The Philadelphia Union conceded first in Tuesday’s CONCACAF Champions Cup first leg showdown with Deportivo Saprissa, but eventually rallied back to claim a 3-2 victory away from home.
Julian Carranza’s 24-minute hat trick boosted Jim Curtin’s squad to a crucial road win over the Costa Rican hosts. Jamaican international Andre Blake made three saves and Daniel Gazdag registered two assists for the visiting Union.
Saprissa struck first through a Jakob Glesnes own goal in the 28th minute, putting the Union in a first-half hole. However, the MLS visitors would fight back after halftime and eventually swing momentum in their favor for good.
Kai Wagner’s cross was headed home by Carranza in the 55th minute for a 1-1 equalizer before the Argentine doubled his tally 20 minutes later.
Gazdag fed Carranza inside of the box before the 23-year-old delivered a confident finish into the back of the net for a 2-1 Union lead.
Carranza capped off his Man of the Match performance four minutes later, receiving a Gazdag fast break pass before drilling a low shot into the bottom-left corner. It marked Carranza’s third-career hat trick with the Union since his arrival in 2022.
Gerald Taylor’s left-footed consolation strike pulled Saprissa to within one before the final whistle, but ultimately it was the Union who walked away winners on the night.
The two teams will square off at Subaru Park on Feb. 27 in the second leg.
St. Louis CITY SC 2 – Houston Dynamo 1
St. Louis CITY SC took one step towards booking their spot in the CONCACAF Champions Cup Round of 32 after edging the Houston Dynamo in first leg action on Tuesday.
Hosei Kijima’s 90th-minute winning goal proved to be the difference as Bradley Carnell’s men edged the visiting Dynamo 2-1 at CITYPARK. All three goals in the match came after the hour mark.
Tim Parker’s 61st minute header broke the deadlock between the two MLS Western Conference clubs. Indiana Vassilev’s cross was powered home by the veteran defender, giving St. Louis a 1-0 lead.
However, the Dynamo did not lie down though as Sebastian Kowalczyk equalized for Ben Olsen’s men in the 72nd minute. Ibrahim Aliyu’s distribution allowed Kowalczyk the opportunity to cap off a fast break for a 1-1 scoreline.
With both teams pressing for a winning goal, it was Hosei Kijima who delivered for St. Louis. The Japan attacker won possession in the Dynamo box before drilling a low shot into the bottom-right corner for a 2-1 first leg victory for the hosts.
Houston will return home as hosts of the second leg meeting on Feb. 27.