for Venezuela, earning a start and a 46-minute showing in their 2-1 loss to Ecuador in the World Cup Qualifiers. While he wasn't part of the matchday roster for their second game, his country defeated Peru 1-0.
