Goals by Daniel Gazdag, Cory Burke lead Union past Inter Miami – Delco Times

For the first time since April, the Philadelphia Union have wins in consecutive games.

Goals on either side of halftime by Daniel Gazdag and Cory Burke Wednesday led the Union to a 2-1 win over Inter Miami in Florida.

It cancelled out a wonder strike from Gonzalo Higuain late to give the Union (9-2-9, 36 points) their first winning streak since a five-game run from March 5-April 9. The win also moves the Union into first place in the Eastern Conference, though they still trail New York City FC on points per game.

Gazdag’s goal came from the penalty spot, drawn by Mikael Uhre. The Danish striker was sharp early, forcing two saves from goalie Drake Callender in the game’s first 11 minutes. In the 25th, Uhre was clipped near the left top corner of the box by defender Aime Mabika as he was exiting the box. Though it wasn’t a dangerous moment, it was a foul nonetheless, Mabika stepping on Uhre’s foot.

Gazdag summarily punished the hosts, sending his shot straight down the pike for his seventh goal of the season, tying Julian Carranza for the team lead. It’s Gazdag’s first goal in six games.

The Union were on the right sight of a penalty shout in the 41st. Leon Flach slid in on Bryce Duke in the left channel, apparently not catching the midfielder or getting some of the ball. Play continued for Leonardo Campana to sting a shot at Andre Blake, who beat it away seconds later. Referee Marcos de Oliveira held up play momentarily but didn’t go to the monitor.

The Union had four shots on target in the first half and just a smidge north of 50 percent possession. They responded when Inter Miami started the second half as the better side, with Burke cashing in for the second goal in the 65th, rising to head home a Kai Wagner free kick.

The only downer for the visitors was a thunderous strike by Higuain from outside the box, the Argentine international lashing a shot in the 82nd to cause a nervy finish. The goal also ended a 283-minute shutout streak by the Union. But fresh legs off the bench did just enough for the Union to preserve the result late on.

NOTES >> Wednesday afternoon, the Union triggered the purchase option in Carranza’s loan from Inter Miami, a move that made him eligible to play against his now-former team. The Union paid $500,000 ($250,000 in allocation money in both 2023 and 2024) for Carranza’s services, while Inter Miami retains a sell-on percentage. He was signed from Argentine club Banfield for a reported $5.4 million in 2019. Carranza, who scored a hat trick against D.C. United Friday, went 90 minutes in that game, as the club planned on him not playing Wednesday. He started on the bench and replaced Uhre after 61 minutes. … Jack Elliott (knee) missed a game for the first time this season. In his place stepped Stuart Findlay, who manager Jim Curtin made a point to say Monday is in the process of a transfer move to away but will stick around through the end of the week. The two situations would seem to be correlated