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Philadelphia Union vs New York Cosmos: Preview

The Cosmos attempt to make it two wins from two against MLS sides tonight

Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports

The Cosmos are in Philadelphia Tuesday, with a trip to the 2014 U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals on the line. They'll be facing the Union for the first time in the club's history, kicking off at 7:00 pm EDT in Chester, PA.

The potential quarterfinal opponents have already been decided for whichever team advances tonight, with the winner in Pennsylvania set to host their quarterfinal game. Should the Cosmos advance, they'll host the winner of the contest between the New England Revolution and the Rochester Rhinos at St. John's.

The Cosmos will be facing some injury issues tonight, though they'll be able to field a stronger squad than the one that dismantled Red Bull New York. Marcos Senna is still unavailable, while Diomar Diaz is also unlikely to play. Roversio will likely be back in the center of the defense, replacing Jimmy Ockford alongside Carlos Mendes. There's also a good chance we get to see Hans Denissen make his first start with the club.

The Cosmos will likely try to play the same sort of possession-based game that they have since beginning play last August, though it may be a bit more difficult against a competent midfield that might actually care about winning games. While Danny Szetela and Joseph Nane were both brilliant against the New Jersey-based opponent during the last round, they'll likely need to be just as good against better opposition to get another result.

The Cosmos will also need to be more clinical in front of goal than they've been for most of this season, as even though the Union have struggled in MLS this season, they're highly unlikely to be anywhere near as poor as Red Bull New York were. Chances will almost certainly be tougher to come by tonight, so finishing them will be key.

Tonight's match won't be as easy to take in as the last one was, but there are still a pair of options for you to use. NASL Live is still offering their free trial, and will be streaming the match live tonight. The Union will also be providing a stream from their website. There will be links available when we post the lineups tonight.