MLS’s two most improved teams did battle in the first round of this year’s postseason.
In one corner stood the Philadelphia Union, whose return to Ernst Tanner’s hyper-aggressive tactical approach helped them claim the Supporters’ Shield and the title of the most improved outfit in the league. No team bettered their points per game total by more than the Union, who earned 0.85 more points per game this year than last.
In the other corner stood the Chicago Fire, whose 2025 season ended in disappointment when they were swept by Philadelphia.
Just about everything that could’ve gone wrong in a 3-0 defeat on Saturday did go wrong. Without injured starting goalkeeper Chris Brady, Chicago conceded a pair of goals when backup Jeffrey Gal misplayed two different passes. Central midfielder Rominigue Kouamé was hooked inside 30 minutes after a disastrous performance filled with his own set of poorly weighted passes. Brian Gutierrez’s penalty miss was a devastating blow all its own. A discriminatory chant from parts of the Chicago crowd turned a loss into something even more bitter.
