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MLS Philadelphia Union

Union return home to Philadelphia in advance of season opener at Portland on March 12

March 5, 2012 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Philadelphia Union News Release


Chester, Pa. (March 5, 2012) - Philadelphia Union return home to train for the first time in nearly a month in preparation for the club's 2012 season opener on Monday, March 12 against the Portland Timbers. The match will be televised live on ESPN2 at 9:30 p.m. EST, the first of the team's 14 nationally televised games this season. This is the third straight season that the Union has opened up on the road. The club is 1-1 in season openers, earning a 1-0 win at Houston last season and a 2-0 loss to the Seattle Sounders in 2010.

After spending the last month training in Florida and Costa Rica, the Union will spend the next five days training in Philadelphia before departing for Portland on Saturday afternoon. Training will take place at Chester Park in Wallingford, Pa. from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. each day with the first 15 minutes open to media for photos and b-roll. All player interviews will be held following training at approximately 1:00 p.m. EST at PPL Park. For any player interview requests or if you plan on attending training, please contact Aimee Cicero acicero@philadelphiaunion.com or (610) 209-3657, as the team's schedule may have changed.

The Union are 0-1-1 against the Timbers, posting a loss at JELD-WEN Field and a draw at PPL Park last season. The match will also mark forward Danny Mwanga's return to his hometown. Mwanga attended Jefferson High School in Portland and then moved on to Oregon State, where he garnered PAC-10 Rookie of the Year honors in 2008 and PAC-10 Player of the Year honors in 2009.

The Union recently announced the signing of goalkeeper Chris Konopka and Homegrown Player Cristhian Hernandez. A native of Toms River, N.J., Konopka was originally drafted by Kansas City in the 2007 Supplemental Draft and was most recently a member of the MLS Goalkeeper Pool. He spent three seasons playing in Ireland became the first American born player to accomplish an "Irish Double" when he helped the team capture both the League of Ireland Championship and the FAI Cup. A member of the Union Academy, the 18-year old Hernandez has made appearances in Reserve League matches, as well as a first-team friendly against Everton, in which he scored the game-winner in a 1-0 win on July 21, 2011. The 2011 US Soccer U-17/U-18 Development Academy Player of the Year, Hernandez netted 16 goals in 26 appearances for his club team, Players Development Academy (PDA), a Youth Development Affiliate of the Union.

The club returns home to face the Colorado Rapids on Sunday, March 18 at PPL Park at 4:00 p.m. EST on NBC Sports.

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