Julian Carranza scored his 10th goal of the season and Jakob Glesnes and Leon Flach also had tallies to help the Philadelphia Union to a convincing 4-1 victory over Inter Miami on Saturday night at Chester, Pa.
The other score came on an own goal by Miami’s David Ruiz as the Union (10-5-4, 34 points) improved to 18-1-2 in their past 21 home matches, including the postseason. Philadelphia is 8-1-3 over its last 12 MLS matches.
Robert Taylor scored for Inter Miami (5-13-0, 15 points), who have lost a season-worst seven straight matches. The Herons have been outscored 16-5 during the stretch.
Miami also had a six-match losing streak earlier in the season. The Herons are in last place in the Eastern Conference with international star Lionel Messi expected to join the club in late July.
Goalkeeper Joe Bendik made one save for Philadelphia as he filled in for Andre Blake, who was away for Jamaica’s Gold Cup matchup against the United States on Saturday night.
The Union got on the board in the 14th minute by converting a corner kick.
Kai Wagner sent a left-footed cross toward the net and Glesnes was situated in perfect position and headed the ball into the net for his first goal of the season.
Philadelphia added on in the 39th minute after Miami was unable to clear a deflected ball. Mikael Uhre got it and tapped it to Carranza, who knocked the close-range, right-footed shot into the net.
The Union made it 3-0 in the fourth minute of first-half stoppage time. Alejandro Bedoya sent a pass back to Flach, who unleashed a left-footer into the lower left corner of the net for his first goal of the season.
Miami got on the board in the 50th minute as Taylor delivered a right-footed blast that caromed off the upper right leg of Glesnes and into the net. Taylor was credited with a goal, his second of the season.
The own goal by Ruiz came in the 68th minute.
Miami had a 9-8 edge in shots. Both teams placed three on target.
Miami’s Drake Callender didn’t make any saves.
–Field Level Media
