Two of the top defensive units in the MLS regular season will battle each other on Sunday in the City of Brotherly Love, with a spot in the Eastern Conference Finals on the line when the Philadelphia Union host Nashville SC at Subaru Park.
Philly scored with two minutes remaining in extra time last Saturday to advance to the second round, while Nashville reacted well when going a goal down to Orlando City, winning 3-1.
Match preview
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On Saturday, the match between the Union and the New York Red Bulls seemed destined for penalties as neither side looked capable of penetrating the back line, until out of the blue, the Boys in Blue produced a magical moment to advance to the Eastern Conference semi-finals for the first time since 2019.
They began the regular season with a ton of expectations after capturing the Supporters' Shield in 2020, and although they did not always look like a top-class side, the Union did an excellent job of riding a wave of momentum throughout the year, and now they look like they are starting to peak, unbeaten in five straight contests heading into this fixture.
Jim Curtin has kept this team well-disciplined and composed at the back, as they always seem to have a great deal of patience during a match to build-up play and wait for the right opportunity to strike.
While they have produced some impressive regular season campaigns in recent memory, finishing second in the Eastern Conference this year and first overall in 2020, the playoffs are a whole other story as they have never made it beyond this round in their history.
The Union are unbeaten in six successive home fixtures and are incredibly difficult to break down defensively at Subaru Park, with five straight clean sheets there, allowing only nine targeted efforts combined in those five games.
This team like to press high up the field, but they tend to veer away from that approach in big games, seemingly afraid to make a mistake and concede.
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On Tuesday, Nashville did what we have seen them do all year, concede early before reacting and then handing the game over to their MVP candidate and getting by with some resolute defending.
That strategy has enabled Gary Smith's side to make it back to this stage of the MLS Cup Playoffs for a second time in successive seasons.
The Boys in Gold finished the 2021 campaign without a single defeat at home, becoming only the seventh side in league history to accomplish that feat, and with their victory earlier this week, they are now unbeaten in 19 straight games played at Nissan Stadium.
As good as they have been in the music city, they have not been nearly as clinical on the road, having won only one of their last six games played away from home and getting shut out on four occasions, including in their last visit to Philly in October when they were only able to fire one shot on target in a 1-0 defeat.
Nashville are great at reacting and even better in transition, but there is still a lot of work to be done when it comes to dead-ball situations as they have conceded 14 times this year from set-pieces, and that includes the Daryl Dike strike off a corner kick on Tuesday which put the Lions ahead.
Conceding first always seems to get them back on track, having allowed the opening goal in a game 17 times this year, though they have usually been able to respond, losing only four times all season, the fewest in MLS.
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Team News
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A wonder strike from Jakob Glesnes sent the Union into the next round as his goal in the 123rd minute was the latest game-winning goal in club history, and the latest goal ever scored in an MLS match.
Andre Blake only had to make one stop to collect his first career clean sheet in the MLS playoffs, as Glesnes, Alvas Powell, Jack Elliott, and Kai Wagner were splendid on defence and did not allow much space to the high pressing Red Bulls.
Leon Flach, Daniel Gazdag and Paxten Aaronson made their first-ever postseason starts for Philly, while Jack McGlynn and Jesus Bueno picked up their first playoff caps.
Hany Mukhtar continues to be one of the saviours for the Boys in Gold, as the man considered to be one of the front-runners for MLS MVP had a brace against Orlando and now has three goals in the four postseason matches played by Nashville, while Jhonder Cadiz notched his first career playoff strike in injury time.
Daniel Rios is nursing a left ankle injury and will not be available for this one, while David Romney is questionable with a left calf injury.
CJ Sapong, who had five assists in the regular season, set up the winning goal from Mukhtar, with the other goals coming off some excellent passing from Anibal Godoy and Daniel Lovitz.
Philadelphia Union possible starting lineup:
Blake; Powell, Glesnes, Elliott, Wagner; McGlynn, Martinez, Flach; Gazdag, Santos; Przybylko
Nashville SC possible starting lineup:
Willis; Miller, Johnston, Zimmerman, Maher, Lovitz; Leal, Washington, Godoy; Mukhtar, Sapong
We say: Philadelphia Union 1-2 Nashville SC (a.e.t)
There is very little difference between these sides, as Nashville only conceded two goals fewer than Philly in the regular season, and both teams are well-coached and extremely patient, while rarely allowing you a lot of good looks at the goal.
Nashville will have a slight edge because of how well they have played when trailing, not to mention possessing an x-factor in Hany Mukhtar, who has shown that he can completely change the complexion of any game.
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