The Philadelphia Union are battling to reach the MLS playoffs for just the second time in club history, but they must balance their priorities with the U.S. Open Cup Final looming on the horizon.
Philadelphia tries to snap out of its home slump Sunday night when it hosts the Houston Dynamo in the clubs' only meeting of 2015.
This is the first of five remaining regular-season contests for the Union (8-15-6), who still have a shot to reach the playoffs despite their unimpressive record. However, they also have the chance to win a championship Sept. 30 when they host Sporting Kansas City in the U.S. Open Cup Final. Philadelphia lost 3-1 at home against Seattle in last year's final, and lost 3-2 at Kansas City in league play April 5.
The Union visit New England next Saturday before returning home for the final.
"It's complicated with the minor playoff hopes that we still have," coach Jim Curtin told the team's official website. "It's a balancing act of putting a team on the field that you want to get a result, but also knowing that there is the Open Cup Final ... because, you've seen our team, when we're confident we can play with anybody. But when there's a little doubt that creeps in, it becomes a situation where we have a pretty big drop-off."
Curtin is hopeful he'll have captain Maurice Edu back in the lineup. Edu, nursing a strained groin, hasn't played since Aug. 12. Getting Edu back would be a boon for a club trying to end a four-match winless streak at home after last Saturday's 2-1 loss to Columbus.
The Union have been hurting for offense in this series, getting shut out in the last five meetings and going 1-5-2 in the last eight. The teams have tied four times in Philadelphia - including two straight with no score - and split two other meetings.
Houston (9-11-8) is also a long shot to reach to reach the postseason, though it hasn't been eliminated from contention. The Dynamo have won just once in their last five matches while surrendering nine goals and are coming off a 3-1 loss against Real Salt Lake last Saturday.
The club has been ravaged by injuries, allowing first-year coach Owen Coyle to utilize the same starting 11 in consecutive games only once. He'll also be without defender Raul Rodriguez, who has started 23 matches, but is suspended due to yellow card accumulation.
"We'll have to pick ourselves up and get ourselves ready to go," Coyle said. "Reinforce that to our players. We want to see them come out and give everything they've got."
Houston defender Sheanon Williams is returning to Philadelphia for the first time since the Union traded him July 23. Williams had been relegated to a substitute role shortly before the trade.
"Obviously spent a lot of time there, definitely gave a lot of energy and effort to that team and felt that they kind of turned their back on me," he told the team's official website. "So I'm looking to get back and have a good showing."
