The club has preached it from the get-go. The first two seasons in Major League Soccer are a build-up to the magical third season, when Allianz Field will open and the team will finally be competitive.
While this isn’t written into the plan, making the playoffs in 2018 seems like a good segway to the Loons landing as an MLS Cup contender next season. Being knocked out in the first round of the playoffs never sounded so good.
And all season long, the players have been speaking of that magical red line. And that red line keeps looming above United, even as time runs out for a playoff push.