Kai Wagner and the Union delivered a statement win at a moment when they badly needed it

At halftime on Saturday, the Union held a 1-0 lead over the Chicago Fire.

It was deserved, thanks to Tai Baribo’s 34th-minute goal that capped off a terrific 21-pass buildup. But it felt a little too much like the 1-0 lead the team held two weeks earlier over Toronto, the one they ended up blowing late in a 1-1 tie.

Everyone in Subaru Park knew that couldn’t happen again, from players to coaches and fans in the stands. And in the second half, the soccer gods upped the ante.

Three of the Eastern Conference’s other playoff contenders were losing: Columbus at New England, a Lionel Messi-less Miami at D.C., and biggest of all, first-place Cincinnati at home to New York City FC.

Kai Wagner, Quinn Sullivan, and Milan Iloski likely didn’t know that when Iloski was knocked over just outside the 18-yard box in the 62nd minute. But they certainly knew the moment was too big to not turn into a goal.

So as the trio stared at Chicago’s defensive wall, Wagner called an audible: a trick play he’d rehearsed in a practice two years ago. It made enough sense to the other two, so they gave it a try. Sullivan stood still, Iloski rolled the ball a foot or so, and Wagner got ready to blast it.

» READ MORE: Union rout Chicago, 4-0, and get help to retake first place in the Eastern Conference

Up in the broadcast booth, Apple broadcaster Callum Williams called it like a game of Let’s Make a Deal: “Iloski? Sullivan? Or Wagner!”

The jackpot was indeed behind door No. 3, and Wagner’s low drive knocked the hinges off. Danley Jean Jacques and Iloski scored afterward to finish a 4-0 win, the Union’s biggest margin of victory this year and their first shutout in seven games.

It also pleased the heavenly judges. Miami could only get a tie, Columbus lost, and Cincinnati’s big-money attack was shockingly shut out. A few hours later, San Diego was held to a scoreless tie at home by Portland.

Now the Union are back atop the Eastern Conference and the Supporters’ Shield race as they head into a game-of-the-year candidate at Cincinnati this Saturday (7:30 p.m., Apple TV).

» READ MORE: The Union will have to fight back in a loaded playoff race without Andre Blake

“I’ve seen a lot of good games this year, and I think this is amongst one of the best games that I’ve seen — not just this year, but as a coach in general,” Bradley Carnell said. “I’m really proud of the guys. The guys took it hard last week. … The guys were determined to sort of tighten the screw and show a bit of a response here tonight, and I think credit to the boys, they showed the response.”

There had been talk all week about the intensity of practices, and the desire to set things right after the two slipups.

Carnell praised his players for “not focusing on what’s happening next month, next week, focusing on right in this present moment.” But it was impossible to avoid reacting to hearing the words next week, and asking him about that.

The manager didn’t want to hear it, at least at first.

“Tomorrow when you wake up, it’s just three points,” Carnell said. “You’re going to look at the [standings] website and it’s going to be three points more, right?”

» READ MORE: Union defender Ian Glavinovich ruled out for season with torn meniscus

But with his next breath, he admitted how much this win did matter.

“It does a lot for us, for sure,” he said. “Because some of those games [before] have been close, and we’ve deserved more in my opinion, the guys have deserved more. And we finally took our chances, and it shows.”

The best quote of the night came from Iloski as he described the planning for that free-kick goal.

“The ball was kind of on the left side, so naturally, we were looking down and thought, ’OK, I was probably just going to hit it directly, because the wall would be placed on the left side,’” he said. “But then we looked up and we were like, ‘What in the world are they doing?’”

» READ MORE: Medford’s Paxten Aaronson returns to MLS, joining the Colorado Rapids

That’s when Wagner called his audible, asking Iloski to roll the ball just a foot or so.

Chicago had lined up a six-man defensive wall. Former Union centerback Jack Elliott was one of five players standing, and winger Philip Zinckernagel laid on the ground to try to block a low shot.

The wall splintered as soon as Iloski tapped the ball, and Wagner hit it right past Zinckernagel’s head to the far post.

“I explained it really quick to Milan, and I think me and Milan have a good understanding already on the pitch with each other,” Wagner said. “It looked a little bit awkward, probably, because we never played it in training. But it worked out perfect, so I’m really happy about how we executed it.”

» READ MORE: Jakob Glesnes’ remarkable turnaround this year earned him a new contract from the Union

When the Union let third-string goalkeeper Oliver Semmle go on loan to North Carolina FC of the second-tier USL Championship last Monday, it didn’t seem like a big deal. He was highly unlikely to play here even with Andre Blake injured, so this would let him get minutes elsewhere ahead of a presumed departure this winter.

The Union’s plan was to alternate reserve team netminders Pierce Holbrook and Mike Sheridan as Andrew Rick’s backup until Blake returns, and Holbrook got the first call Saturday. But the plan blew up during pregame warmups when Holbrook went down with a knee injury and had to be carried to the locker room by the medical staff.

Carnell didn’t have an official diagnosis when he spoke, but the images of the moment said enough to fear the worst. So the first words he said were to dedicate the win to Holbrook.

“The guys got it for Pierce, and wish him all the best,” Carnell said.

» READ MORE: Alejandro Bedoya takes the Union’s Open Cup run personally, wanting a final trophy in his career

The timing meant the Union had no backup goalkeeper on the game-day squad. Had there been an emergency situation, defender Nathan Harriel would have stepped in. (He has trained for the scenario a few times over the years.)

Goalkeepers always play on a high wire, especially when the defense in front of them plays the Union’s pressing style. When there’s no backup on the bench, it could get in a player’s head and make him more cautious than usual. But Rick, who’s as down-to-earth as they come, didn’t let himself get rattled.

“Honestly, I’m very grateful to say that I play professional soccer, and I think no matter what stage of my life I [am] in, whenever I step on the field, all the problems go away,” the 19-year-old said. “So, for me it’s just about channeling that energy into, whether it’s catching the ball, or pushing it wide, or whatever it is — just getting it out of my system now and I can think about it later.”

Those words, plus his two good saves, were another reminder that the Union’s net is in safe hands until Blake returns.

Here are the top 10 teams through Sunday’s games. The first tiebreaker is total wins, followed by goal difference.

1. Union: 16-6-6, 54 points, 28 games played

2. San Diego FC: 16-7-5, 53 pts., 28 GP

3. FC Cincinnati: 16-8-4, 52 pts., 28 GP

4. Nashville SC: 15-8-5, 50 pts., 28 GP

5. Minnesota United: 14-6-8, 50 pts., 28 GP

6. Vancouver Whitecaps: 14-6-7, 49 pts., 27 GP

7. Charlotte FC: 15-11-2, 47 pts., 28 GP

8. Orlando City: 13-7-8, 47 pts., 28 GP

9. Inter Miami: 13-5-7, 46 pts., 25 GP

10. Columbus Crew: 12-6-9, 45 pts., 27 GP