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Union aim to rebound from Open Cup disappointment

Sep 19, 2014 - 10:59 PM Chester, PA (SportsNetwork.com) - The Philadelphia Union will resume their chase for a playoff berth on Saturday when the club welcomes the Houston Dynamo to PPL Park.

The match will close out another busy stretch for the Union, while will play their third match in eight days, hoping for better results in league play after falling to Seattle Sounders FC, 3-1, on Tuesday in the U.S. Open Cup Final.

The Open Cup final represented an opportunity for the five-year-old Philadelphia franchise to earn its first-ever trophy, along with a sizable sum of prize money and a ticket to the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions League.

Things started positively for the Union as the home side grabbed the lead in the 38th minute when Maurice Edu nodded home a Cristian Maidana free kick.

But Seattle equalized just two minutes into the second half as Chad Barrett got on the end of a loose second ball in the box and nodded it home to silence the home crowd.

Things got chippy as the match wore on and Seattle seized control in extra time as Clint Dempsey fired his team in front in the 101st minute and substitute Obafemi Martins added the insurance goal in the 114th minute to give Seattle its fourth Open Cup title.

Despite the loss, Union interim manager Jim Curtin praised his side's effort:

"I've never been proud of anything that ended in a loss before but this is the first time. I thought our guys put a ton into it. It just wasn't meant to be," Curtin said. "Seattle is the best team in our league and I thought we went toe-to-toe with them. We had the two chances at the end to win it but I guess it just wasn't meant to be."

Curtin's side will have to alter its focus quickly and get back to trying to reach the MLS playoffs for the second time in club history.

Houston will arrive in Chester hoping for a complete performance after coughing up a two-goal lead last time out and draw the Columbus Crew, 2-2 at BBVA Compass Stadium on Sept. 13.

Houston was in front after 12 minutes through A.J. Cochran and Giles Barnes doubled the lead, but the Crew battled back to equalize through goals from Wil Trapp and Ethan Finlay.

"I don't think that mental sharpness was there," said forward Omar Cummings. "Just knowing they're going to come out and we need to be ready for it. I don't think the sharpness was there mentally to get tuned in and be like, 'They're going to come at us, and we need to be ready.'"

Philadelphia is winless in its last five meetings with Houston, including two previous meetings this season.