A pair of sides hovering in and around the playoff line will face each other on matchday nine of the Major League Soccer regular season, as the Philadelphia Union host Toronto at Subaru Park.
The reigning Eastern Conference champions are coming off a 2-2 draw at the Chicago Fire, extending their winless run in the league to five matches, while the Reds are currently holding down the final wildcard spot as they wound up with the same result versus Atlanta United, putting them a point ahead of Philly.
Match preview
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Perhaps from fatigue or an eye on their upcoming CONCACAF Champions League (CCL) semi-final, we have seen one of the traditional powerhouse teams in the east struggle early on this year, with just two victories in MLS.
Being second best is something Jim Curtin's men are used to, finishing as the runners-up in three US Open Cups and last year's MLS Cup final, but so far in the regular season, this group have often been second best in their encounters.
There are 26 games still to play, and this ordinarily stingy defensive unit have already conceded 11 goals, nearly half of what they allowed throughout the 2022 regular season (26).
Seeing them on the outside of the playoff picture may not be what anyone expected so early on, but it is not unusual to see them suffer an early slump, going winless in six straight contests from matchday seven to 12 a year ago, while failing to win their first two matches of 2019, 2020 and 2021.
So far in 2023, much of the damage done to them has been self-inflicted, with Philly conceding two own goals and allowing two goals from the penalty spot.
Only two of their 10 goals scored this year have come in the opening half, with the Union having to claw their way back into numerous encounters of late, erasing a two-goal deficit last weekend in the Windy City just three days after coming back to draw Atlas in the second leg of their CCL quarter-final, setting up an MLS Cup rematch with Los Angeles FC in the final four of that tournament.
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On matchday eight, we saw some late-game heroics at BMO Field as TFC extended their unbeaten run in league play to seven matches, their longest stretch without a defeat in this competition since 2020 (nine).
Following their draw versus the Five Stripes, Bob Bradley said it was a step in the right direction for his team, who found themselves behind on two occasions but fought back to earn a point, the first for them when trailing in the second half this season.
Toronto welcomed back some experienced attacking players last weekend, and it made a massive difference as they showed tons of imagination and looked dangerous in possession throughout the match.
That kind of creativity has been in short supply for the Reds away from home this year, as they have failed to find the back of the net in their last two road fixtures but have still earned a single point in three of those four outings.
Although they have not played as aggressively away from home in 2023, the Reds have been much tougher to break down defensively so far, posting back-to-back clean sheets, one shy of their previous longest shutout streak from 2020.
The City of Brotherly Love has not been particularly hospitable to the Canadians lately, with the Reds losing their previous three visits there by a combined score of 12-0 and TFC without a victory in Philly since 2019 (3-1).
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Team News
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Kai Wagner is questionable for the Union this weekend because of a hamstring injury, Jack McGlynn made his first start of the season in their previous contest, while Nathan Harriel was the only new face in the starting 11 from the CCL clash with Atlas, taking Wagner's place at full-back.
An own-goal by Harriel put Philly behind by two early in the second half versus the Fire, but Daniel Gazdag and Julian Carranza answered back for the visitors, the 10th time those two have scored in the same MLS encounter since 2022.
Gazdag has four goals for Philadelphia against the Reds, including a hat-trick in this exact fixture last season, while assisting on the other one scored by Mikael Uhre, with Andre Blake collecting a clean sheet in a 4-0 triumph.
Victor Vazquez and Adama Diomande might not be ready to return to the Toronto lineup from their lower body issues, Matt Hedges missed the last match due to concussion protocol but could be ready for Saturday, Cristian Gutierrez has an illness, while Lorenzo Insigne returned to the lineup from injury versus Atlanta, coming on for Raoul Petretta late in the second half.
A stunning strike from Richie Laryea put Toronto on the board against the Five Stripes in what was the 100th career appearance for the Canadian in TFC colours, while Brandon Servania notched his first as a Reds player in stoppage time, enabling them to collect a fourth successive single point.
Two of the three clean sheets posted by Sean Johnson this year have come away from home, while two of the three goals by the Reds' leading scorer Federico Bernardeschi have also taken place on the road.
Philadelphia Union possible starting lineup:
Blake; Mbaizo, Glesnes, Lowe, Harriel; Martinez; McGlynn, Bedoya; Gazdag; Carranza, Uhre
Toronto possible starting lineup:
Johnson; Laryea, Hedges, Rosted, Petretta; Servania, Bradley, Kaye; Bernardeschi, Insigne, Osorio
We say: Philadelphia Union 2-2 Toronto
With a massive CCL semi-final just around the corner, the Union might have one eye on this game and another on their opening match with LAFC.
That being said, both teams have quality all over the field, but the Reds have struggled to close out fixtures this year, while it has been the opposite story for Philly.
How to watch
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