The Philadelphia Union will play the first playoff game in their team's brief MLS history today as they take on the Houston Dynamo at PPL Park (5pm, ESPN2).
The Dynamo finished the regular season on a strong run to grab the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, but take on a Union side that has been very tough to beat at home.
MVP candidates Brad Davis and Sebastien LeToux will be key for their respective teams, but it will be up to the defenses to avoid mistakes in what should be a physical and low-scoring series.
SBI will be providing commentary on today's match, so please feel free to follow along here. As always, you are welcome to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.
Enjoy the action (Commentary is after the jump):
Does adu normally ride the bench for union?
Philly Coach makes head scratching decisions constantly.
Houston definitely not bunkering. They are pressuring high up the pitch.
Dale Dynamo!!!
Now THIS is playoff soccer!
Its very disappointing that two of our young players who have some skill and creativity can’t even get off the bench in MLS.
YES!! Davis to Hainault GOALL
wow. LeToux. game on
i guess if de jong can get away with a stomp to the chest so can farfan
or abdomen
Carr!! What a goal. What a game! Great through ball from Chinger
Have to question the Philly lineup, they are getting dominated everywhere. Really no excuse for not having either Adu or Torres to maintain control in the middle.
Te Ching-o!
LOL
It’s OK – he’s not wearing burgundy.
Starting Stefani Miglioranzi over Adu or Jack Mac is proving to be a potentially fatal decision for Philly who is being dominated.
Cruz and Farfan are really battling down the near wing
Diabolical challenge from behind by Williams on Moffat, who is understandably peeved. Playoff intensity all over the place! Someone is definitely going to see red at this rate.
lol @ hotpockets half time report
did they have the juicy juice pre game report?
Jim Gaffigan should host the Hot Pockets halftime report.
Wow, Union seriously made no subs? Are they asking to lose?
Union looking much better in second half so far.
Wow, was that a hand ball in the box by Davis??
Wow Brad Davis just Suarezed the ball and didn’t get called!!!
Coaching lost this game for Philly.
Pathetic that Adu, Mac and Torres started on the bench.
Costly blasts over as Houston blow a two-on-zero break.
What is wrong with Eastern Conference coaches?
amazed that adu was brought on so late, every time he touches the ball he creates.
Houston holding on by the skin of their teeth. Philly with a never-say-die late surge for the equalizer
It’s honestly about 50/50. He’s had mild injury issues and I don’t think Nowak likes both him and Torres starting the game because of the defensive liabilities so its two good players fighting for one tight spot(although neither started today one usually does).
Yea but they moved Migz up so it was still a totally different formation
Terrible refereeing by who else: Jair Marrufo.
I don’t know how this guy is still ref’ing professionally, much less the MLS playoffs!
I feel he was relatively fair to both sides, but let both sides play on after a ton of fouls.
As a Dynamo fan, Davis’s handball should have been a PK. That said, Philly’s super lucky that Garfan wasn’t ejected in the 4th minute.