HIGHLIGHTS- Philadelphia Union vs. Atlanta United FC - October 4, 2023

Nathan Hario moves to left back for the suspended Kai Wagner. Jose Martinez is available as a sub, thus Jesus Bueno. From that victory over Montreal, all 11 starters return. That includes three of the club's summer sign. A Major League Baseball playoff game trying to sweep the Marlins in their best of three series, but it is an excellent atmosphere here in midweek, and we're underway in Chester. Lennon drills this ball in off the foot of Yacomacos. Muyamba save made by Blake. Big stop by the Philadelphia Union keeper. His 230th career start. That is the most in Union history. Ball quickly played. Here's Uwe with a shot blocked away, trying to tee up the rebound, and the overhead is in. It's Daniel Gosdog with the finish. One for the highlight reel, and Gosdog has the Union on the board. You just see they took the quick free kick. Atlanta are on set, but Doya tries the first attempt, and they can give great credit to Gosdog, because it's an acrobatic finish. He's facing away from goal. Guzan can do absolutely nothing about it, but it's all about switching on when you've given a free kick away, or you've got a free kick. Philadelphia Union decided to take it quick. The referee was OK with that. Atlanta weren't OK with it. And Philadelphia Union, from the quickness of thinking, they get their just rewards, and the lead as well. Almada, Muyombo with a touch, cleared out to the middle of the park by Elliott. Well done. Uwe gathers, and here come the big three in transition for Philadelphia. Mikael Uwe takes this into the 18, fires and scores! Uwe for a 2-0 advantage. It's his first goal in more than a month. All right, their absolute best, going from one end of the pitch to the other. You can see it's three versus three, and give great credit to Carranza, because he holds the ball up long enough. So then it means that Uwe can absolutely isolate Abram. He does that brilliantly, just takes that step to the side. He's too quick for Abram, and he finishes unbelievably. But you just see Carranza. He knows if he gives it too soon, then the pass is either gonna get blocked, or Uwe's gonna have 2v1 against him, but he doesn't. The weight of pass is perfect, the timing's perfect, and so is the finish from Uwe. And like you quite rightly said, it's been a bit of a goal drought for Uwe, and what a way that is for him to finish it. It's an outstanding finish, an outstanding counter-attacking move, and a typical. And now McGlynn, settled off the chest of Carranza. This is Gazda, Carranza, make it three! Oh, the Union big three are flying in the first half! And they're threatening to run it, letting it out of the building. And brought it to 20-23, because this is what they did so well last season. When they got one goal, they wanted two, they wanted three, and the front three were always involved. This is an outstanding team goal. You just see the understanding between Carranza and Gazda. First of all, the chest play from Carranza plays into Gazda, then the first touch, but the presence and the awareness to play it back into the path of Carranza. It was obvious that Abram had to come across, and Gazda saw that, and because Abram had to come across, it meant that Carranza was going to be free. Gazda doesn't even have to look up, he knows where his centre-forward partner is going to be, and he says, there you go, and Carranza says, thank you. Signal by Lennon to swing this ball out. Saba partially got to it, now Lennon trying to race onto this ball, gets tripped up. With a Union player on the far side, Lennon commits the foul, and he is booked. It's a very difficult one, because a lot of people will say, well, what's he supposed to do with his arms when he's jumping? And I get that 100%, but we know what the laws are. If your arms are away from your body, if they're making yourself bigger. Might have to do this through the fourth official, Filip Dujic. Yeah, the communication went through the fourth official, and now Cilovic will go to the monitor to take a look. You can look at it and say that Carranza doesn't know much about it. As it goes over Saba's head, he's probably just closed his eyes and put his body towards it, and it's just that sort of one where the right elbow just comes out. Maybe that just puts him off. But as in terms of, you just see, he moves his elbow away at the last second, but I think it could be a penalty. Indeed it is. The signal for a penalty by Alex Chilowicz. Now the signal, Almada fires. Atlanta's on the board, and it's game on at Subaru Park. Silva lost control in transition three into the attack for the Union. Here's Quinn Sullivan. Sullivan takes this into the 18. He shoots. Guzan able to get in front of it. Brought down here. Gosdog, and it's poked over the bar by Brad Guzan, and out for a corner. Tiago Almada to the far side. Mosquera, who switched to that side after coming on and playing left initially. This ball played in. Mayamba saved by Blake. Still a live ball in the box. They set it on a tee, and a shot goes in. Atlanta United back in the game. It is Mosquera to make this a 3-2 game. Initially, it's really good defending from Baizo, because he just gets himself in the right place. But you just look at all the space that Mosquera's got. He's able to run into it. Lennon makes a wonderful overlapping run. The ball's cut back, and then it's brilliant from Baizo and Blake. And they think they've been able to clear the danger, but absolutely no chance. Atlanta get themselves back into the game with Mosquera doing the work. And give credit as well to Mosquera, because he's the man that plays the ball initially to Lennon, then gets himself into the box and somehow finds the back of the net. Blake's behind the line as well, so he can do nothing about it. You just see here as he's getting up, he ends up tripping and falling behind the line. So because of that, by the time he's able to get any touch on the ball, he's actually behind the ball. Trying to beat his man one-on-one. Got slowed initially. Tries to play this ball through. Blocked away. It's a corner coming up for Atlanta once again. No, the final whistle is blown.