Daniel Gazdag continued his fine run of form as the Philadelphia Union thrashed Orlando City 5-1 at Subaru Park to go top of the Supporters Shield rankings.
Olivier Mbaizo's cross deflected off of Joao Moutinho to give Philadelphia the lead before Mikael Uhre scored to make it two shortly afterwards. Daniel Gazdag's penalty made it three shortly after half-time after Uhre was brought down inside the box.
Ale Bedoya made it 4-0 as he met Kai Wagner's cross with a diving header from close range. Andres Perea pulled a consolation goal back for Orlando as his powerful shot from 18 yards left Andre Blake with no chance of keeping it out. Jack Elliott capped off the perfect evening as he headed home the fifth following Wagner's corner.
Jim Curtin made four changes after the 2-0 win at NYRB as club captain Ale Bedoya returned to the starting XI. Olivier Mbaizo, Jose Martinez and Julian Carranza also returned to the line-up.
In the 14th minute, Martinez almost had his first goal in a Union shirt after he did well to skip beyond his man. The chance to shoot opened up for him from 30 yards out as he unleashed a powerful effort. However, it went just over the crossbar as Mason Stajduhar made sure he had it covered.
Carranza thought he had given Philadelphia the lead moments later. He managed to latch onto a long ball forward as he got in behind the Orlando defence. He made his way into the penalty area before slotting it beyond Stajduhar. However, the celebrations were short-lived as the linesman's flag was up to rule the goal out for offside.
Andre Blake was called into action for the first time as he denied Benji Michel. He was played through down the right side of the box, and he aimed a shot at Blake's near post. It was a comfortable save for the goalkeeper as he pushed it behind the goal for a corner, which came to nothing.
In the 39th minute, the Union took the lead. Daniel Gazdag passed the ball wide to Mbaizo, who played a cross into the box. His cross took a deflection off of Joao Moutinho before it looped over the head of Stajduhar and into the back of the net. Despite Mbaizo initially being credited with the goal, it was later changed to a Moutinho own goal.
Mikael Uhre doubled the lead four minutes later. He was played through on goal by Gazdag, and as he made his way towards the six-yard box, he poked the ball beyond Stajduhar at his near post.
HALF-TIME: Philadelphia Union 2-0 Orlando City
In the 55th minute, the Union were awarded a penalty as Stajduhar brought Uhre down. The Orlando goalkeeper could not catch Mbaizo's cross as the ball bounced off him. Uhre beat Stajduhar to the loose ball as he prodded it beyond the keeper, and he was brought down by the contact. The referee pointed to the spot before being called to check with VAR, but that did not change his decision.
Gazdag stepped up and continued his sensational form by smashing his penalty with plenty of power into the back of the net. Stajduhar guessed the right way, but he had no chance of getting to it.
Uhre almost scored his second and Philadelphia's fourth but was denied by Stajduhar. He managed to get space inside the box at a tight angle and shot across the goal with a low-driven effort with his left foot. However, the Orlando goalkeeper did well to save with his feet.
The Union added their fourth just moments later through Bedoya. Martinez switched the play as he made a good first-time pass to Kai Wagner on the left, who was in acres of space. He curled a perfect cross which allowed Bedoya to attack it. He managed to find the bottom corner with a diving header, but in the process, injured himself as he was immediately replaced by Jack McGlynn.
Andres Perea pulled a goal back for Orlando in the 75th minute. A long throw into the penalty area was headed as far as Perea, who was right on the edge of the box. He got the ball out of his feet before unleashing a powerful effort that gave Blake no chance of keeping it out.
Philadelphia were not done scoring, as Jack Elliott scored a fifth in the 87th minute. Wagner's curling corner into the six-yard box saw Elliott jump the highest as he headed the ball into the back of the net.
FULL-TIME: Philadelphia Union 5-1 Orlando City
Philadelphia Union: Blake, Mbaizo, Glesnes, Elliott, Wagner, Martinez, Bedoya (McGlynn 65'), Flach, Gazdag (Aaronson 89'), Carranza (Sullivan 89'), Uhre (Burke 72')
Unused Substitutes: Freese, Real, Harriel, Craig, Donovan
Orlando City: Stajduhar, Moutinho, Schlegel, Carlos, Ruan (Smith 66'), Mulraney (Torres 46'), Cartagena (Araujo 84'), Perea, Pereyra (Urso 66'), Giocchini (Angulo 46'), Michel
Unused Substitutes: Grinwis, Kara, Akindele, Halliday
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