Julián Carranza’s two goals fire the Union into the Champions League semifinals

For the second time in three years, the Union are going to the Concacaf Champions League semifinals.

In one of the most dramatic games in team history, Julián Caranza’s two goals powered the Union to a 2-2 tie with Mexico’s Atlas in Guadalajara on Wednesday, securing a 3-2 aggregate series win.

Up next will be a series guaranteed to get a spotlight: a rematch of last year’s MLS Cup final against Los Angeles FC. The Union will host the first game of the series on April 26 at 9 p.m., and LAFC will host the second game on May 2 at 10 p.m.

Atlas got on the board in the 11th minute with a great combination play between star forward Julián Quiñones and young midfielder Jonathan Herrera. Quiñones had a whopper of a misfire in the first game of the series at Subaru Park, and this time he made no mistake with a rip from 18 yards.

» READ MORE: Kai Wagner returned from a hamstring injury for the game at Atlas

The Union’s equalizer was a thing of beauty: a deft chip over Atlas’ back line by Jack McGlynn, a perfectly-timed run by Carranza, and a quick trap and finish by the Argentine. He was initially flagged offside, but the video replay crew saw that he was clearly on, and the goal was given.

The goal didn’t just tie the game. It gave the Union a 2-1 aggregate lead, and because goals scored on the road are the first tiebreaker, Atlas now needed to score twice more to win the series. A tied aggregate would automatically advance the Union because they won their home game 1-0.

» READ MORE: Jack McGlynn seized his chance to shine against Atlas in the first game of the series

Quiñones broke free past Jakob Glesnes in the 35th minute and looked sure to score again, but Andre Blake came off his line and stoned him. Seconds later, Quiñones had another chance from close range and laid the ball off for Aldo Rocha, but he surprisingly misfired wide left.

The Union had a golden chance to score again in the 44th minute with a 4-on-3 break featuring McGlynn, Carranza, Dániel Gazdag and Mikael Uhre. The ball progressed to an open Jack McGlynn on the left side, and he squared perfectly for Uhre. But Uhre shanked his shot over the crossbar under pressure from Atlas’ Gaddi Aguirre, even though he was inside the six-yard box.

The Union were so shocked at the miss that they were convinced the ball must have been deflected by Aguirre’s slide. Alas, replays showed Uhre touched it last.

“How consequential might that miss be?” Fox TV analyst Stuart Holden asked as he called the game off a monitor at the network’s studios. But even if he had been in the stadium, he couldn’t have guessed how right he was.

Two minutes later, Atlas went right down the field and scored. Herrera sprinted along the right wing, spun past Kai Wagner, and gave Julio Furch — Atlas’ other star forward — a simple tap-in.

As the ball was going in the net, Wagner bent over and grabbed his left hamstring. That was a worrying sign, since this was his first game back from a hamstring injury after missing the last three contests.

The half ended with Wagner drawing a foul deep in Atlas territory, McGlynn taking the ensuing free kick, and Elliott heading the service right at Atlas goalkeeper José Hernández. And the second half started with Wagner exiting the game for Nathan Harriel.

» READ MORE: Matt Real and Nathan Harriel covered left back for the Union while Kai Wagner was out

Olivier Mbaizo appeared to suffer his own hamstring tweak in the 54th. He shook it off, but neither he nor the rest of the Union could stop Atlas from unleashing an attacking barrage over the next 10 minutes.

In the 64th, Curtin sent in Leon Flach for McGlynn. It was no surprise that Flach entered, but it was a little surprising that McGlynn exited. For as much as the Union needed to play defense, one more goal for them would have made a huge difference, and Atlas was open to be taken if the Union could get forward.

One such opportunity came in the 67th minute when Carranza and Uhre broke behind Atlas’ back line. It looked like Carranza was setting up Uhre for a pass, but Uhre instead chose to run behind Carranza instead of staying in his frame of vision, and the play fell apart.

Mbaizo made way in the 71st for Matt Real, who took over at left back and shifted Nathan Harriel to the right. Six minutes later, Atlas made its first sub, sending in attacking midfielder Mauro Manotas — a former Houston Dynamo player — for centerback for Aguirre.

For a second time on the night, Carranza put a ball in the net. For a second time, it was initially called offside. And for a second time, the video review crew saw that call was wrong.

It started with Leon Flach racing to the left wing to chase down a loose ball, in the 77th minute. He pushed the ball to Uhre, who turned with it and drove hard toward the middle. Carranza stayed to Uhre’s left, and this time they got the play right. Uhre fed Carranza, and he thumped the ball in with his right foot.

Now Atlas had to score twice again. The clock started ticking faster, and it sped up further when Aldo Rocha was sent off in the 87th minute for earning back-to-back yellow cards for yelling at referee Ivan Bartón. That doesn’t happen often, but the cameras showed Rocha had plenty to say.

The Union didn’t have to say anything at that point. All they had to do was see the game out, including six minutes of stoppage time. They did, securing another milestone on North American club soccer’s biggest stage.