Preseason games don’t count for anything in the standings and often are difficult to parse genuine conclusions from but one thing they have been known to do for the Philadelphia Union is help mint new rising stars.
Many of the team’s homegrown players got their start with the first team in preseason exhibition games as unsigned academy players. The latest crop go their first cup of coffee with the first team in a 1-1 draw with FC Cincinnati on Thursday in Clearwater.
Nelson Pierre, Bajung Darboe and Jack Jasinski — all unsigned academy players from Union II — saw minutes in the game.