Daniel Gazdag netted his second hat trick of the season as he helped Philadelphia Union clinch the Top Seed in the Eastern Conference for the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs. The clinching moment came in front a packed Subaru Park as they knocked off Toronto FC, 4-0, on Decision Day.
With Subaru Park filled with the Union faithful, the home crowd didn’t have to wait long to celebrate as the Boys in Blue got the offensive spark from their MLS MVP candidate in Daniel Gazdag. Homegrown Matt Real was full on confidence and played a quick ball into the feet of Leon Flach on the left side of the pitch and the ran into the unoccupied space on the flank. Seeing the run, Flach played a backheeled pass into the feel of Real who rifled a left-footed cross into the box. Julian Carranza was the intended target as he tried to back down his man but a deflection saw the pass bounce into the air where the Hungarian was waiting at the top of the box. Taking off it off the volley, Gazdag unleashed a right-footed blast that had the keeper frozen and Subaru Park celebrating the first player in Union history with 20 goals in a single season.
With one goal on the board, the Union were eager to get a second and had some strong opportunities within 10 minutes of the goal. The Union gameplan saw them into the open space vacated by the wingbacks where Mikael Uhre and Carranza could show their speed. First it was the Dane out on the wing in the 12th minute as he drifted out wide and quickly shot a hard cross to the far post but a foul wiped off the play. Less than 60 seconds later it was Carranza going out wide and into the space as he tried to whip a cross to Uhre at the far post but was whistled offside.
The Union went direct in the 14th minute as Matt Real sent a ball upfield blindly where Uhre was standing near the center circle. Sensing the space in behind, Uhre flicked a header forward where the Argentinian could showcase his sprint speed. In a full sprint Carranza went shoulder to shoulder with his defender. With the keeper coming up to cut down the angle, the Union forward unleashed a right-footed blast that crashed off the post and stayed out despite it banging off the keeper.
Toronto looked to fight its way back into the match with quick counter attack from their big attacking threat Federico Bernardeschi but Jack Elliott was there to lock him down each time a chance presented itself. In the 22nd minute the Canadian side threaded a ball into the attacking third but Elliott tackled it clear before the forward could threaten Andre Blake.
With space open behind the centerbacks continuing to present itself, the Boys in Blue continued to target it and saw threat become a two-goal like before the break via Uhre. Â Jose Martinez played a ball forward that crashed off a Toronto play near the Union box but Leon Flach ran it down and kept it from rolling out with a pass to Gazdag. Once again Gazdag sent a volley over the defense and into the open space for Uhre. With just the keeper to beat and a defender racing behind him, the forward stopped on a dime and looked up for the open spot in the net and tucked it home for his 13th goal of 2022.
Trailing by a pair of goals, Toronto FC looked destined to get on the board going into the break. Starting with a drop by in possession by Bernardeschi, the Italian fed a pass into the box for Mark-Anthony Kaye near the penalty spot. With a 2v1 chance set up, Kaye laid it off to Jesús Jiménez which Blake saw and came out of next to cut down the angle. Seeing a difficult chance set up, Jiménez shot a pass back to Kaye for the tap in but right back Olivier Mbaizo saw it coming to clear it off the line and send the Union into the break up 2-0.
The second half turned into a coronation as the Union offense took off once again at Subaru Park. Gazdag was the playmaker in the 57th minute as gain possession at the top of the box. Fearing that he’d unleash a shot, the defense swarmed centrally to which Gazdag quickly fed a pass to his left for Uhre. With just the keeper to beat, Uhre rifled a shot but was kept from bagging a brace with a strong save by the keeper. The save set up a Union corner kick with Uhre fighting to get a shot off that crashed off a defender’s hand and a point to the penalty spot. Gazdag stepped to the spot and remained perfect for the PK spot to nab a brace in front of the River End.
Two goals weren’t enough for the Hungarian as he quickly made it a hat trick just three minutes later. Like he had done all day, he continued to attack the middle of the pitch, lacing a hard pass that pinged off a Toronto FC player. Carranza was the first to react and quickly put the ball back at Gazdag’s feet as he raced into the 18-yard-box. Dribing through a pair of defenders, Gazdag fired a shot as he fell down that snuck through to make it a Decision Day hat trick.
With another blowout in front of the home fans, Jim Curtin gave some well deserved curtain calls as Uhre made way for Cory Burke. One of the loudest moments of the match came in the 73rd minute as team captain Alejandro Bedoya took to the pitch in place of homegrown Jack McGlynn.
The win sees the Union as the No. 1 seed of the Eastern Conference in the Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs which rewards them with a bye in First Round and host the winner of the contest between the No. 4 seeded New York Red Bulls and No. 5 seed FC Cincinnati. Major League Soccer will announce the complete playoff schedule in the near future which will include the date of the Union’s Eastern Conference Semifinal match.
