Julian Carranza scored twice during stoppage time in the first half as the visiting Philadelphia Union extended their unbeaten streak to seven games by rallying for a 3-1 victory over slumping New York City FC on Saturday night.
The Union (7-4-3, 24 points) improved to 5-0-2 in their unbeaten streak by scoring in a quick burst for the second straight time against NYCFC. Philadelphia scored three times in a 12-minute span in the second half of a 3-1 victory in last season’s Eastern Conference final and struck again Saturday by scoring the stoppage time goals and then again eight minutes into the second half.
Carranza registered his fourth career multi-goal game in MLS competition and second this season. Gazdag improved to 14-for-14 all-time in penalty kicks after scoring twice last week.
Gabriel Pereira scored for NYCFC (4-6-4, 16 points), which saw its winless skid reach five-games (0-4-1). NYCFC also lost for the first time in its past nine home matches while playing at home for the first time since beating FC Dallas on April 22 in a game played at Citi Field, the home of the Mets.
Philadelphia goalkeeper Andre Blake withstood a collision in the first half and made six saves.
NYCFC goalkeeper Luis Barraza made three saves on six shots as Philadelphia attempted 13 shots overall.
NYCFC went ahead in the 30th minute just after Andres Jasson forced Philadelphia’s Jose Martinez into a giveaway at midfield. Jasson moved the ball to the box, and Santiago Rodriguez passed to Richard Ledezma while falling down, and Pereira finished it off with a left-footed shot from the center of the box into the bottom left corner.
In the first minute of stoppage time, Carranza sent a right-footed shot from the middle of the box over Barraza after getting a long pass over NYCFC’s defense from Jack Elliott. Carranza struck again in the third minute of stoppage time when he sent another right-footed shot from the middle of the box into the bottom left corner.
Gazdag buried his latest penalty kick in the 53rd by easily sending a right-footed shot into the bottom right corner after Carranza was fouled by NYCFC’s Thiago Martins, resulting in a yellow card.
–Field Level Media