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Union host Dynamo in first ever playoff game

Oct 28, 2011 - 8:37 PM Chester, PA (Sports Network) - The Philadelphia Union will compete in its first ever Major League Soccer playoff game on Sunday when it hosts the Houston Dynamo at PPL Park.

In only its second season in existence, Philadelphia clinched a postseason berth by finishing in third place in the Eastern Conference, a marked improvement from its debut season which ended in a seventh place finish.

But while the club has never appeared in the postseason, six Union players - Danny Califf, Brian Carroll, Justin Mapp, Freddy Adu, Stefani Miglioranzi and Sebastien Le Toux - have combined for 27 playoff berths, seven title game appearances, and five championships during their stints with other clubs.

"We haven't held team meetings or anything but certainly in our own little way we're tying to convey the kind of attitude you need to take into the playoffs," said Califf. "There's more emotion, more urgency, and everyone is juiced. I think we're going to be ready."

Philadelphia concluded its regular season with a 1-0 loss at Red Bull New York.

With a playoff spot already secured, Union head coach Peter Nowak used the occasion to tinker with his tactics and try a couple of different playing styles.

"We had guys who can really play the ball to the feet and try to spread it out," Nowak said. "We had Sebastien Le Toux and Justin Mapp with their speed up top as well. We didn't have that good fluidity throughout the game. ... Bringing on Freddy [Adu] as well, he's another technical player, so it gave us more options. Brian [Carroll] still did a good job in the middle. It gave us a little more going forward."

Tactics will certainly play an important role if the Union want to dispatch the Dynamo, as Houston enters the playoffs as one of the in-form MLS teams.

Houston caught fire down the stretch, posting a 4-0-2 record in its final six regular season games to claim second place in the East.

"This team, the last five or six games, has been under a lot of pressure," head coach Dominic Kinnear said. "... One game we'd be top of the conference and then we'd be fourth or fifth after the weekend was over. We've played catch up quite a bit this year and the last five or six have been a test for this group, home or away, and I think we've handled it well."

Houston finished its regular season with a 3-1 home win over the Los Angeles Galaxy, pulling the Dynamo out of a midweek wild card game.

"Getting that week to rest, especially for guys who have some injuries here and there; it gives us some time to get back to 100 percent and get ready for a big playoff game," said Dynamo defender Geoff Cameron. "Missing the playoffs last year left a nasty taste in our mouth. Now back into it, we want to make a run for the cup."