Despite a banger of a goal from Quinn Sullivan and Tai Baribo’s brace, three second-half goals from Inter Miami, two in the game’s dying moments, stole two points from the Union and ended Saturday’s potential playoff preview in a 3-3 draw.
The draw, though disappointing given the circumstances, extends Union’s unbeaten streak to 9 games across all competitions and improves their record to 9W-3D-3L for 30 points, good enough to end Saturday night as the Eastern Conference leaders.
30 points from the first 15 games is also the best start to a season for the Union in club history, surpassing the 2020 Supporters Shield-winning team, which had 28 points through their first 15 games.
“We will look at games against Columbus and Miami and we think back and say ‘this is a great draw’, no, because we set standards for ourselves and these feel disappointing and I’m proud of the group that we can get to this moment where we’re disappointed in this result” – Bradley Carnell on Union’s 3-3 draw against Miami.
Quinn Sullivan Gives Union Early Lead
Eight minutes into the game, Quinn Sullivan opened the scoring at Subaru Park after Kai Wagner elected to play a short corner to Sullivan inside Miami’s penalty area. Sullivan received the pass, turned towards the net, and fired a right-footed shot into the far corner to give the Union an early 1-0 lead at home.
Sullivan’s goal was his second of the 2025 MLS campaign and his first since April 19th against Atlanta. Kai Wagner is credited with the assist on the play, his sixth of the season.
Tai Baribo Doubles Union’s Lead Just Before Half
Just after Inter Miami’s Oscar Ustari had made a number of big saves to keep Miami’s deficit to one heading toward the half-time break, Tai Baribo extended Union’s lead with his league-leading 12th of the season in the 44th minute.
After Indiana Vassilev headed a cross from Jovan Lukic back toward the middle of the penalty area, Mikael Uhre tracked down the loose ball and tapped it to an open Tai Baribo from 12 yards out. Baribo made no mistake with the opportunity presented to him as a result of Uhre’s hustle and determination, digging the ball out of his feet and around a defender, and finishing top shelf past Ustari to give Union a 2-0 lead just before half.
It was Baribo’s 12th goal of the season and Mikael Uhre’s 4th assist of the year. It also marks Uhre’s 20th assist as a member of the Union, tying him with Quinn Sullivan and Ilsinho for 8th all-time in club history.
Tadeo Allende gives Miami a lifeline
At the hour mark and still down 2-0, Tadeo Allende gave Inter Miami hope with his goal to make it 2-1 at Subaru Park. Coming in a moment of transition, Miami shifted the ball out to the left side of the field onto Noah Allen’s foot.
Allen played a perfect first-touch cross into the penalty area for Allende, who found himself unguarded between Olwethu Makhanya and Kai Wagner. Allende capitalized on the free header, beating Rick top shelf and bringing Miami within one with his fifth goal of the season.
Baribo’s Brace Gives Union Breathing Room
In the 73rd minute, Union would extend their lead to 3-1 after a long throw-in from Nate Harriel bounced around Miami’s penalty area and eventually found its way to Danley Jean-Jacques, whose shot attempt went off target but fell perfectly to Tai Baribo waiting at the back post.
Baribo, with no one marking him in the penalty area at the back post, directed the errant shot towards the net with his first touch. It beat Ustari and gave Union a 3-1 advantage with just over 15 minutes to play.
The goal was Baribo’s 13th of the season and his 29th goal in his previous 37 games across all competitions for the Philadelphia Union. Baribo also becomes just the 4th player in MLS history to score 13 goals through the first 15 games of the season, joining Carlos Vega, Chicho Arango, and Josef Martinez.
Baribo’s 29th goal moves him to 8th all-time in club history.
“I think he’s starting now to feel confident and back himself because he’s got a team behind him who commits to him. I think there’s a really good partnership growing with whoever he plays with – with Bruno, or with Mikael or Dono [Chris Donovan] – whoever he’s playing next to I think there’s a good relationship.“ – Carnell on Tai Baribo
Messi Magic Free-Kick
After failing to extend their lead to 4-1 on a breakaway opportunity about 10 minutes earlier, the Union would give Inter Miami an opportunity to climb back into the game when Jakob Glesnes fouled Lionel Messi just outside the penalty area in the 96th minute.
And in front of a sold-out Subaru Park crowd, Messi did exactly what Messi does – score in big moments. With the free-kick opportunity, Messi lifted the ball over the wall and right into the top corner of the net just out of the reach of Andrew Rick, bringing their deficit to just one with a few minutes and stoppage time to go.
“I thought they [Olwethu and Glesnes] were pretty good with their space defending, I think Allende got in behind once, but other than that we mitigated balls in behind, I think Kai and Nate does a great job. The one moment we gave away, the free kick, everyone holds their breath and hopes it doesn’t [go in the net], but you know we’ve seen it a million times and we get penalized for that.” – Bradley Carnell
Segovia Steals Two Points from Union
In the final minute of stoppage time, a clearing header from Frankie Westfield that didn’t get far enough to safety gave Miami one last opportunity to get something out of the game after Jordi Alba collected the botched clearance in Union’s defensive 3rd and looked to go towards the goal.
Alba, Messi, and Fifa Picault put together a quick string of passes to work their way around Union’s defense and near the top of their 18-yard box before laying it off to Telasco Segovia. Jovan Lukic tried to dispossess. Segovia as he collected the ball and turned towards the net. Still, Segovia was able to sneak past the tackle attempt and fire an equalizer into the far top corner past Andrew Rick, drawing the game level at three and stealing two points away from the Union with just seconds to go.
“After a great start to the game, Quinn scores a worldie of a goal, and we dominate in many ways, and then also allow an opponent who, on paper, has world-class quality at certain points to get back in the game. So it’s a game where if we take our chances I think the scoreline is even bigger in our favor than he 3-1 would have indicated, and then they get 2 chances late and they take theirs, we get 2 chances late and we don’t take two of ours and unfortunately the game ends 3-3 becsuse you never quite shut them down for 90 minutes.”
Looking Ahead For The Union
After their disappointing 3-3 draw against Miami at home on Saturday night, the Union will head north of the border next weekend to take on Toronto FC in their 8th game during the month of May. They are looking to extend their unbeaten streak to 10 games across all competitions.
“Though each game comes new experiences for the boys, and each moment has moments to grow and only the experiences we have with our young players and the young roster, not to say any of them are at fault, it’s just now trying to find moments whether it’s save-ness, or whether it’s proximity, area of the field, where do we play the game and how do we play the game in that area, do we keep the ball, do we need to go in behind, so just moments of game management and that’s part of our learning process” – Bradley Carnell
