The rematch is on as New York City FC travel to Subaru Park on Sunday (8 pm ET | FS1, FOX Deportes in US; TSN 2, TVA Sports in Canada) to play the Philadelphia Union for a 2022 MLS Cup berth in a repeat of last year's Eastern Conference Final.
For the hosts, who were missing a chunk of their starting lineup last time around due to a Covid-19 outbreak, round two against the eventual 2021 champions feels more like a fresh start than a retread.
“Look, a lot will get made about the revenge from last year, or this or that,” said Union head coach Jim Curtin. “But it’s two different teams. A lot of the rosters have changed. The coaching has changed on both sides in terms of the head coach [for NYCFC] and the assistant [for Philadelphia]. Last year is last year and this a new opportunity for us.”
But the memory of that 2-1 loss, marked indelibly by the absence of key players such as Alejandro Bedoya, Jakob Glesnes, Andre Blake and Jack Elliott, still looms large in the collective consciousness of Philly’s coaches, players and fans.
“A lot of guys missed the game,” said Curtin. “Ale Bedoya missed it as the captain, Jakob Glesnes, who I remember screaming when he had to leave the building because he tested positive. So we were literally losing guys as the day went on. Andre missed it and then Jack Elliott and it became difficult.
“People always ask me, ‘Well, have you moved on from it?’ And I say all the time I'll never move on from it because it still happened and it’s a part of our history and a part of the Philadelphia lore.”
Not one to get bogged down in negativity, however, Curtin remains quick to point out the bright side of running it back against last year's victors. He has every right to be optimistic as his team boasts a +23 goal differential in their last nine matches and beat NYCFC in both regular-season contests this year.
“We’re back in the same spot now and it’ll make it sweeter if we’re able to go on a little further and reach our first MLS Cup. Sports are like that. You take one step forward, sometimes you take two steps back, but then you’ve got to keep going and get back up.”
Big City threat
Tactically, the Union will face challenges both old and new. One of the more familiar dilemmas will be figuring out how to disrupt NYCFC talisman Maxi Moralez from controlling the midfield.
“Moralez has been incredible again for them,” noted the 2022 Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year. “Even with age, he continues to get better and better and finds ways to get goals and assists. He moves all over the field and he is so dangerous and works so hard defensively for them.”
Complementing Moralez will be a bevy of young attackers led by Brazilians Talles Magno and Gabriel Pereira, the former scoring the game-winning goal for the Cityzens in last year's Conference Final. The two rising stars, combined with question marks about whether New York will line up with a back three or a back four, mean the Union have plenty of tactical puzzles to work out before kickoff.
For his part, Curtin remains bullish that the onus is on Philadelphia to dictate the terms of the match.
“They’re a great team. It’s a great opponent. But we know at home it’s about us and doing the things that made us a strong team all season."
