Recapping Union’s 4-1 route of FC Cincinnati in Home Opener: ”We’re on our way to creating a signature, an identity of hunger on both sides of the ball”

That’s about as good of a start to the 2025 season as you could ask for if you’re Bradley Carnell and the Philadelphia Union. Following a surprise 4-2 performance in Orlando on the opening night of the MLS season, the Blue and Gold put together an emphatic 4-1 win against FC Cincinnati on Saturday night in the team’s Home Opener thanks to a Tai Baribo Hat-Trick and a debut goal from record-signing Bruno Damiani.

”Credit to the boys. They’re taking this very seriously, they have a hunger, a passion, a desire, and they’re chasing the game from the very beginning so I’m glad they reward themselves” – Philadelphia Union Head Coach Bradley Carnell

Starting XI

Carnell rewarded the guys who earned Union’s 4-2 win in Orlando last weekend with another start on Saturday night, wheeling out the exact same XI in front of an energized Subaru Park crowd against FC Cincinnati.

GK: Andre Blake
RB: Frankie Westfield, CB: Olwethu Makhanya, CB: Jakob Glesnes, LB: Kai Wagner
CDM: Jovan Lukić, CDM: Danley Jean-Jacques
CAM: Quinn Sullivan, CAM: Daniel Gazdag
ST: Mikael Uhre, ST: Tai Baribo

Baribo Bangs in Early Goal

Playing in front of the home crowd for the first time, you knew Bradley Carnell’s Union team were going to come out of the gates flying, looking to get on the front foot and set the tone early. It didn’t take the Union long to make their mark thanks to Tai Baribo.

Just 6 minutes into the game, Kai Wagner bolted down the left side of the pitch and sent a cross through the box and into the path of Tai Baribo, who directed the ball into the back of the net with his first touch, scoring his 3rd goal of the 2025 season and giving Union an early lead at home.

The goal by Baribo was assisted by Kai Wagner, his 2nd of the young MLS season.

”I dont read the media, I remove myself outside from everything…I don’t really care what people say, I believe in myself, I believe in the team, I believe in God, this is the most important thing, and just continue like this” – Tai Baribo on the media’s perception of Union

Baribo Bags First-Half Brace

After the ball was turned over in their own defensive half in the 30th minute, Cincinnati’s Brian Anunga mis-handled an interception attempt and ended up playing an inadvertently perfect through-ball for Daniel Gazdag, which led Union in on net. Patiently, Gazdag waited for Cincinnati’s defender and keeper to commit before calmly sliding the ball over to an open Tai Baribo, who tapped it into an open net for his 2nd goal of the night.

Though it was initially waved offside, VAR intervened and made the right call, giving Union a 2-0 lead before the half-hour mark.

The assist from Daniel Gazdag was the Hungarian’s 1st helper of the MLS season.

Baribo’s Hat-Trick

Just 6 minutes into the second half and looking for the dagger, Gazdag collected an errant pass from Baribo on a breakaway, surveyed the land, and played a needle-threading pass across the face of goal to pick-out Tai Baribo sitting at the back post waiting to tap in his 3rd goal of the night.

The goal was Baribo’s fifth of the 2025 MLS Season and his 21st in his previous 24 games across all competitions for the Union. Gazdag’s assist was both his second of the night and season.

”We see his prowess in front of goal in terms of goal-poaching and striking and finishing, but maybe what you don’t see is his work against the ball” – Bradley Carnell on Tai Baribo

Evander Scores Consolation Goal

Down 3-0 and approaching the hour-mark, a weak Jakob Glesnes headed-clearance fell to Cincinnati’s Evander, who collected the ball and drifted towards the top of Union’s 18-yard box. With defenders slow to step to the ball, Evander fired an off-balance left-footed shot that skidded across the Subaru Park pitch and nestled into the corner of the net to Andre Blake’s right side, bringing Cincinnati within 2 with 30 minutes left to play.

Damiani’s Debut Goal Seals 3 Points

In the final stages of the game, Union’s record-signing Bruno Damiani put an explanation point on the Blue and Gold’s Home Opener when he tapped home a cross put into the box by Quinn Sullivan. Sliding in order to meet the pass put into the penalty area by Sullivan, Damiani did well to make solid contact with the ball and steer it into the corner of the net away from an on-coming Celentano.

”When we came to the stadium yesterday to train, I get good, I feel positive vibes. So today, to get the result and I also get my own result, I am very happy” – Bruno Damiani on his Union debut at Subaru Park

The assist by Quinn Sullivan was his 2nd of the night, and his 3rd of the MLS season.

Quotes from Carnell

After being so devastatingly bad at home last season, I’m sure Union fans were pumped to go home with 3 points, a big win against a strong conference opponent in the season’s Home Opener, and a bit more confidence in what the new manager is bringing to the team. I asked Bradley Carnell post-match what he’s learning about the fans in Philadelphia so far and here’s what he said:

“We get to the office pretty early and we already see the fans already tailgating and this means something to me, that everybody’s prepared for a sell-out crowd, braving the elements, and it’s cold, it’s uncomfortable. I said to the players, we have to bring the heat, we have to bring the heat for ourselves and for the people outside there who are standing by us in these elements, so I’m grateful and thankful for everybody’s attendance.” – Bradley Carnell

It’s quite the start for Bradley Carnell and the Philadelphia Union. Six points, Eight goals scored, and top of the table after just two games. While it might yet be too early to have real excitement around this team, you’ve got to like what Bradley Carnell and the Union have done so early on. Now, to build on a start almost nobody envisioned.

“We want to keep building this together, it’s not just us, it’s not just me, it’s everybody growing in the same direction and it’s important for us as a group to acknowledge that.” – Bradley Carnell