Union Set to Face the Red Bulls in Home Playoff Match
The Philadelphia Union will play in their second-ever home playoff game this Sunday against the New York Red Bulls at 3 pm ET kickoff at Talen Energy Stadium, broadcasted on FS1. The head referee for the match will be Chris Penso. The Union are stumbling into the playoffs as they are on the heels of a two game losing streak and fell to defeat at home on October 6th for only the third time this season. Philadelphia enters the playoff picture as the third seed in the Eastern Conference with a regular season record of 16-11-7 and 55 points.
?Goaaaaaaaaaal (just a few of our favorites)#PhillyOrNothing pic.twitter.com/1IWCONn1A8
— X – Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) October 16, 2019
The Union fell to NYCFC by a final score of 3-1 in the knockout round of last year’s playoff format but plan to give their fans a game to remember this Sunday. This is the Blue and Gold’s third time in the playoffs in the past four seasons as they were in first in the East for a majority of the year, but lost that top spot late in the season. The Union set the record for most wins in a season with 16 and recorded the most goals and assists in a single-season with 58 and 59, respectively.
On the other hand, the Red Bulls are coming off a 3-0 loss to Montreal to end their regular season, and enter the postseason picture as the sixth seed in the East with a 14-14-6 record and 48 points. New York is currently on a two game winless skid and were held scoreless in those matches to end the season and will look to take down Philly come this Sunday in a heated rivalry.
Thanks in part to ACME markets, every fan in attendance at Sunday’s playoff game will receive a light or dark blue playoff t-shirt so that they can Blue Out the Red Bulls. The shirts will be placed in every single seat in the stadium and here’s hoping that it will be a sellout crowd to encourage the Union to a positive result.
The Boys in Blue last faced the Red Bulls on September 22nd and lost by a final score of 2-0 on the road. Prior to that matchup, the Union made a valiant comeback to defeat the Red Bulls 3-2 at home on June 8th. Ilsinho was subbed into the match in the 53rd minute and assisted the team’s first goal, then proceeded to score two more unanswered goals to give the Union a 3-2 lead. Philly would never relinquish this one goal lead and ultimately took down their rivals in an exciting match.
nyrb is coming to Our House this weekend, so let’s take a look back at the last time that happened ???
Help us defend our turf ?? http://t.co/p07EZOVME7#PhillyOrNothing | #Skilsinho pic.twitter.com/WGlh6HsuU5
— X – Philadelphia Union (@PhilaUnion) October 14, 2019
The stakes are much higher this time around, as it is the first time in which the rivals will face each other in the playoffs. Philadelphia feel that they have an edge at home and are certainly up to the challenge against their most hated rival. The atmosphere is expected to be electric and the Sons of Ben will be willing and ready to make the stadium the loudest it has ever been in the franchise’s 10 year existence.
The Union will most likely have midfielder and captain Alejandro Bedoya, along with Kacper Przybylko back in the starting lineup on Sunday following their absence in last week’s regular season finale. Bedoya was sidelined with a quad injury while Przybylko injured his left foot in warmups. In manager Jim Curtin’s weekly presser, he stated “There’s a plan in place and that fully involves Kacper starting Sunday.” Alejandro Bedoya was also training fully with the group today without restrictions. This now means that the U are heading into the playoff game with a healthy roster as all players are at Curtin’s disposal.
Homegrown midfielder Brenden Aaronson will have some extra motivation heading into Sunday’s match since he was snubbed of MLS Rookie of the Year as his phenomenal season played a big part in the Union clinching a home playoff match. This may also have an effect on the entire Union roster as they will be hungrier than ever to support their teammate and earn a victory for his self-confidence moving forward.
The Union and Red Bulls have dead even records when competing at Talen Energy Stadium with a 6-6-2 record while both teams have each scored 22 total goals. The Boys in Blue will look to gain an edge in the series matchup at home come this Sunday, with a desire to win their first-ever Audi MLS Cup Playoffs match.
The winner of this match will take on either Atlanta United FC or the New England Revolution in the Eastern Conference Semifinals on October 24 at 7:30 pm ET.
#PhillyorNothing #DOOP
“Featured Image: Wes Shepherd/Union Nation”
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Categorized:Union