Union face their biggest regular-season MLS game ever
It's not hyperbole to suggest that Sunday's game at Talen Energy Stadium against Orlando City is the biggest regular-season match in the Union's seven-year history.
It's not hyperbole to suggest that Sunday's game at Talen Energy Stadium against Orlando City is the biggest regular-season match in the Union's seven-year history.
That's because the Union (11-12-9, 42 points) would essentially clinch the franchise's second Major League Soccer playoff berth with a win.
The Union are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference, where the top six earn a postseason berth.
Technically, New England would be in the picture with a victory Sunday against last-place Chicago, but even if the Revolution (39 points) win their final two games and tied the Union in points, they trail in the second tiebreaker, goal differential, by a large margin. The first tiebreaker is total wins, and if the Union beat Orlando and New England wins its final two games, they will both have 12. The Union have a plus-13 goal-differential lead on the Revolution.
This is the 33rd game of a 34-game schedule and while the Union would still be in playoff contention with a loss, they don't want to need a win in their final game, Oct. 23 at home against the New York Red Bulls.
"Of course not," said coach Jim Curtin, whose team could finish as high as fourth place. "If we take care of everyone doing his job, I am confident in the group that we will get a result."
The Red Bulls team are tied for first place with Toronto in the Eastern Conference. They also beat the Union in their last meeting, a 3-2 homedecision on Oct. 1 that had playoff-like intensity.
So all the focus is on Orlando (7-11-14, 35 points), which has been eliminated from playoff contention in its second MLS season.
The Union have made great strides in the first season under sporting director Earnie Stewart. Last season the Union went 10-17-7 and were playing out the string at this point in the season.
This year is different. But for all the gains the team has made, it would be a major setback not to earn a playoff spot.
Orlando has a new coach, Jason Kreis, who took over July 31, so the players are looking to impress him down the stretch. In other words, the Union will face a team with ample motivation.
"It is dangerous because guys [for Orlando] are fighting for positions, not just for this season, but for the future," Curtin said.
Of course the Union are fighting for much more - a playoff berth they have been chasing since beginning preseason workouts in late January.
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