Union’s first-half romp propels a 3-1 win at D.C. United in return to regular-season action

WASHINGTON — The Union resumed the regular season with an emphatic win, scoring twice early and rolling from there to a 3-1 win at D.C. United.

Mikael Uhre got on the scoreboard first in the fifth minute, Jack McGlynn doubled the lead in the 13th, and Dániel Gazdag ensured the second half wouldn’t be a contest with a penalty kick goal in the 38th.

United’s goal didn’t come until the 88th minute, an unstoppable 20-yard blast by Ted Ku-DiPietro.

The result and New England’s 1-0 loss at Montreal moved the Union (13-7-4, 43 points) up to second place in the Eastern Conference.

After scoreless ties in this season’s two previous games vs. D.C. (8-12-6, 30 points), both in Chester, Uhre made sure this one wouldn’t go the same way.

United’s Derrick Williams took a pass from Pedro Santos deep in his own half of the field, so deep that he was almost at the end line. Gazdag pressured him and stole the ball, poking it away to a wide-open Julián Carranza nearby. Carranza turned, saw Uhre run into a pocket between three D.C. defenders, and put a pass on a platter that Uhre met with a firm first-time shot.

It was Uhre’s eighth goal of year in all competitions. More importantly, it’s the first time this season he has scored in back-to-back games. He had an eight-game scoring drought before scoring against Monterrey last weekend, and before that slump he scored just twice in 11 games from May 7-July 9.

Let’s not count this as a hot streak yet. But if Uhre has in fact hit a run of form, it could barely have come at a better time.

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In terms of the eye test, the Union’s second goal of the first half was their best. After successfully defending a D.C. free kick, José Andrés Martínez and Jesús Bueno teamed up to escort the loose ball to the right wing. Martínez then took off down almost the entire length of the flank, with Bueno acting as an escort in front of him up to the halfway line.

Santos tried to slide-tackle the ball away from Martínez, but his attempt was poor. Martínez brushed it off with ease, kept right going, and, from just under 18 yards off the end line, swung a low cross toward Carranza. D.C.’s Chris Durkin got a piece of it first, but could only deflect it to an open McGlynn.

The finish was easy, a caressed shot across the goalmouth to the far post for McGlynn’s third goal of the year.

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In the 15th minute, Martínez suffered an apparent injury to his left hamstring during a collision with D.C.’s Yamil Asad. He slammed the turf in disgust, but was able to return to play. Unfortunately, his return only lasted until the 26th, when he went down again. That was enough for Union manager Jim Curtin to pull him out and send Leon Flach in.

Martínez was able to walk off under his own power, but grabbed at the hamstring along the way. As he arrived at the bench, he slammed a seat in annoyance, and then sat down on the steps and sunk his head into his jersey.

The Union have a midweek trip coming to last-place Toronto FC for a Wednesday game there (7:30 p.m., Apple TV, free) before hosting the rival New York Red Bulls on Saturday. Perhaps Martínez could have missed the road game anyway to save him for the weekend. But it wouldn’t have been the plan for it to happen like this.

D.C. goalkeeper Tyler Miller, a Gloucester County, N.J., native, has earned a reputation across MLS for being more adventurous than he should be. He was at it again in the 36th minute, coming off his line to the top of the 18-yard box and slamming into an onrushing Carranza.

Referee Marcos de Oliveira promptly blew his whistle and pointed to the spot. Moments later, Gazdag easily dispatched his 17th goal of the year. Yes, a lot of them have been penalty kicks, but they all count in some form.

Making matters worse, Miller left the game at halftime. It wasn’t initially clear why, though the TV broadcast showed Miller shouting in annoyance as he swung through a goal kick late in first-half stoppage time.

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The second half started with a controversy. In the 49th minute, D.C. star striker Christian Benteke put an open header at Andre Blake, and the ball appeared to cross the line as Blake fell backward while trying to punch it. But in fact, the ball did not cross the line, though it came mighty close. The entire ball has to cross the entire line to count.

Whatever video review there was took surprisingly little time. The ball was still alive after the save, so play continued for a while. But even at the next stoppage, the review crew didn’t order a longer halt to take a longer look.