Inaugural River Cup Charity Match

The River Cup (Designed by Mark Jenkinson)

The inaugural River Cup charity match combined EVERYTHING that is great about the Philadelphia Union and the Sons of Ben… Family, Friends, Football (Soccer), and Charity!

The Philadelphia Union FO and the Sons of Ben FC joined forced to raise money for Chester City United.  While the scoredboard showed a 2-1 win for the Philadelphia Union FO the real winners were the boys and girls of Chester City United.   When the final whistle blew we had ALL managed to raise $25,000 for the city’s local youth soccer team.  Events like this are the best way to grow the game of soccer in the United States and to strengthen the Men’s and Women’s National Teams for Generations to come.

The Best Chant Of The Match

A Bit Of Open Play

Sebastien Le Toux Plays With Brian & Aiden Carroll

Corey Furlan DOOPs on the Philadelphia Union FO (Video by Tommy S)

We DOOP For The Sons Of Ben FC

The Post Game Handshakes

On a personal level this was one of my all-time favorite Philadelphia Union events.  The highlights for me was bringing My Mother, My Wife, and My Son to PPL Park for the very first time.  My Mother was there celebrating her birthday.  I won’t say WHICH one, because I love her.  My Wife’s last UNION match was the FC Dallas Match at Lincoln Financial Field.  After that match she was sidelined due to her pregnancy.  My son has been a hardcore fan attending MANY viewing parties at Kildare’s in Manayunk, but has never been to the hallowed ground of PPL.

Benjamin Franklin Mitchell & Sheanon Williams

The game had the atmosphere of a family picnic.  Everyone seemed to know one another.  You couldn’t walk five feet without having to stop and chit chat with a friend.  My son Benjamin even made a NEW BEST FRIEND!  He and MJ (of Miles 4 MJ) are DOOP Brothers 4 Life!

While the Philadelphia Union FO and the Sons of Ben FC huffed and puffed up and down the field we mocked their fitness levels with chants and hobnobbed with REAL players. 

The players sat right alongside the supporters and were gracious with EVERYONE who wanted a picture or an autograph.  Ben got to hang out with ALL of his favorite members of the U.  He hung out with Sheanon Williams, Zachary Pfeffer, Danny Califf, Brian Carroll (and Son), Danny Mwanga, and his Le Uncle Le Toux.  Benjamin Franklin Mitchell first met Sebastien when he was only one month old.  During their meeting Sebastien Le Toux kissed Benjamin on the forehead, which is the soccer equivalant of a Papal Blessing.

I would like to give a special shout out to Danny Mwanga for autographing my Mom’s t-shirt and giving her a birthday smooch on the cheek.  I don’t think any of us will ever be able to top that birthday present.

I think the only fitting way to end this article is to say, “DOOP, DOOP, DOOP!”

The Philadelphia Union FO & The Sons of Ben FC (Greg Carroccio)