Photo by Bill Streicher/USA Today Sports

By DAN KARELL

With many starters returning from injury, the Philadelphia Union are finding that with consistency in the starting lineup comes wins on the scoreboard.

The Union put on a superb display at PPL Park on Wednesday evening, routing a weakened Columbus Crew squad, 3-0, to move into the sixth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. C.J. Sapong, Vincent Nogueira, and Sebastien Le Toux all scored goals in the win, the first for the Union over the Crew after four consecutive defeats.

For the Crew, it was a forgettable performance on a night in which they were missing numerous starters, some to injury (Wil Trapp), suspension (captain Michael Parkhurst), or coaches decision (Kei Kamara, Hector Jimenez, Tyson Wahl, and Tony Tchani).

The scoreline could have looked much different had the Crew been able to convert some of their early chances. Playing on a rough pitch, the Crew’s normal beautiful passing game was somewhat neutralized. As such, their best chance of the first half came through the air, as forward Aaron Schoenfeld flicked on a cross from the left that forced a diving save from Union goalkeeper Brian Sylvestre.

Crew attackers Ethan Finlay and Federico Higuain also missed chances just wide in the first half.

Union starting forward Fernando Aristeguieta was involved in a controversial moment in the 27th minute, as he went down under contact in the box from Crew centerback Emanuel Pogatetz, though a penalty kick was not called.

Aristeguieta was significantly injured, however, and he was substituted out for Sapong in the 37th minute. Four minutes later, Sapong scored the game’s first goal.

A slip from Justin Meram in central midfield allowed the Union’s Maurice Edu to maraud forward with the ball, passing to his right to an advancing Cristian Maidana. The Argentine then played a quick ball into the box to the running Le Toux, who crossed across the face of goal to Sapong, who side-footed home.

In the second half, the Union came out with all of the energy and momentum, and the Crew were clearly lacking on the mental side in the game.

Crew goalkeeper Steve Clark gifted the Union a second goal after an outlet pass at the edge of the box slipped out of his hands. Unable to re-gain control before leaving the 18-yard box, Clark desperately tried to tap the ball away, only for it to end up at the feet of the Frenchman Nogueira. Nogueira then easily chipped in a shot to make it 2-0 to the Union in the 52nd minute.

Six minutes later, the Union put the finishing touches on the rout with a fine, mazy run from right back Sheanon Williams, eventually laying a perfect ball in the six-yard box to Le Toux, who tapped home to make it 3-0.

Soon after, the Crew substituted Higuain, Finlay, and Francis, likely to keep the trio’s legs fresh with head coach Gregg Berhalter’s focus shifting to Saturday’s home encounter with the Montreal Impact. The Union, winners of three games in their last four, next face New York City FC at home.