The 26th week of the 2022 MLS season saw Philadelphia Union forward Julián Carranza selected as the league’s Player of the Week presented by Continental Tire.
On August 20, Carranza joined Cobi Jones of LA Galaxy to become the second player in MLS history to score two hat tricks against the same side (DC United) in a single season.
He is the only player in the league with two this season and the only player in club history to score multiple hat tricks.
Carranza is one of just two players in 2022 with at least three goals and an assist in the same game, along with Cristian Espinoza of the San Jose Earthquakes and Jess Ferreira of FC Dallas.
The only player in Union history to record at least three goals and one assist in a single game is him.
Mikael Uhre got space in the box and scored a goal into the bottom corner to give the Union a 1-0 lead in the 37th minute to level the score.
Carranza sent a precise cross over the head of a D.C. defender to Uhre. In the 47th minute, Carranza scored his first goal of the game after Philadelphia had taken a 2-0 lead when he curled in an incredible left-footed shot from just outside the 18-yard box.
When Cory Burke’s shot off the post dropped to him in the 70th minute, the attacker increased the lead to 4-0 by smashing the ball through the legs of the D.C. goalkeeper and into the net.
In the 74th minute, Carranza finished off his hat trick after intercepting a misdirected pass, dribbling past the goalkeeper, and firing the ball into the net.
This season, Carranza has already surpassed his previous career highs in goals (12) and assists (7), placing him second and third on the squad, respectively.
The attacker has produced five goals and three assists during his last five games for the team leading the Eastern Conference.
For the first time since Cory Burke and Fafà Picault in 2018, Carranza’s hat trick allowed the Union to produce two players (Dániel Gazdag, 13) in the same season with at least 10 goals each.
The tandem’s 25 total goals this season are equal for the most by a pair of teammates in 2022 with Sebastián Driussi (18) and Maximiliano Urruti (seven) of Austin FC.
After receiving the honor in Week 19, Carranza became the first player to win the MLS Player of the Week presented by Continental Tire award twice in 2022.
He is the only player from Philadelphia to win multiple MLS Player of the Week presented by Continental Tire awards in the same season, joining Sebastien Le Toux in 2010 (Weeks 3 and 16).
Carranza has received two Player of the Week awards, which ties him with Le Toux and Ilsinho for the most in club history.
When Philadelphia hosts the Colorado Rapids at Subaru Park on Saturday, August 27, they will try to extend their streak of 19 games without a loss at home.
