The New England Revolution fought back for a 3-3 draw at home to the Chicago Fire, while Inter Miami fell 1-0 to Montreal. New York and Philadelphia met in the past two Eastern Conference finals, and the home side took the lead at Citi Field with a curling effort from Gabriel Pereira in the 30th minute. But Philadelphia turned the game around with two goals at the stroke of half-time. Carranza levelled when he chested down a long ball into the box from Jack Elliott and blasted home with a first-time, right-foot drive.

Then moments later, Carranza put the visitors ahead with another clinical finish from inside the box after good work from Jose Martinez and Mikael Uhre. The Union made sure of the win when Hungarian Daniel Gazdag converted a 53rd-minute penalty after Carranza was brought down by Thiago Martins. Philadelphia, runners-up in the MLS Cup last season, are unbeaten in seven, with five wins and two draws.

"We're playing good football, and we know we're capable of playing even better," said Union head coach Jim Curtin, who suggested Carranza's form might see him eventually move on to bigger things. "Great game from Julian. I thought his best game of the season in all phases. I don't know how long I'll get to work with him, because I think he's that good, but I'm going to keep trying to push him as hard as I can," he said.

May 28, 2023

- New England draw -

Former US international Jozy Altidore grabbed a late equalizer for the Revolution to earn a 3-3 draw for Bruce Arena's side against Chicago. It was a frustrating night for the Fire, who had taken a 2-0 lead through Georgios Koutsias and an own-goal from Andrew Farrell. New England fought back through Noel Buck and Bobby Wood to go in 2-2 at the break, but the Fire looked to have grabbed all three points when Maren Haile-Selassie made it 3-2 in the 79th minute.

With seven minutes to go, however, Altidore bundled the ball in at the back post, from a corner, to deny Chicago an impressive away win. Phil Neville's Inter Miami fell to the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings after Chinonso Offor's 53rd-minute close-range effort gave Montreal a 1-0 win and condemned Miami to a sixth defeat from seven away games. Wayne Rooney's DC United fell 2-1 at Toronto, with Christian Benteke's 87th-minute goal too little, too late after Deandre Kerr's header and Kosi Thompson's side-foot effort had put the Canadians in charge.

- Scathing assessment -

Rooney was scathing in his assessment of his team's early display, which prompted him to make a triple substitution before the end of the first half. "I wish I had 11 (subs)," said Rooney. "It was more of a statement for the team; I didn't like the first half at all. I didn't feel we showed the fight or the composure or the intensity. "Maybe as a team, we were thinking we're better than what we actually are," the former Manchester United England forward said.

"When you want to be a good team and you want to compete, it's no good doing it for two, three games - you have to do it consistently, and I felt tonight we weren't at the level which I know we can get to," he added. Toronto coach Bob Bradley had dropped former Juventus and Italy winger Federico Bernardeschi after he had criticised Bradley's long ball tactics.

FC Cincinnati continued their outstanding season, moving eight points clear at the top of the East after a 1-0 win at Colorado, with Dominique Badji finishing off a swift counter-attack with a fine left-foot strike. The Seattle Sounders lead the Western Conference after a 1-0 win over New York Red Bulls, with American striker Jordan Morris ending his 10-match barren spell with the 22nd-minute winner.

Expansion club St. Louis City are just a point behind the Sounders after a 3-1 win at home to the Vancouver Whitecaps. An 86th-minute equalizer from Tyler Wolff earned Atlanta a 1-1 draw at Orlando City, while defending champions Los Angeles FC had a week off ahead of their CONCACAF Champions League final, first-leg away to Mexico's Leon on Wednesday.

Julián Carranza

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