Union take care of business against Inter Miami in 4-1 stroll at home

The Philadelphia Union did what good teams do to teams at the bottom table on a gorgeous Saturday night at Subaru Park: they killed the game early and ran away with a 4-1 win. 

It was the Union’s eighth win in the last 11 league matches, and Miami’s seventh straight defeat. Inter Miami’s 2-0 win over the Union in matchday four in March, an incredibly frustrating evening, seems years ago. 

And Lionel Messi’s arrival, alongside Sergio Busquets, can’t come soon enough for a club that fought hard in Chester, but ultimately could not overcome one of the worse lineups, talent-wise, that you will find in MLS this season.

Miami came into the match trying to knock the ball around the pitch and keep possession but the Union stayed in their shape, and looked generally unbothered, hunting transition moments out of the mid-block.

Jakob Glesnes opened the scoring on a textbook set piece routine with the delivery from Kai Wagner in the 14th minute, and the Union never looked back. 

Forcing Miami to chase the game was the best possible scenario for the Union, and it was clear after the opening spell that Miami was generally not going to have enough creativity on the night to do something with its possession.

Julian Carranza bagged a goal in the 39th minute on a bit of chaos in the box that saw the ball  land at Mikael Uhre’s feet for a short layoff to his strike partner. Carranza controlled the touch and fired past Drake Callender, who could not provide the same heroics that stymied the Union in Miami months ago.

In stoppage time in the first half, the Union wrapped up proceedings with an expertly worked team goal, finished off by Leon Flach on a pinpoint strike from outside the box. It was not on the technical level of Jose Martinez’s golazo to save a point against Orlando, but on sheer fluidity, it was an aesthetic marvel in its own right.

What a team move and goal this was. #DOOP

Leon Flach makes it three in Philly in first-half stoppage-time. pic.twitter.com/N2bp1CHA3d

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) June 25, 2023

Miami pegged one back early in the second half in the 50th minute on a goal from Robert Taylor, that deflected off of Glesnes and careened past Joe Bendik. Taylor now has two goals from outside the box against the Union that couldn’t differ in quality more. 

The Union put a bow on the night in the 68th minute when Uhre turned playmaker again to fizz a ball across the box aimed at Carranza – it hit the cleat of David Ruiz and bounced up in the air over Callender’s head and into the goal. 

Jack McGlynn and Jesus Bueno came in in the 57th minute for Alejandro Bedoya and Martinez, and Nathan Harriel came in the 72nd minute for Uhre. 

The Union had a goal disallowed in the 79th minute for offside, but at that point, nothing could spoil a perfectly pleasant night in Chester. 

Three takeaways

1. The Union were always going to be fine after the early slow start. But they have rounded into form, and their divergent paths from that encounter in Miami speaks to the luck involved in any single game and the overarching roster construction that  prevails over the course of an MLS season. The Union had a full strength XI today with the return of Bedoya and looked as well-oiled as ever in defensive rotations. Miami was missing Kamal Miller, the midfield duo of Jean Mota and Gregore, down to an interim head coach in Javier Moraels, and in limbo before the arrival of Lionel Messi. Continuity pays off in MLS.
2. Bedoya was excellent in his return at doing the small things. He had the perfect layoff of Flach’s goal. He helped the Union earn the corner kick that Glesnes opened the scoring on by making a hard run to suck in a defender to open a wide switch from Martinez to Olivier Mbaizo. It was a trademark workmanlike shift from the Union captain and a good sign. 
3. The final xG was 1.1 to 0.9 for the Union. The home team never really had to kick into gear on the night and despite the talent disparity, Miami played hard and limited easy Union chances. It shows the value of being opportunistic, cashing in on set pieces, and riding the game state from there. It was a professional Union win, the kind that Jim Curtin’s team has hung its hat on over the past few years.