Philadelphia Union's 5-1 Triumph Highlights Historic Debut for Youngest MLS Player
The Philadelphia Union delivered a commanding performance against the New England Revolution on Wednesday night, securing a 5-1 victory at Subaru Park. This latest Independence Blue Cross Achievement Unlocked match featured a historic moment with 14-year-old midfielder Cavan Sullivan making his Major League Soccer debut, becoming the youngest athlete to play in a regular season match among the top North American professional sports leagues.
Cavan Sullivan's debut came in the 85th minute, joining his older brother, Quinn Sullivan, who had just scored the team's fifth goal one minute earlier. This momentous night occurred less than three months after Cavan's signing with the club on May 9, 2024, making him the youngest player in club history to join the first team and the fifth youngest to sign a first-team contract in MLS history.
The Union took control of the game early, with forward Tai Baribo opening the scoring in the 29th minute. Defender Jakob Glesnes doubled the lead in the 39th minute, and Baribo added his second goal just before halftime. New England's Ian Harkes briefly cut the lead in the 50th minute, but Baribo quickly completed his hat trick two minutes later. Quinn Sullivan capped off the scoring in the 84th minute, just before his younger brother made his historic appearance.
The match also featured standout performances from Kai Wagner, who recorded three assists, becoming the only defender in MLS to produce at least 30 assists across the last three seasons. Wagner's contributions were crucial in securing the Union's tenth hat trick in MLS regular season play, with Baribo netting his fourth, fifth, and sixth goals of the season.
Philadelphia Union's victory was underscored by several significant milestones. The Sullivan brothers became the second pair of siblings to play simultaneously for the Union, following the Farfan brothers in 2011. Defender Jakob Glesnes scored his first goal of the season, adding to the team's dominant display.
As the Union prepare to host Nashville SC at Subaru Park on Saturday, July 20, the team and fans alike will reflect on a night of remarkable achievements and historic firsts, highlighted by the debut of a promising young talent in Cavan Sullivan.
Philadelphia Union 5 – New England Revolution 1Subaru Park (Chester, PA)Wednesday, July 17, 2024
Match Officials:
- REF: Rubiel Vazquez
- AR1: Corey Parker
- AR2: Kyle Atkins
- 4TH: Sergii Demianchuk
- VAR: Jose Carlos Rivero
- AVAR: Katherine McCormick
- Weather: 79 degrees and rain.
Scoring Summary:
- PHI – Tai Baribo (Elliott, Wagner) 29’
- PHI – Jakob Glesnes (Wagner) 39’
- PHI – Tai Baribo (Uhre, Bedoya) 44’
- NE – Ian Harkes (Bajraktarevic) 50’
- PHI – Tai Baribo (Wagner, Elliott) 52’
- PHI – Quinn Sullivan (Glesnes) 84’
Disciplinary Summary:
- NE – Jack Panayotou (caution) 66’
Lineups:
Philadelphia Union: Andre Blake; Kai Wagner, Jack Elliott, Jakob Glesnes, Olivier Mbaizo, José Martínez, Leon Flach, Alejandro Bedoya (Jesús Bueno 71’), Dániel Gazdag, Mikael Uhre (Quinn Sullivan 71’), Tai Baribo (Cavan Sullivan 85’).
Substitutes not used: Andrew Rick; Jeremy Rafanello, Damion Lowe, Christopher Olney Jr., Markus Anderson, Chris Donovan.
New England Revolution: Aljaz Ivacic, Dave Romney, Xavier Arreaga (Henry Kessler 57’), Jonathan Mensah, Ryan Spaulding (Peyton Miller 74’), Matt Polster (Mark-Anthony Kaye 58’), Ian Harkes, Andrew Farrell, Jack Panayotou, Bobby Wood (Thomas McNamara 57’), Esmir Bajraktarevic (Malcolm Fry 63’).
Substitutes not used: Earl Edwards Jr.; Brandon Bye, Joshua Bolma, Marcos Dias.
Notes:
- Cavan Sullivan, the youngest player in MLS and North American sports leagues, made his debut at 14 years and 293 days old.
- Tai Baribo's hat trick marked his first career hat trick and the Union's tenth in MLS regular season play.
- Kai Wagner’s three assists made him the seventh player in league history to achieve at least 30 assists across three seasons.
The Union's dominant win and Cavan Sullivan's debut underscore a bright future for the team as they continue their MLS campaign.
