Chester — After a year-long hiatus from the MLS Cup Playoffs, the Philadelphia Union are back in the hunt for the organization’s first-ever MLS Cup as they take on the Chicago Fire on Sunday evening at Subaru Park in the first round of a best-of-three playoff series.

“We’re excited to go at it,” said Carnell at his weekly press conference. “I think the guys have been driving from January to make sure that they get themselves into the spot. Now we’re in the spot. Let’s go out and enjoy it.”

The Chicago Fire head into the match quite frankly on fire, undefeated in their last five matches and coming off a dominant 3-1 victory over Orlando City in the wild-card round of the MLS Cup Playoffs. The win came thanks to a brace from Hugo Cuypers and two assists from Philip Zinckernagel, giving Chicago only their seventh home win of the season.

Much of their recent success is due in large part to Gregg Berhalter’s change in formation and tactics. Switching from a traditional back four to a three-center-back, two-wingback system has not only helped one of Major League Soccer’s highest-scoring clubs, but also produced key wins over the likes of Inter Miami, Minnesota, and Columbus heading into the playoffs.

“They’ve changed a lot of different things that matched up to the opponent,” remarked Carnell. “What they don’t change is the quality in their group and their front three are excellent soccer players. Last week it was Zaha and company. This week it’s going to be Zinckernagel, Bamba and Cuypers. That’s always difficult and nothing’s changed throughout the whole season, and that’s the beauty and the parity of the league that every team has. Two DPs or whatever it is, and they all have the quality to expose you in transition, so we’re going to have to keep that at a minimum and we have to plug up a lot of good spaces.”

Regardless of the Fire’s recent run of form, Bradley Carnell remains confident that his squad is up to the task.

“I think everyone has has grown,” Carnell said of his squad. “You have to face a bit of adversity to see what you can battle through and fight the demons and come out on the other side. And I think as a staff, as players, we’ve all been through this adversity from January, to find ourselves now to fight for something that’s greater than each and every individual one of us.”

After a 2024 season in which Philadelphia won only four matches at home during the regular season, this squad has turned Subaru Park back into a true home-field advantage, winning 12 of their 17 matches — tied with the 2022 squad for the most home wins in a regular season.

“I’m proud of that we’ve earned a home ground advantage,” said Carnell. “We have to find the reset buttons and go again with that motivation of the the points record and with the number one seed, there’s a lot more expectation. More teams are going for the guys as the hunted.”

While Chicago comes in with the third-best road record in MLS at nine wins — trailing only FC Cincinnati and San Diego, the latter with 12 road wins — Carnell has seen tremendous growth from his Supporters’ Shield squad throughout the season.

So while Cuypers, Zinckernagel, Bamba, and Gutiérrez are players to keep an eye on, Philadelphia will once again look to their defense to try to keep a clean sheet for a third time this season against Chicago. The Union will rely on Frankie Westfield, Olwethu Makhanya, Nathan Harriel, Jakob Glesnes, and Kai Wagner to help Andre Blake keep the ball out of the net.

Speaking of Glesnes and Wagner, both were nominated this week for MLS Defender of the Year, along with Vancouver’s Triston Blackmon. Glesnes won the award in 2022, and while Wagner has been nominated before, he has never won.

“I just see a combination throughout everything we do and it’s a collective approach that is only because Bruno, Mikael, and Tai, the way they defend and keep it compact and keep it connected, and so they’re the main ones who start that and initiate our defensive shape,” mentioned Carnell when asked about the honors. “I think it’s not just those guys, and those guys are too humble and honest to know that it’s just not about them, it’s about the whole group as well.”

Also of note, Chicago Fire’s Philip Zinckernagel was nominated for Newcomer of the Year.

Bradley Carnell also received recognition, being nominated for the Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year award for the second time in his career. He previously received the honor back in 2023 with St. Louis City. He joins Jesper Sørenson of the Vancouver Whitecaps and Mikey Varas of San Diego as the nominees this season.

On receiving the honor, Carnell said he was humbled, but emphasized that it’s ultimately about the team.

“I’m just grateful to be part of this journey,” remarked Carnell. “I’m not looking for acceptance, but just being part coaching the Union here, coaching a group that we look out for each other and we’re competitive.”

Philadelphia also got some good news this week, as it appears Jeremy Rafanello and Indiana Vassilev are both training full-time. With midfield depth being tested due to Quinn Sullivan’s injury, Cavan Sullivan will remain with the squad for the first two matches of the possible three before joining the U.S. U-17 World Cup squad.

“Cavan, he threw the idea out there, knowing that Rafa was out at that certain time and knowing that we’re a pretty thin group right now,” Carnell mentioned when asked about the decision. “We decided, you know, good cooperation with US Soccer, that he would stay for these two games.”

For Carnell and the Union, they hope to avoid an early playoff exit. When Carnell was with St. Louis City, his team finished first in the West, only to be bounced by Sporting KC in the first round — and Philadelphia suffered a similar fate in 2020 after winning the Shield and being eliminated by New England.

The match is scheduled for a 5:55 p.m. kickoff live from Subaru Park. If you cannot make it to the match, it will be available on Apple TV as part of the MLS Season Pass.

Main Photo Article Courtesy of the Philadelphia Union