Soccer: Union, Carroll Ready To Begin MLS Playoffs
CHESTER, Pa. (CBS) -- The second season starts on Sunday for the Philadelphia Union, as they host the Houston Dynamo in the first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Philadelphia finished the regular season in third place in the East, with an 11-8-15 mark, good for 48 points.
Midfielder Brian Carroll is proud to be a part of the first-ever Union squad to make the playoffs, and he says he isn't ready for the journey to end.
"It certainly is nice to be in the playoffs, but now that we are there, we are shooting for more. And we really want to continue to show well for our fans and the city," he tells KYW Newsradio.
Hear Matt Leon's interview with Union midfielder Brian Carroll in this CBS Philly SportsPod…
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Philadelphia and Houston matched up twice during the regular season -- the Union opened the 2011 season against the Dynamo, taking a 1-0 decision on March 19th in Texas. Then the two teams played to a 1-1 draw in Chester on August 6th.
Carroll says Houston is in the postseason for a reason.
"They are a solid team. Dangerous on restarts, and they have some quality players throughout their lineup. I'm looking forward to a hard-fought series, but also a special one," he says.
The Union and Dynamo will play twice in the semifinals, the first time in Chester on Sunday. Then the scene shifts to Houston for a match on Thursday.
Whichever team scores the most goals combined in the two-game set advances to the Eastern Conference championship.
What will it will take for the Union to be successful in this first match?
"Working for each other, doing the nitty-gritty, dirty things to make sure that we have every opportunity coming out of our (home) game and going into the second leg to be in a good position to win the series," Carroll says.
First kick is set for 5:00pm Sunday at PPL Park in Chester.
Reported by Matt Leon, KYW Newsradio 1060
