Union hang on for draw to clinch playoff spot, cap remarkable run

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- The Philadelphia Union hung on Wednesday night for a 0-0 tie with Nashville SC to clinch a berth in the 2026 MLS Cup playoffs.

>Nashville (21-3-8), the 2026 MLS Supporters' Shield winners, now has 71 points this season and needs four more in the final two regular-season games to break the single-season record of 74 set by Inter Miami CF last season.

>Nashville is unbeaten in eight straight overall and five in a row against the Union (3-0-2 with three shutouts).

>Philadelphia (13-11-8) is sixth in the Eastern Conference with 47 points, three behind fifth-place Charlotte. The Union rode a 15-match unbeaten streak from July to October to move from last place in the East all the way into the playoff positions.

>The Union's young rising star Cavan Sullivan sat the game out with an ankle injury, but his team was able to see out a draw with Nashville and earn an important point without him.

>Brian Schwake had one save for Nashville and extended the club's single-season record for shutouts to 15, the most in MLS this season. Schwake, who featured for the United States in the September/October international window, also leads the league with 21 wins.

>Nashville remains the only team unbeaten at home this season (14-0-2), but had its 10-game home win streak snapped.

>The Union host playoff-seeking Cincinnati on Saturday, while Nashville play the Red Bulls at Geodis Park as it looks to best Miami's single-season points record.

>Information from The Associated Press was used in this recap.