Daniel Gazdag’s two second-half goals lifted the Philadelphia Union to a 3-0 win over the New England Revolution on Saturday in Chester, Pa.
Gazdag scored in the 56th minute before collecting his team-high sixth goal of the season on a penalty kick in the 74th minute to extend the Union’s unbeaten streak in MLS play to six games.
Julian Carranza capped the scoring for Philadelphia (6-4-3, 21 points) in the 88th minute when he slotted Chris Donovan’s cross into the back of the net from close range.
New England (7-3-3, 24 points) has dropped two straight after its eight-game unbeaten run in MLS play was snapped with a 2-1 loss on the road to Inter Miami last week.
The Union took a 1-0 lead when Mikael Uhre took a quick throw-in along the left sideline and flung the ball into the top of the penalty box. Gazdag collected it and blasted a shot off the inside post and past the outstretched arms of Revs goalie Djordje Petrovic.
Philadelphia doubled its advantage when Gazdag drove a penalty shot by Petrovic, who dove in the wrong direction after Revs defender Andrew Farrell conceded the kick by fouling Uhre.
With New England pressing to get back in the game, Donovan exploited open space and slid a perfect pass to a cutting Carranza, who punctuated the win.
Union goalie Andre Blake, the reigning and three-time MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, didn’t need to make a single save to secure his second straight shutout, which was his fourth this season and the 69th of his MLS career.
New England controlled possession for 58.7 percent of the first half, but the Revolution didn’t put either of their two shots on target. The Union took eight shots, with half of them on target and handled by Petrovic.
The Revolution’s offensive inefficiency continued in the second half. New England took six shots but none were on target.
Philadelphia had possession for just 43.1 percent of the match, but the Union put seven of their 17 shots on frame. The Union completed 74.5 percent of their 317 passes, while New England completed 77.8 percent of its 418 passes.
The Union haven’t dropped an MLS game since a 1-0 setback to FC Cincinnati on April 8.
–Field Level Media
