Union looking to avoid record-setting loss

Coming off one of their worst performances of the year, the Union will close out their season Sunday hoping to avoid a dubious franchise record.

The Union (9-17-7) will end another disappointing Major League Soccer season with a game against Orlando City SC at PPL Park.

After a 4-1 loss to the host New York Red Bulls last Sunday, the Union are one loss away from tying the franchise record for most defeats in a season. That mark was set in 2012 when the Union went 10-18-6 in their third MLS season.

On Sunday, the Red Bulls' Mike Grella scored the fastest goal in MLS history when he hit the back of the net just seven seconds into the game.

"To give up a goal in seven seconds, you could line up 100,000 times and that would not happen," coach Jim Curtin said.

The Union were down, 4-0, at halftime and Curtin didn't question his team's effort, just its performance. "The one thing they've never done is quit," he said. "I don't think they did in that game, either."

The Union look to end on a positive note against the first-year Orlando franchise, which technically is still in the playoff hunt. Orlando (12-13-8, 44 points) needs a miracle to qualify. The top six teams in the Eastern Conference qualify and sixth-place New England has 47 points with one game remaining.

Orlando needs to beat the Union and have New England lose at New York City FC. That is only the beginning. The first tiebreaker is wins and that would be even, so it comes down to the second tiebreaker - goal differential. New England has an eight-goal advantage.

So Orlando, led by sensational rookie forward Cyle Larin, will be a desperate team.