Union inch closer to a playoff spot

With two games left in the regular season, the Union are close to clinching one of the 10 Major League Soccer playoff berths in their second season.

The easiest way for the Union (11-7-14, 47 points) to clinch is to beat Toronto (6-13-13, 31 points) in Saturday's 4 p.m. game at PPL Park. The regular-season finale is Oct. 20 at the New York Red Bulls.

Here are the other ways the Union can clinch a playoff berth this week:

If the Union tie Toronto, and Portland (11-13-7, 40 points) and Houston (10-9-13, 43 points) tie in their game Friday, or New York (9-7-16, 43 points) ties or loses to Kansas City (11-9-12, 45 points) on Saturday.

If there is a winner in the Portland-Houston game and New York loses to Kansas City.

If the Union win Saturday, they will also bypass having to play in the opening wild-card round, which will put them in the two-game conference semifinal round, one home and one away beginning either Oct. 29 or 30.

If the Union win their final two games, they will clinch the Eastern Conference title. They can also clinch if they win this week and Kansas City ties or loses to New York.

Technically, Columbus, with 44 points and two games remaining, can tie the Union if the Crew win their final two and the Union split their last two games. However, the Union would hold the second tiebreaker - goal differential. Currently the Union have a plus-9 goal differential and Columbus is minus-3. (The first tiebreaker is head-to-head and the teams split in the regular season.)

The Union are coming off arguably their most impressive win of the season, Saturday's 2-0 win at Seattle against the Sounders.

"I think it's the most complete 90 minutes we have played on both sides of the ball," Union assistant coach John Hackworth said on Tuesday, in between helping with the team's effort with Habitat for Humanity, assisting with the building of a twin home in Chester.

Union goalkeeper Zac MacMath talks about the team's push for the playoffs.

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