2022 MLS Cup Preview: Philadelphia Union vs LAFC
MLS Cup match day has finally arrived. The Philadelphia Union are set to face off against the LAFC today in Los Angeles for the right to claim championship glory.
2022 MLS Cup is a battle between the league’s two top teams
It’s a matchup of the two top teams in the MLS, the kind of marquee contest the MLS cup hasn’t seen in decades and the first since it has risen dramatically in national prominence.
The Union and LAFC have historically been two evenly matched teams. So evenly matched that neither team has won in their past three outings since 2018. This year they played one time and resulted in a 2-2 draw.
Late game heroics from the LAFC kept the Union from pulling away for a victory. It was a draw that had heavy implications and helped to the LAFC narrowly edging out the Union for the Supporter’s Shield and ultimately home pitch advantage. Had the Union managed to hold on to win that game, the championship would very likely be held at Subaru Park tonight instead of Banc of California Stadium.
The path to the 2022 MLS Cup has been tough for both teams. The LAFC had to overcome a tough LA Galaxy team to advance to the western conference final and needed a game winner in stoppage time to beat their crosstown rival.
Originally tweeted by Major League Soccer (@MLS) on October 21, 2022.
The Union meanwhile had to face a surging NYFC team that fought hard enough to take a 1-0 in the last 45 until the dam finally burst and goals from Julian Carranza, Daniel Gazdag, and finally Cory Burke sealed the game.
Originally tweeted by Nick Piccone (@_piccone) on October 31, 2022.
Key to Union Victory
To win the MLS Cup the Union will need to capitalize on every opportunity to score. There can be no missed opportunities when facing a team as lethal as LAFC. All-Universe Goalkeeper Andre Blake has already saved the Union’s season once with a heroic save last week against the NYFC that prevented them from falling into a 2-0 hole. You simply cannot expect him to save you again this time.
The Union will need a huge game from Daniel Gazdag, their top goal scorer to keep the pressure on the LAFC defense.
2022 MLS Cup betting odds
Oddsmakers have the LAFC as a -130 moneyline favorite to win the game. Home field advantage carries a great deal of weight here. The Union haven’t been nearly as invincible on the road as they have been at home this year.
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Where to watch or listen to the match
You can watch today’s match at 4:00 PM EST on Fox 29. There is no local radio call for The Union today but you can stream from the team’s website if the national broadcasters fawning all over LA gets to be a bit too much. There will be a national radio broadcast of Sirius XM.
Mandatory Credit: Getty Images
