Union need to make a move

There will be a lot of hoopla this week surrounding the Union's first game at Chester's PPL Park, but lost in all the hype is the fact that this is the time the team needs to make a move if it plans to contend for a playoff berth. Eight of the 16 Major League Soccer teams will qualify for the playoffs.

The Union (2-7-1) will host the Seattle Sounders FC (4-6-3) in Sunday's 5 p.m. home opener. After playing eight of the first 10 MLS games on the road, with the two home games at Lincoln Financial Field, the Union will play five of their next six at the new 18,500-seat facility.

The Union have been off since a 2-0 loss at Kansas City on June 10, taking a break along with the rest of the MLS teams for the World Cup. After getting last week off, the Union returned to practice Monday and beat their minor-league affiliate, Reading United A.C., 2-0, in an exhibition game Wednesday night at Exeter High.

Union team manager Peter Nowak said on Tuesday that he planned to have virtually everybody play a half each.

"It will be 45 minutes at full speed, and that will be good for them," Nowak said.

He said the break came at a good time, and he realizes that this is the time to make a playoff push.

The Union have just seven points, the fewest in MLS. But there is so much parity that any team going on a three- to four-game winning streak would be very much in the playoff hunt.

"We have 20 games left, and if we win half of them we should be close to making the playoffs," Nowak said.

He estimates that it will take about 40 points to earn a playoff berth. If the Union go 10-10, they will have 37 points.

So the Union can't get caught up too much in the opening of PPL Park, because they face a Sounders team that beat them in their first-ever game, 2-0 on March 25 in Seattle.