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Playoff Push: Philadelphia Union Look to Clinch Against Charlotte FC
Ladies and gentlemen, a moment we didn’t see coming is coming to Subaru Park this afternoon: a playoff-clinching scenario. That’s right, your formerly last-place Philadelphia Union can clinch a playoff spot with a win and some help. Just three points out of fourth place in the East, a win today would be crucial for the U to solidify themselves as contenders in the Eastern Conference. Charlotte enter Chester this afternoon aiming to defend their position ahead of Philly. Let’s break down the matchup.
Charlotte FC Look to Halt the Union’s Red-Hot Run
Charlotte have had an interesting run of matches heading into today’s game. They’ve alternated between wins and losses over the last four matches and sit fifth in the Eastern Conference with 46 points.
Their most recent match did not settle the nerves of Charlotte fans concerned for the postseason. Bottom-of-the-table dwellers, Columbus handed The Crown a convincing 3-1 midweek loss, putting CFC just a point above the Union heading into today’s match.
In April, Charlotte handed the Union a home loss, defeating the Boys in Blue 2-1. However, skipper Dean Smith knows that this is not the same Union squad his team faced before the World Cup break. More importantly, he knows his club isn’t playing the way it needs to less than a month before the playoffs.
Looking at the Charlotte attack, two players come to mind: Idan Toklomati and Pep Biel. Each player has 12 goals this season, but Biel is the focal point of this lineup. The 30-year-old Spaniard has eight assists to tag along to his goal tally, leading the team in goal contributions and providing the greatest threat to the U.
On the other side of that coin, Toklomati’s 12 goals this year match last year’s tally. He continues to impress as one of Charlotte’s lead attacking threats.
On defense, Charlotte struggled. They have not kept a clean sheet in their last six matches, and shots are aplenty. Croatian keeper Kristijan Kahlina ranks second in the league, averaging 4.5 saves per 90 minutes. Not a great recipe for a Union team that scores at a premium nowadays.
To soften the blow, The Crown will look to their captain, Tim Ream, to keep the Union’s fast-paced attack at bay, and that is not a bet I would take.
Keys to Success
Any Dean Smith side knows how to defend, and Charlotte has defended well since entering the league in 2022. They’ve allowed only 43 goals this year, and the defensive breakdowns have only come recently. If Charlotte can hold their own when Philadelphia attacks in waves, they could weather the storm and stay atop the U in the Eastern Conference.
Philadelphia Union Chase History With Playoffs on the Line
What a week it could be for the Philadelphia Union if they take all three this afternoon against Charlotte. The Union enters today’s match with an 8-game unbeaten streak, aiming to tie MLS’s longest win streak at nine.
Guess who holds that record? Charlotte.
The Boys in Blue are chasing history once again, but it is the way in which they are doing it that is taking the league by storm.
It’s a multitude of players breaking through at the same time, and many of them are players that Union fans hoped would find that spark at some point in their Philadelphia tenure.
However, no one expected that spark to blaze this quickly.
So here we are, Union fans. Eight consecutive wins, 14 consecutive unbeaten matches, and a chance to climb the Eastern Conference to as high as fourth place again this afternoon.
Additionally, a Union win and either a Cincinnati or DC loss put the Union in the playoffs.
Looking at the players, the highlight today is Bruno Damiani. The 24-year-old from Uruguay is playing like a reborn player. Two goals in his last match, 11 goals this season, but what strikes me is the level of confidence we are seeing from Bruno. We haven’t seen this level of flair, execution, and passion from the young forward since he arrived here as a DP, but man, has it been fun to watch.
Aside from Bruno, Milan Iloski added another goal to his now 18-goal season as he chases the Golden Boot race, and Cavan Sullivan has a goal contribution in each of his last eight matches. No surprise, given the consecutive win total.
It’s a winning recipe, and it’s peaking at the right time for a Union team that can clinch a well-earned playoff spot by the end of the week.
Keys to Success
Attack fast and early. This Charlotte team concedes a lot, and if the Union can control the tempo and pace of play today, they will keep climbing the table. Give me the Union to cap off a 9-point week.
You can catch the match at 2:30 PM on Apple TV+.
