The ultimate MLS supersub, Ilsinho, will be in from the start of the Philadelphia Union's MLS is Back Tournament opening game against NYCFC on Thursday (9 am ET | ESPN, ESPN Deportes in US; TSN in Canada).
Ilsinho, who started just seven of his 28 regular-season appearances for the Union last year, will take his place up front alongside striker Kacper Przybylko. Forwards Sergio Santos and Andrew Wooten are both nursing injuries and do not make the matchday roster.
For NYCFC, Valentin Castellanos, another player who began the first two games of 2020 on the bench, will start in an attack that also features striker Heber and Ismael Tajouri-Shradi. Romanian attacker Alexandru Mitrita does not feature in the squad. ESPN's Stefano Fusaro reported that Mitrita had picked up an injury in training.
Elsewhere for NYCFC, Defender Maxime Chanot, an almost ever-present for NYCFC in 2019, will start on the bench.
With coaches allowed to make up to five substitutions and the early morning heat likely to be a factor, expect to see plenty of rotation both in the game and over the course of each teams' three group games.
