Here’s when the Union’s next playoff game, at FC Cincinnati, will be

The date and time of the Union’s Eastern Conference semifinal playoff game at FC Cincinnati are finally set: Saturday, Nov. 25 at 8 p.m.

Between sweeping their first-round series against New England and the FIFA national team window this week, the Union will have been 17 days between postseason games. Cincinnati will have waited even longer, 21 days, after sweeping the New York Red Bulls.

It’s the second straight year that the Union and Cincinnati are meeting in the playoffs. Last season, the Union were the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and Cincinnati was No. 5, and the Union won 1-0 with a 59th-minute goal from unexpected hero Leon Flach.

» READ MORE: The Union’s playoff sweep of New England came with new unexpected heroes and an unexpected formation

This year, the roles are reversed. The Union are No. 4, while Cincinnati ran away with not just the Eastern Conference, but the Supporters’ Shield for Major League Soccer’s best overall record — the only team to win 20 regular-season games.

These teams know each other very well. Cincinnati’s roster includes former Union players Ray Gaddis, Sergio Santos, and Alvas Powell. Manager Pat Noonan used to be a Union assistant, and general manager Chris Albright used to be No. 2 in the Union’s front office. He first worked with former CEO Nick Sakiewicz, then sporting director Earnie Stewart, then current sporting director Ernst Tanner. Cincinnati hired Albright, a northeast Philadelphia native, in October 2021, and Noonan two months later.

All that familiarity has bred mutual respect, but even more contempt. The teams’ five meetings since Albright and Noonan moved west have produced a combined 29 yellow cards, two of which were second yellow cards to their recipients, but only 12 goals.

The last Union-Cincinnati game, in September at Subaru Park, was a 2-2 tie with 12 yellow cards, including the two second bookings that led to dismissals. The Union’s last game at Cincinnati was a 1-0 loss in April.

» READ MORE: A look back at the Union's 2-2 tie with Cincinnati in September.

The playoff game last year is the Union’s only victory in those five games. They’ve lost both trips to TQL Stadium, where the playoff game will be played, and been held to ties twice at Subaru Park. The Union’s last win in Cincinnati came in 2021, a 2-1 victory with goals from Paxten Aaronson and Kacper Przybylko. (Another former Union player, Haris Medunjanin, scored for Cincinnati.)

Cincinnati’s current stars include midfield playmaker Luciano Acosta, who’s likely to win this year’s MLS MVP award; striker Brandon Vazquez, who’s part of the U.S. national team pool; left back Alvaro Barreal; and goalkeeper Roman Celentano, who’s also gotten some U.S. looks recently.

Unfortunately for Philadelphia sports fans who only follow the Union casually, this game will be broadcast exclusively on Apple’s MLS Season Pass streaming platform. FS1, the league’s English-language TV partner, is booked up with college football that day.

Both Eastern Conference semifinals are Saturday, with No. 2 Orlando vs. No. 3 Columbus the earlier kickoff. Both Western Conference semifinals are Sunday: No. 4 Houston vs. upstart No. 8. Kansas City, and the marquee clash of No. 2 Seattle and No. 3 Los Angeles FC.

The conference semifinals and finals are single-elimination rounds, a return to what many fans like after the best-of-three-game first-round.

» READ MORE: Jack McGlynn has hit the heights he and the Union hoped for, and now can rise even higher

5:30 p.m.: E2. Orlando City vs. E3. Columbus Crew (Apple TV)

8 p.m.: E1. FC Cincinnati vs. E4. Union (Apple TV)

7 p.m.: W4. Houston Dynamo vs. W8. Sporting Kansas City (FS1, Fox Deportes, Apple TV)

9:30 p.m.: W2. Seattle Sounders vs. W3. Los Angeles FC (Apple TV)