The Philadelphia Union will host the Eastern Conference Final for the second straight year in 2022. The opponent will be the same as last year, as NYCFC defeated CF Montreal 3-1 in the conference semifinal. Philly fell to New York in last year's conference final, and now they are looking for some revenge on their rivals.
Union vs NYCFC for a place in the MLS Cup Final
The final four are set. Philly and NYCFC face off in the East, while LAFC and Austin duke it out in the West. Philadelphia knows what's at stake in this match. It's a chance to make their first-ever MLS Cup Final. Should the Union be victorious, they have a possibility of hosting said Final; if LAFC loses, and Philly wins, MLS Cup will be played on the banks of the Delaware River.
Before we get too far ahead of ourselves, there is the matter of the match at hand against NYCFC. New York City beat Philly in last year's Conference Final 2-1. Eleven players on Philadelphia were out due to Covid-19. Now, Philadelphia is ready for a rematch.
Rematch for the ages
This match is one that has been on the minds of the people of Philadelphia for almost a full calendar year. It's been 329 days since the 2021 Eastern Conference Final. The Union was severely shorthanded in the last Conference Final, but this time around, they are looking stronger than ever.
The 2022 Philly team is just about at full strength. The only question mark remains on captain and midfielder, Alejandro Bedoya. He'll play a role but might be an off-the-bench substitute to change the game later on. Other than Bedoya, this Philly team is more dangerous than ever.
A brick-wall goalkeeper, elite defense, tenacious midfield, and a world-beating attack will be on display in the Eastern Conference Final for the Union. Can they push Philly to their first-ever MLS Cup? Union fans sure think so.
