The Fire have already accomplished plenty in 2025, but it’s arguable their biggest challenge awaits.
The Fire’s reward for a dominant 3-1 win over Orlando City in Wednesday’s Eastern Conference wild-card game is a best-of-three with the Philadelphia Union that begins Sunday in Chester, Pennsylvania. The Union ended the season with MLS’ best record to claim the Supporters’ Shield and had little trouble with the Fire, winning the teams’ two matches by a combined 5-0 score.
Fire coach Gregg Berhalter knows what his club is up against.
“Philly was the best team in the league this year, indicated by the Supporters’ Shield. Very good team,” Berhalter said. “They kicked our butt the first two times we played them. So, I think all we can do is better than that, right? Can’t do worse. So, we’ll put together some things, and we’ll be working the next couple days to recover and prepare to go to Philly and play a good game.”
The Fire will have to do that and maybe more to get past the Union, who have finished with the league’s best record twice this decade but haven’t yet won MLS Cup.
Philadelphia allowed a league-best 35 goals this season and won 12 times at home. Along with hosting Game 1 and Game 3 if necessary – Game 2 is set for Nov. 1 in Bridgeview – the Union also have the benefit of a full week of rest, unlike the Fire who played the midweek wild-card match.
And as Berhalter alluded to, the Union showed their prowess against the Fire. On Aug. 23, the Union beat the Fire 4-0 in Pennsylvania. Philadelphia outshot the Fire 17-6, launched eight shots on target and scored three second-half goals to put the match well out of reach.
Now the Fire must quickly regroup for the Union, a team that finished atop the 30-team league, despite a condensed schedule packed with travel and limited recovery time.
“It’s how you prepare mentally. This game, if you’re not there mentally, then you won’t perform at your best,” midfielder Brian Gutierrez said. “Philly comes out with great intensity and their home crowd backs them up. So just being aware of that and living in the moment and making plays play-by-play. That’s how we see it and that’s what we’re looking forward to [in] our next game this Sunday.”
The quick turnaround also blunts the Fire’s ability to relish Wednesday’s victory, the franchise’s first in a playoff game since Nov. 7, 2009, when they beat the New England Revolution 2-0 in the second leg of an Eastern Conference semifinal.
Gutierrez’s 48th-minute goal to open the scoring Wednesday was the franchise’s first in the postseason since Alex’s goal in the 83rd minute of a 2-1 loss to the Houston Dynamo on Oct. 31, 2012. Hugo Cuypers became the first Fire player since Ivan Guerrero in 2005 to score two goals in a playoff game, and the team set a club playoff record with 25 shots on a night that felt like a reward for the franchise’s most dedicated supporters.
“When [Berhalter] arrived last winter, goals were set out. The first one was reaching the playoffs, getting that first win is done as well,” Cuypers said. “So, we’ll see where we can go. It’s a huge reward for the team and for the club that’s been working really hard. And not only what you guys see on the field, but daily. I don’t know what the future holds, but it’s for sure a right step.”
The Fire have another step to take, and it will be steep.