The Bradley Carnell era is off to a solid start, as the Philadelphia Union went down to Orlando and picked up a convincing 4-2 win to open the 2025 MLS campaign. Tai Baribo scored a brace, while Daniel Gazdag and Mikael Uhre scored the other two on the night. It was exactly what you wanted to see out of a Union side who struggled to find proper form last year, and will definitely be a match that gets the supporters excited. For more about the match, tune into Jimmy King’s recap down below:
Three Stars of the Night
In a night that saw lots of positive contributors on both sides of the pitch, there were three players that stood out on the night. Tai Baribo, Quinn Sullivan, and newcomer Frankie Westfield had impressive matches in Bradley Carnell’s debut as manager. All three were important contributors in the 4-2 win, either scoring or providing an assist on the night.
1. Tai Baribo
When Julian Carranza left for Feyenoord last summer, the Union were looking for the player who would fill the role of their goal-scoring Argentine, and Tai Baribo has done exactly that since joining the Starting XI. The Israeli man scored 9 goals in MLS play last season and started off on the right foot this year with a brace on the road. The striker seems to always be in the right spot positionally, which paid off on both his goals.
Tai’s first goal of the night came through Kai Wagner after a Quinn Sullivan shot got blocked by an Orlando defender. The ball bounced right to the German who sent a one-time pass in front of the net, which Tai Baribo pounced on to equalize the score at 1-1. It was a brilliant play by the Union, who showed resilience in getting back into the match after conceding early on.
Baribo’s second goal of the night would come in the 64th minute, as the striker received a ball from Frankie Westfield, and proceeded to slot it home. Throughout the entire night, the Union capitalized on mistakes that Orlando City made, and this was yet another example of it. The Union’s new number nine had a phenomenal first outing of the season, and looks to continue to be the main guy for scoring goals for the club.
2. Quinn Sullivan
Another player who stood out during the match Saturday night was none other than Quinn Sullivan. The young midfielder had a breakout campaign last year, scoring 5 goals and providing 11 assists in 34 appearances in MLS play. Quinn started off the 2025 season in good form as well, providing the assist on Daniel Gazdag’s goal in the 48th minute to give the Union the 2-1 lead.
The 20-year-old sent a perfect cross to the back post, and Gazdag flew in to connect with his right foot to provide the dream start for the Union after the second half began. Sullivan was all over the pitch on Saturday night, proving how much of a positive impact he could have in this new system under Bradley Carnell.
3. Frankie Westfield
The third and final star of the match was one of the newcomers to the squad, Frankie Westfield. Westfield was making his first career start with the first team and also getting his first career minutes. The 19-year-old was being thrown into a big spot by Bradley Carnell, and he responded in a big way. Westfield was a threat on both the attack and in defense, contributing in all types of ways.
He got his first career assist on Tai Baribo’s second goal, and also contributed a total of eight passes into the final third of the pitch. Defensively, Westfield had four clearances and five ball recoveries on the night, showing the type of impact that he can have for this squad.
The Union’s performance last Saturday night was all-around good, showing that they were a team that cannot be slept on during this campaign. They adapted well to Bradley Carnell’s tactics, and it seems to be paying off so far. Their next match will be the home opener on Saturday, March 1st, as FC Cincinnati comes into town.
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