The Union are in the thick of a real playoff race for the first time in eight years

The thrill of a playoff chase is universal in sports, soccer included. And right now, the Union are in a chase the likes of which they haven’t seen in a long time.

They’ve had their share of pursuits over the years, to be sure. But it’s been eight years since this team has had to truly fight just to make the postseason, as opposed to jostling for a high seed knowing that its ticket is secure.

Do you remember how things were in 2016? That’s not a long time by the Phillies’ or Eagles’ standards, but it is by the Union’s. Back then, they hadn’t made the playoffs since 2011, their second season of existence. They gave the dictionary a new entry under backing in, getting the Eastern Conference’s last berth despite going winless in their last seven games: two ties and five losses, including the last three.

It would be another two years before the Union started a string of what is now six straight playoff qualifications — and all saw clinching secured well before the season’s last day.

» READ MORE: Union continue playoff push with 4-0 rout of D.C. United

Not many names from that team are still around Chester these days: Alejandro Bedoya, Andre Blake, Jim Curtin as the manager, and Sébastien Le Toux as the radio color analyst.

Curtin hasn’t forgotten what it was like back then.

“I don’t want to ever do it again,” he said when the subject came up. “The pressure’s certainly different at the bottom. … It certainly is different preparing the guys to play for these types of games where we’re just trying to get in.”

Blake acknowledged that he has mostly forgotten what it was like back then. That’s understandable, given how much he and the Union have been through since. He didn’t need to remember the specifics, though, to see his team’s current situation for what it is.

“We’ve had some situations this year — injuries, players leaving, it’s just a lot of different things going against us,” he said, knowing that his own injuries have been front and center. “It’s a part of the game. It happens sometimes. But this group is still a really good group, and we just have to keep giving it our best.”

Until this year, Dániel Gazdag had seen only the good times since arriving in 2021: second place that year, first a year later, and fourth last year. Now he’s in the thick of a scrap he’s never been part of, since most European leagues don’t have playoffs to crown their champions.

» READ MORE: Jim Curtin hit the gas pedal at New York City FC, and the Union charged into a playoff spot with a statement win

“It’s a weird feeling,” he said. “Every season is different, and we’ve got to learn from this one. But luckily, for the end of the season, we’ve got [it] together and we are playing much better, and now we have confidence.”

Gazdag added he believes “we can beat anyone now,” and there’s no doubt that opponents will see that belief from across the field.

But fans shouldn’t assume that the current moment’s good feelings will last. This race is going right down to the wire, and it won’t be easy.

After hosting 11th-place Atlanta this Saturday, the Union’s last three games will all be against teams they won’t be favored against on paper: at fifth-place Orlando on Oct. 2, at second-place-and-reigning-champion Columbus on Oct. 5, then home against third-place FC Cincinnati on Oct. 19.

If the Union lose all three of those games, they might still make the playoffs, because the rest of the Eastern Conference’s lower half is in pretty bad shape. And if they get points from them, seventh place could be in reach, which would spare having to play the opening-round knockout game.

» READ MORE: Even if the Union keep playing this well, they still might run out of time to make the playoffs

But there’s one big caveat: The first standings tiebreaker is total wins, not soccer’s traditional goal difference.

Teams eight through six in the standings — Toronto, New York City FC, and Charlotte, in ascending order — all have 11 wins, and the Union have nine.

If the tiebreaker was goal difference, the Union would be in a much stronger position. Their plus-10 margin isn’t just better than their standings neighbors, it’s better than every team in the conference from fourth on down.

“We’ve only gotten beat by teams that are really, really good,” Blake said. “Sometimes we can be a little bit hard on ourselves, but I think we’re really in a good spot right now. Guys are confident, and we have guys that are playing at their best right now.”

That was proven true by Sunday’s 4-0 rout of D.C. United at Subaru Park, with all three of the Union’s attacking stars scoring. Mikael Uhre tallied his 13th goal of the year (tying his single-season high with the club), Tai Baribo scored his 16th, Gazdag scored his 18th and 19th, and Quinn Sullivan had two terrific assists.

But it could be really proven true if the Union fall in those last three games, against teams that fit Blake’s definition. The margin for error is small, and it will stay small the rest of the way.

You might want to fasten your seat belts now. While the turbulence isn’t here yet, it’s definitely on the horizon.

» READ MORE: Young Union backup goalkeeper Andrew Rick proved his potential in his first MLS win