Charlotte FC vs Philadelphia Union Player Matchup Preview: Kerwin Vargas/Liel Abada vs Philippe Ndinga
- Rylee Mckinney
- 12 minutes ago
- 4 min read
By Rylee McKinney
The wait is finally over as Charlotte FC returns to The Bank this weekend to take on Philadelphia Union. After the two-week international break, MLS returns to regular-season play.
Before their break, Charlotte FC had an electric win against RBNY. The squad demonstrated just how strong their team is by putting away six goals in 90+ minutes. As for Philadelphia, they ended Matchday 5 in a 2-1 loss against Chicago Fire FC. Currently, Charlotte sits in 4th place in the EC, while Philadelphia sits in 15th and has yet to earn a point.
The Crown earned a 2-0 home win and an unfortunate 2-1 road loss against Philadelphia last year. The Union concluded their 2025 season as Supporters’ Shield winners while Charlotte FC finished in 4th place. However, the 2026 season is showcasing a Philadelphia that looks entirely different from last year.
Led by head coach Bradley Carnell, Philadelphia set a new club record for wins in 2025, concluding their regular season with a 20W-8L-6D record. Unfortunately for Philadelphia, their run came to a close with a 1-0 loss to NYCFC in the EC Semifinals.
Changes to Philly’s lineup reflect significant departures and a variety of new signings. Departures ahead of 2026 include defender Jakob Glesnes (LA Galaxy), left back Kai Wagner (Birmingham City), and striker Tai Baribo (D.C. United). To combat their losses, Philadelphia brought on Danish center-back Japhet Sery Larsen (25) and Colombian center-back Geiner Martinez (23). On offense, the Union signed strikers Agustín Anello (23) and Ezekiel Alladoh (20). Despite the departures and new signings, Philadelphia appears to be focusing on its homegrown players as well. Players like Frankie Westfield and Cavan Sullivan continue to earn minutes on the pitch, demonstrating the youth development focus of Philadelphia’s squad.
Charlotte FC’s attacking unit will therefore be a dangerous threat to the Philadelphia Union’s younger backline, especially on the wing. Obvious threats to Philadelphia include Wilfried Zaha and Pep Biel. Yet, a significant opportunity will be Charlotte’s right wing, with either Kerwin Vargas or Liel Abada at the start.
Philadelphia's Philippe Ndinga has had the responsibility, the past couple of weeks, to try and replace Wagner, who was one of the best left-backs in MLS and a player Philly had counted on for years.
Kerwin Vargas/Liel Abada - Charlotte FC - Right Winger
Dean Smith’s right wing is a double threat as he balances playing time between Kerwin Vargas and Liel Abada. Continuing from last season, Smith has alternated between the two, calling upon their individual skills based on the opponent-of-the-week’s abilities.
Kerwin “Flippin’” Vargas has been with Charlotte FC since 2022, making over 100 total appearances with the squad. Last season, Vargas appeared in 34 matches, tallying six goals and three assists during regular-season play. Vargas’ high-intensity attacking runs and dominant 1v1 abilities are a genuine asset to Charlotte’s attacking unit.
So far in 2026, the Colombian has made five appearances, making the starting XI twice. He even scored his first goal of the season during their dominant 6-1 win over Red Bull New York before the two-week international break.
On the other side of the coin is right-winger Liel Abada. The Israeli midfielder signed on with Charlotte back in 2024 from Scottish Premiership side Celtic FC. For an $8 million fee, Abada joined The Crown, making him the most expensive signing in Charlotte FC history at the time. Today, Abada continues to be one of Charlotte’s highest-paid players, earning roughly $2 million per year. Abada appears to earn more starting positions than Kerwin Vargas, making 60% of the starting XI this season alone.
With five matchdays in, Abada has made two assists and has started three games. Back in 2025, he recorded five goals and one assist in 32 matches. As an alternate to Kerwin Vargas, Abada excels at exploiting space in the box to create goal-scoring opportunities. His direct approach toward the goal allows him to finish at close range.
Philippe Ndinga - Philadelphia Union - Left Back
The Philadelphia Union recently added left back Philippe Ndinga (20) to their backline ahead of the 2026 season. Ndinga’s contract makes him a permanent transfer from Swedish top-flight Degerfors IF. With Degerfors IF, Ndinga made 10 league appearances, even scoring his first professional goal against IK Sirius.
Although Ndinga is on the younger side and is new to MLS, he has made significant progress with Philadelphia’s novice back line. Ndinga even earned some minutes against Club America in Philadelphia’s Concacaf Champions Cup run. It may be too early in the season to make any serious judgments for Ndinga. But his experience so far will have him anticipating the Vargas/Abada threat on the right wing.
Summary
Saturday's matchup will be an interesting one on the right wing. Charlotte’s fluctuation between starting Vargas or Abada will keep the Philadelphia Union guessing until the last second. For newcomer Philippe Ndinga, this ambiguity might be overwhelming. Philadelphia will put pressure on Ndinga to keep Vargas/Abada out wide, preventing any playmaking attempts on the wing. For Charlotte, they must not overlook Ndinga’s MLS-rookie label, especially after coming down from their 6-1 win against NYRB.
Ndinga's responsibility of replacing Kai Wagner, one of the best left-backs over the last several years, is key for Philadelphia's season, but as of now, it's a developing situation that Charlotte's wingers should look to exploit.
Dean Smith will ultimately decide who will challenge Philadelphia’s left back. It will be up to Philadelphia to memorize both Kerwin Vargas and Liel Abada’s attacking style. What both Vargas and Kerwin have in common is their ability to create space, which will be combatted by Ndinga’s physical defending style.
Stats from TransferMarkt
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