Julián Carranza’s hat trick powers a Union win over Saprissa in the Concacaf Champions Cup

For a long time, the Union’s first game of the year was tough to watch. But if you stayed up late enough, you were rewarded with Julián Carranza’s spectacular hat trick in a 3-2 win at Costa Rica’s Saprissa in the Concacaf Champions Cup.

After Saprissa opened the scoring via a wild Union own goal, Carranza fired in all three goals in 24 minutes. But there was a moment of heartburn at the end, as the home team scored in the 90th minute to set up a more nervous-than-necessary finish.

Now it’s on to the Union’s home game of the two-game series, next Tuesday at Subaru Park (8:15 p.m., FS2).

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Union manager Jim Curtin’s first starting lineup of the year was veteran-heavy, no surprise for a team starting the year with a hostile road game.

Kai Wagner, Damion Lowe, Jakob Glesnes and Nathan Harriel formed a back line whose main purpose was clearly to stay deep. The midfield was attack-minded, though, with Jack McGlynn, Dániel Gadzag, and Quinn Sullivan in front of José Andrés Martínez. Up front, Mikael Uhre and Julián Carranza resumed their usual partnership.

Sullivan’s inclusion was Curtin’s biggest call, choosing his attacking potential and youth over Alejandro Bedoya’s defense and experience.

The first 20 minutes were bad enough: Saprissa got six shots and three corner kicks, and the Union just one. But the game’s first goal was flat-out surreal.

Glesnes went over to the left side of the field to track down a loose ball, and quickly had Orlando Sinclair chasing him down. With that in mind, Glesnes smashed the ball high and backward toward Blake so the goalkeeper could settle it.

But Blake misjudged the flight and ensuing bounce of the ball, and because it was a backward pass, Blake couldn’t catch the ball – or touch it with his hands in any way. So he had to try to block it with the rest of his body, and he flat-out missed it.

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It had been a long time since Blake last gave up a goal that wild, maybe since David Villa’s 50-yard chip for New York City FC at Subaru Park in 2017.

The Union’s best scoring chances in the first half came from Sullivan in the 23rd minute and Carranza in the 45th, though the latter was negated for offside.

The equalizer was why serious clubs in Europe have pursued the Argentine’s signature, even if he hasn’t wanted the specific clubs that want him.

While the build-up to the goal started with a broken play, the climax was terrific. Perhaps Uhre would rather not have shepherded the ball away from the goal, but once he did, he was able to pass out to an open Wagner. With ample time and space, Wagner put a cross on a dime to Carranza, who leapt and nailed a header past Kevin Chamorro.

Uhre nearly made it 2-1 in the 65th off a low cross from Carranza, but his first-time shot flew high. That ended up being his last action of the night, as he exited a moment later. So did Martínez, who was on a yellow card. Alejandro Bedoya and Jesús Bueno entered, and Sullivan moved higher up.

As nice as Carranza’s first goal was, the others were even better.

The second goal was a beautiful team play in tight space. McGlynn intercepted a loose ball, chipped a pass over two defenders for Wagner, and he laid off for Gazdag. Sullivan ran ahead, Gazdag fed him, and Sullivan squared it to Carranza on the doorstep.

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The third started with a Harriel interception deep in the Union’s end, which he turned into a long outlet pass that sprung Sullivan. He had time with the ball and took it, waiting for reinforcements. When they arrived, Sullivan fed Gazdag, who hit a nifty first-touch through ball that Carranza buried from the penalty spot.

Had the Union been able to preserve that 3-1 lead, they’d have all but ended the series. Alas, the defense fell asleep in the 90th minute, allowing Saprissa to get forward. Gerald Taylor dribbled past two defenders at the top of the 18-yard box, then shot past Blake.

After that, Curtin made two last subs, bringing in Jeremy Rafanello and Markus Anderson — for his Union debut — for McGlynn and Sullivan.

The late goal made for an unsatisfying way to end the night, but a Union win is all that matters. They’ll now look to finish the series off at home next week.