Published on Wednesday, February 21, 2024

By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services

Julian Carranza scored a second-half hat-trick to spur the Philadelphia Union to a 3-2 victory at Costa Rican giants Deportivo Saprissa in the first leg of their 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup Round One series.

On Tuesday night at the Ricardo Saprissa stadium in Tibas Canton, San José Province, the Union rallied from a halftime deficit to claim the win and now hold a one-goal lead on aggregate with three crucial away goals heading into next week’s return leg in Philadelphia.

The Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concaf) highlighted that Saprissa came out aggressively, trying to land an early blow and nearly got a goal in the 14’ when Yoserth Hernandez fired over the crossbar. That was followed by a Warren Madrigal header that missed wide by inches in the 20’.

"The Estadio Saprissa was rocking with every foray forward made by the home side, but it was a defensive mistake from the Union that gave the Ticos a 1-0 lead in the 28’, as a back pass from Jakob Glesnes took a big hop and bounced past Philadelphia GK Andre Blake for a goal," they said in its statement.

The Union would recover in the second half and pulled level in the 55’ when some great service from Kai Wagner allowed Julian Carranza to thump in a header to make it 1-1.

The momentum was now with the Union, as the visitors continued streaming forward in attack in search of a go-ahead goal. It came in the 76’ on a slick link-up after the Saprissa defense had lost their shape, ending with Daniel Gazdag crossing to Carranza, who had an easy touch into the net for a 2-1 Philadelphia lead.

The Union then tacked on an insurance goal in the 79’ thanks to some hard work from Quinn Sullivan, who cutback for Gazdag and a one-time pass into Carranza saw the Argentine complete his hat-trick for a 3-1 scoreline.

Saprissa never stopped pushing forward, though, and a strike in the 90’ from Gerald Taylor cut the Philadelphia lead down to 3-2, giving the Costa Ricans a late boost heading into next week’s second leg.

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