Union to kick off re-opener tourney July 9

Even before getting official word of its first game at the MLS Is Back Tournament, Wednesday marked a big day for the Philadelphia Union.

After its first training session in Chester since the MLS season was put on hold in early March, the Union learned that they will open the MLS Is Back tournament with a game against New York City FC at 9 a.m. on July 9. That opponent is a change from what manager Jim Curtin was previously told, thinking his team would start against Nashville SC. But changes on other fronts were more directly beneficial for the Union.

First the schedule: The tournament begins July 8. The Union open with a breakfast kickoff against New York City FC the next day, one of seven morning kickoffs in the tournament to fit the league’s broadcast windows (in this case, ESPN).

The Union take on Nashville July 14 at 8 p.m. (Univision) and finish with a 10:30 p.m. date against Inter Miami July 19 (FS1). All games will be at the Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.

The formal schedule and the return to team facilities – the Union had trained at the 76ers Fieldhouse and Kirkwood soccer complex in Delaware – helps make the return from the COVID-19 stoppage feel more real.

“Going back to Chester for the first time and walking back into your actual office and looking around, you go, ‘oh, this is what we do for an actual living.’ And it kind of starts to click again,” Curtin said on a videoconference. “It’s been strange, but at the same time, we have a job to do. We’ve adjusted now and our team seems to be embracing this challenge of the Orlando competition.”

The Union will charter to Orlando on July 2, which is the latest a team can leave its home market. The variety of start times present challenges, as does MLS having to schedule 26 clubs on 14 or so practice fields. Curtin said the team’s training times will vary day to day, but they’ve essentially been given one morning and one afternoon option each day and one weight-room slot, which the teams can utilize as need be.

The other change with Wednesday’s official release are updated rules of competition. The Union’s three group-stage games will count toward the MLS regular-season standings. The winner of the tournament gets a $1.1 million prize and a spot in the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League.

The Union are in the six-team Group A, the only group that doesn’t have four teams. In a change, the winners and runners-up of each group will advance to the Round of 16 with the third-place team in Group A plus the three remaining teams with the highest point totals. The fourth-place team in Group A is also eligible to advance.

Curtin had advocated for MLS to revisit the rules and is happy they did.

“I think they got that one right in terms of just the fairness of the competition,” Curtin said. “I think obviously it’s unique that one group has six teams in it, and to add a third team from that group to advance to the round of 16 was definitely necessary.”

The round of 16 starts via doubleheaders July 25-28. The quarterfinals are July 30 and Aug. 1, with the semis on Aug. 5 and 6 and final on Aug. 11.

The number of positive COVID-19 tests in MLS has continued to rise, with Colorado announcing a positive Wednesday in addition to two for Atlanta and one from Inter Miami last week. That makes seven total positives among MLS players; all but Union striker Kacper Przybylko’s, which was announced April 1, remain within the twoweek quarantine window. Central Florida remains a COVID hot spot.

Curtin has stressed personal responsibility with players, making sure they take appropriate safety measures. While the team is fully healthy and he hasn’t had any players express a desire not to play in Orlando, his optimism remains measured.

“I start every pre-practice talk with, sticking to the rules, following the protocols,” Curtin said. “Unfortunately, as a country, I would say we’re not the best rule-followers. So really hammering that home with them and getting them to do the right things, and not put not only themselves at risk but others at risk. It’s a time to not be selfish. It’s a time to think for others and do the right thing. It’s not a hard thing to put on a mask, uncomfortable as it might be for 10 minutes or so. Just do it.”