Mikael Uhre scored a brace as the Philadelphia Union thrashed the Houston Dynamo 6-0 at Subaru Park.
Daniel Gazdag put the Union in front before Jack McGlynn's stunning free-kick doubled the Union lead. Uhre scored his first during stoppage time of the first half and had his second just minutes into the second period.
Julian Carranza made it five as his smart effort found the back of the net, and Quinn Sullivan capped off the perfect performance with a goal for himself off the bench.
It was a clinical display from start to finish as the Union scored six of their eight shots on target as they stretched their winning run to five games.
Jim Curtin made one change to the team that defeated Orlando City in the team's previous game as club captain Ale Bedoya returned to the starting XI in place of Jose Martinez, who was suspended.
The Union started the opening 15 minutes the brighter of the two sides as they applied pressure to the Houston penalty area. However, they were unable to test Steve Clark as their corners and crosses came to nothing.
In the 20th minute, the Union thought they had been awarded a penalty. Jack McGlynn's shot appeared to hit the hand of a Houston Dynamo defender as it was blocked, and the referee pointed to the spot. However, the referee was sent to look at VAR because it appeared that the ball deflected off the leg into the arm of the Dynamo defender. Following the check, the referee believed that was the case and overturned the penalty.
It did not matter much as the Union were in front moments later, thanks to Daniel Gazdag. The goal came following some nice build-up play, which began when McGlynn played a ball down the left for Mikael Uhre to chase. The striker then cut it back for Bedoya on the edge of the box, and he played a pass into space inside the penalty area. Gazdag did well to time his run before slotting it beyond Steve Clark and into the bottom corner.
Fafa Picault thought he had put Houston back on level terms as he sped beyond the Philadelphia defence to latch onto a long ball forward. The former Union attacker managed to squeeze his effort beyond Andre Blake and into the back of the net, but it was ruled out for offside.
In the 42nd minute, McGlynn scored his first Union goal with a stunning free-kick. The ball was placed in a central position from around 20 yards, and the midfielder did brilliantly to lift the ball over the wall before it dipped back down. It curled into the bottom corner as Michael Nelson had no chance of getting to it.
In the first minute of first-half stoppage time, Uhre got in on the act to make it three for Philadelphia. Olivier Mbaizo did well to get down the right wing as he muscled the defender away from the ball before playing a pass into space inside the box. Uhre got on the end of it as he managed to poke the ball into the back of the net, giving Nelson no hope of making the save.
HALF-TIME: Philadelphia Union 3-0 Houston Dynamo
Uhre had his second goal three minutes into the second half. Bedoya got his second assist of the night as he played the through ball, and the Dane did well to keep himself onside. Uhre got one-on-one with the Nelson before slotting it past him and into the bottom corner from around 18 yards to score the Union's fourth of the evening.
In the 55th minute, Julian Carranza got in on the act to make it 5-0 as the Union continued their clinical display. Bedoya completed his hat-trick of assists as it was his cut back into the penalty area which created the goal. Carranza did well to score as he shot on the turn and curled the ball into the bottom corner from around seven yards out.
Carranza almost made it six as he linked up well with Cory Burke. The Union managed to get the ball high up the pitch and had a two-on-one situation as Burke and Carranza were charging towards the goal with just one Houston Dynamo defender in front of them. They played a couple of one-twos with each other before Carranza was able to shoot inside the box. He aimed his shot across the goal, but Nelson was able to save with his legs.
Quinn Sullivan, who came on for Carranza, scored the Union's sixth in the 88th minute. McGlynn passed the ball to Sullivan inside the penalty area, and the attacking midfielder drilled his low-driven shot into the bottom corner.
FULL-TIME: Philadelphia Union 6-0 Houston Dynamo
Union: Blake, Mbaizo, Glesnes, Elliott, Wagner, Flach, Bedoya (Bueno 78'), McGlynn, Gazdag (Aaronson 77'), Uhre (Burke 66'), Carranza (Sullivan 86')
Unused Substitutes: Freese, Real, Harriel, Craig, Donovan
Houston Dynamo: Clark (Nelson 26'), Zeca (Dorsey 59'), Parker, Steres. Lundqvist, Carrasquilla (Quintero 73'), Vera (Ceren 74'), Herrera, Picault, Ferreira (Pasher 59'), Úlfarsson
Unused Substitutes: Valentin, Rodriguez, Bartlow, Junqua
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