Union’s attack and defense roar to life in 5-1 rout of New York City FC at Yankee Stadium

NEW YORK — The Union rode an early three-goal explosion and a huge defensive effort by goalkeeper Andrew Rick and centerback Jakob Glesnes to a 5-1 rout of New York City FC at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday.

Tai Baribo opened the scoring in the 15th minute, Mikael Uhre doubled the Union’s lead in the 26th, and Dániel Gazdag made it three in the 32nd.

Alonso Martínez scored for New York in the last second of first-half stoppage time, and given the Union’s shorthanded lineup, it felt like there might be trouble. But Rick and Glesnes stood firm, Glesnes scored a big goal off a corner kick in the 74th, and Jesús Bueno capped off the scoring in the 85th.

The win — in addition to Atlanta United’s 2-2 draw at home against Inter Miami — helped the Union (8-12-9, 33 points) leapfrog both Atlanta and D.C. United for ninth place in the Eastern Conference — the last playoff spot. The Union’s next game is at home against D.C. United this Sunday (6:15 p.m., FS1, free on Apple TV).

Between the narrower-than-usual field and the temporary sod laid over the baseball infield, Yankee Stadium doesn’t often see goals come from pretty soccer. The Union never mind playing ugly when they have to, and the first goal was certainly a product of some grit.

After New York cleared a Kai Wagner corner, Olivier Mbaizo threw himself at the loose ball with a header 25 yards from goal that arced into the 18-yard box. It landed at Baribo’s head, and he was wide-open to flick a header down past former Union goalkeeper Matt Freese.

» READ MORE: Andre Blake remains sidelined with a groin injury

When NYCFC misplayed an attempt to intercept a Wagner pass forward, Baribo battled to control the loose ball. He turned and squared it to Union forward Uhre, who swept a first-time shot into the far side of the net.

The crowd, sparse as it was on a weeknight, responded with a cascade of boos loud enough to make any passerby believe the Boston Red Sox might’ve wandered in.

New York could have had its opener in the 30th minute, when Gray chipped a cross from the right flank that Glesnes and Mbaizo watched sail by. But young Union goalkeeper Rick, starting again with Andre Blake injured, made a terrific reaction stop with a low dive.

Two minutes after that, the Union had their third goal. Glesnes played a long free kick from his own half to Wagner, who gave it to Jack McGlynn for a fierce cross from the left with a first-time hit. Baribo got up for a header at Freese, but the goalkeeper dropped the ball and Gazdag poked it in from just off the goal line.

» READ MORE: Even if the Union keep playing this well, they still might run out of time to make the playoffs

Martínez, New York’s lone striker up top, got his team’s first by volleying in a cross from leftback Kevin O’Toole. That made up for a rather embarrassing moment Martínez had in the 36th, slipping and whiffing on a wide-open look from just off the goal line.

New York manager Nick Cushing gave his verdict on the first half by making a double substitution when the second half started, sending in veteran playmaker Maxi Moralez for Agustín Ojeda in midfield and Mitja Ilenic for Gray at right back. That gave Leon Flach and Alejandro Bedoya, the defensive-oriented starters in the Union’s midfield quartet, more work to do.

Cushing made another double substitution in the 58th, sending in Monsef Bakrar for Martínez up top and Andrés Perea for Hannes Wolf in midfield. That upped the ante further, and the screws started to tighten when Ilenic fired an 18-yard blast toward Rick’s near post that the goalkeeper leaped to punch out.

Four minutes later, Keaton Parks hit the left post with a close-range shot he looked certain to bury. Seconds following Parks’ opportunity, the Union got a bit lucky when referee Pierre-Luc Lauzière let two potential penalty kick-worthy fouls go by after a video review. They probably weren’t fouls, but Lauzière and the review officials took long enough to consider them that way.

If that all wasn’t enough, Bakrar nearly chipped Rick from 12 yards in the 66th, but Rick retreated quickly enough to palm the ball out of play.

» READ MORE: Mikael Uhre recently hit a scoring milestone for the Union, and maybe this time his critics will notice

Union manager Jim Curtin finally made his first substitution in the 67th, sending in Sam Adeniran for Uhre. Cushing made his last move of the night in the 71st, sending in forward Jovan Mijatović for centerback Strahinja Tanasijević to load up even more offense.

But it was a starter who decided the game in the Union’s favor. Glesnes slammed home the fourth goal with a thunderous header of a Wagner corner kick, and the entire team celebrated at the corner flag nearest the Yankees’ home plate, where Wagner had served from. Even Rick came over for the party, running the length of the field to join in.

Glesnes had a huge game at both ends of the field: nine clearances, one interception, and four blocks, including a header on the goal line to keep out a 20-yard blast by Parks after Rick had to dive to punch a prior shot out.

Rick finished with seven saves.

Curtin made two more substitutions in the 79th, Quinn Sullivan for Baribo and Jesús Bueno for Bedoya. Bueno’s goal capped off a fastbreak upfield that Adeniran led, feeding Sullivan, who then fed Bueno for the finish.

The Union’s last sub saw Cavan Sullivan enter for Gazdag in the 90th. It was Sullivan’s second appearance for the first team, and coincidentally it came against a team whose parent company also owns his future European home — England’s Manchester City.

» READ MORE: Cavan Sullivan got to meet his ‘idol’ Lionel Messi, and got a photo with him to treasure