Philadelphia Union's academy has traveled south for the 2018 Winter Showcase in Florida, but many of their opponents will be arriving from the western half of the United States. The Winter Showcase pits the Union's Under-17s and U-19s against some of the top youth sides in the country, including the academies of Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders, and FC Dallas.
On Thursday, November 29, U-19s face off with Real Salt Lake. With a 3-3-3 record (18 goals scored, 18 conceded), RSL sits in the middle of the pack in the Southwest Division of the Western Conference. The Union are currently atop the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference with a +18 goal differential, and although both teams will be able to scout their opponents using shared video this will be a good test for the U-19s ability to control a game and force the opponent to bend to their will.