Dániel Gazdag’s goals and a wild amount of luck give the Union a 2-0 win at Nashville

The Union snapped their losing streak in stunning fashion on Wednesday, riding two Dániel Gazdag penalty kick goals and a stunning amount of luck to a 2-0 win at Nashville SC.

Gazdag scored once in each half, and watched the home team miss a stunning amount of open chances during the second half.

Jim Curtin said on Tuesday that he’d rotate his lineup, and he kept his word with four changes.

Quinn Sullivan stepped in for Mikael Uhre at forward, giving the 19-year-old Bridesburg native his first start with the first team since May 7. Jesús Bueno spelled his fellow Venezuelan midfielder José Andrés Martínez, who was out sick – and if ever there was a good night to be sick, it was this one. Martínez was one yellow card away from a suspension, and referee Sergii Boyko was in charge of his 10th MLS game.

On the back line Nathan Harriel started on the right flank over Olivier Mbaizo. That may have been pre-planned, but was notable timing amid Mbaizo’s frustration over his family visa issues. And on the left, Kai Wagner returned from a hamstring injury that cost him 2 1/2 games.

» READ MORE: Source: Olivier Mbaizo asks to leave the Union because his family can’t get U.S. visas

Sullivan proved worth Curtin’s trust, taking two quality shots in the first 18 minutes and nearly capitalizing on a a 2-on-1 break with Julián Carranza in the 33rd.

Harriel had three clearances, one tackle, and one block, won six of the 14 duels he contested, and hit three passes in to the Union’s attacking third of the field. Wagner was right back to his usual great self: two clearances, two defensive recoveries, one block, one tackle, and 30-of-36 passing, including seven passes into the Union’s attacking third.

Bueno had the biggest shoes to fill, and he met the moment. He registered 10 defensive recoveries, two interceptions, two tackles, one shot, and 40-of-47 passing, including nine passes into the Union’s attacking third.

It took a momentary video review to see all the evidence, but it became clear quickly enough that Nashville’s Dan Lovitz, a Germantown Academy product, pushed Gazdag in the back as they jumped toward a Wagner cross. Gazdag then stepped up to the spot, waited for his turn, and sent Joe Willis the wrong way with a shot to the lower right corner.

Gazdag struck from the spot again in the 84th. Lovitz took out Uhre as he squared a pass back for Carranza on a fast break, and Boyko didn’t hesitate. He also gave Lovitz his second yellow card of the game, earning the Wyndmoor native an early end to his night.

The goals were Gazdag’s 10th and 11th of the year in all competitions for the Union (11-7-4, 37 points). A lot of them have come from the spot, but they all count — in the long run, and on a night like this.

» READ MORE: Union manager Jim Curtin’s new contract is finally official

Curtin made his first swaps in the 61st minute, sending in Jack McGlynn for Alejandro Bedoya and Uhre for Sullivan. Nashville manager Gary Smith responded by sending former Union fan favorite Fafà Picault in for Jacob Shaffelburg, and Alex Muyl for Randall Leal.

Ten minutes later, Curtin subbed both of his outside backs: Mbaizo replaced Harriel, and Matt Real replaced Wagner. Smith made three more substitutions after that, and Curtin capped things off by sending in Andrés Perea for Gazdag in stoppage time.

It started when Teal Bunbury shot over the crossbar unmarked in the 16th minute for Nashville (11-7-5, 38 points), and it got to a quite remarkable level in the second half.

Hany Mukhtar put a chip over Joe Bendik off the bar in the 52nd, Sean Davis shot over an open net in the 57th, and Shaffelburg shot wide of the far post from an acute angle in the 60th.

And in one madcap sequence in the 69th minute, Picault put an open header off the left post; Lovitz and Walker Zimmerman had shots blocked; Bendik saved on Mukhtar and watched Jack Elliott head the ball away from an open net; Muyl shot off Elliott’s arm; and Elliott blocked Picault’s shot from the goal line.

Nashville’s players and packed crowd protested that Elliott was guilty of a handball. But the video review officials saw quickly that the arm was up against the body, and correctly let the contact go.

When play resumed, Mukhtar put a header just wide.

In the 73rd, McGlynn was charged with a handball when a Lovitz corner went straight to his right shoulder and hit the top of his right arm. The review officials were in Boyko’s ear right away, and when he went to the monitor, he reversed his decision.

» READ MORE: Backup goalkeeper Joe Bendik was at the center of the Union’s losing streak

Three minutes into a whopping (though merited) 14 minutes of added time for all the stoppages, Carranza ran into Jan Gregus as he tried to break away. Shaq Moore was on the way over, and not only ran into Carranza, but grabbed him, hit him in the back, and spun him halfway around. Carranza responded by grabbing Moore in the neck, and Moore responded in kind.

Boyko immediately expelled both players. Carranza will thus miss Saturday’s home game against New York City FC, and it won’t be surprising if it’s not the only game he misses.