Julian Carranza, Union too strong for Red Bulls

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Carlos Coronel makes a stellar save for Red Bulls

Carlos Coronel anticipates the direction of the ball and makes an excellent save vs. Philadelphia.

Updated: Sep 4, 2023, 03:41 am

Julian Carranza scored his team-leading 12th goal of the season and the Philadelphia Union overcame an early deficit at home to rally to a 4-1 victory over the 10-man New York Red Bulls on Sunday night.

Daniel Gazdag added his 11th goal of the year late for the Union (14-8-4, 46 points), who have now won four out of their last five to climb back to fourth in the Eastern Conference and only one point shy of second.

Kai Wagner had three assists as Philadelphia won its third in a row against the Red Bulls in regular-season play and scored four or more against their regional rivals for the first time in a regular-season meeting.

Jakob Glesnes and Damion Lowe also scored. Gazdag had to exit with an injury following his 76th-minute goal, after potentially re-aggravating a sprained knee that kept him out of a Leagues Cup game last month.

Omir Fernandez gave the Red Bulls (7-12-8, 29 points) the lead in the 11th minute by scoring only his team's second goal in four matches since resuming MLS play following the Leagues Cup.

But the game turned when Sean Nealis received his second yellow card from referee Rubiel Vazquez for a handball that halted a potentially promising Philadelphia attack in the 44th minute. The end result was a third straight loss that leaves RBNY 13th in the East, four points beneath the playoff line with seven games to play.

Glesnes had already leveled the game in the 29th minute. A potential go-ahead goal from Carranza in first-half stoppage time that was ruled offside following a video review foreshadowed what was coming.

Philly seized control of the game for good by scoring twice in two minutes. Lowe headed in the first, deftly timing his run to remain onside and run onto Wagner's long, diagonal free-kick service from the left in the 57th minute.

Celebrations in the crowd had barely ceased when Carranza added his goal in the 58th. This time, Wagner ran down an over-hit initial cross from Alejandro Bedoya and struck an excellent first-time cross back toward the penalty area.

Carranza then met it with a clean first-time strike with the side of his left foot, guiding it between diving goalkeeper Carlos Coronel and his right post.