Major Playoff Implications for Union at Red Bulls

Even though the New York Red Bulls have had a difficult season, their postseason fate is in their hands -- although they will have to try to qualify without Thierry Henry.

The Philadelphia Union are hoping to help eliminate New York while keeping alive their chances of finishing atop the Eastern Conference.

The Red Bulls will be without Henry but can clinch a playoff spot in Thursday night's season finale with a tie against the visiting Union, who enter on an eight-game unbeaten run.

New York (9-8-16) had high expectations after Henry helped the club amass 51 points for the East's regular-season crown in 2010. Those hopes have not been met with the club battling for the league's final wild-card playoff spot.

The French superstar is among the league leaders with 14 goals, but he won't be available Thursday after being sent off in the 28th minute of Saturday's 2-0 loss at Sporting Kansas City.

"He's our captain, our leader," defender Stephen Keel said. "He makes things go, so we're definitely going to miss him. But it's going to give a chance to other guys on our team."

The Red Bulls will clinch a postseason berth with a tie, and a loss would leave them having to depend on other results this weekend to get in.

"The conditions are clear, and that's good," New York coach Hans Backe said.

Philadelphia (11-7-15) clinched its first playoff spot in its second season with Saturday's 1-1 home draw with Toronto FC. The Union are 3-0-5 since a 2-1 loss at Real Salt Lake on Sept. 3.

"We don't want to let up now," defender Danny Califf told the Union's official website. "We want to keep it going. I think one of the many reasons we're in this position is the collective character of players in this locker room. We held it together and fought through it as a team."

The Union still have plenty to play for, sitting tied with Kansas City atop the conference. Those teams are even on the first two tiebreakers -- they split the season series and currently have the same goal differential (plus-nine) -- but Kansas City owns the next one with the edge in goals scored (49-44).

That means Philadelphia will want to win by a big margin Thursday to try to wrest the goal differential advantage away from Kansas City, which visits D.C. in its finale Saturday.

It appears Backe will move Dane Richards from the midfield into Henry's spot at forward. Richards will form a tandem with Luke Rodgers against a Union defense that has allowed the East's fewest goals with 35.

"We're going up against the best defense in the league," Richards told the Red Bulls' official website. "It will be a challenge so I'm looking forward to it."

Philadelphia's defense proved to be too difficult for New York in a 1-0 victory April 9. Substitute Roger Torres scored his first MLS goal.