Thai Baribo hat trick leads Union to 5-1 victory over New England Revolution, Cavan Sullivan makes history
Courtesy of Philadelphia Union
Jim Curtin‘s Philadelphia Union entered Wednesday’s matchday with the New England Revolution in an unfamiliar position, the bottom of the Eastern Conference table. The return of Andre Blake from injury, Jose Martinez from Copa America, and 14-yr-old Cavan Sullivan’s call-up to Union 1 were all welcome sights to a club that was in a complete freefall. Thanks to, what appeared to be, a rejuvenated energy and a Thai Baribo hat trick, scored in a variety of ways, the Union picked up their first win in their last eleven games, and first at home since March 30th.
The Union came out of the gates fast and foreshadowed the night New England was going to have to defend set pieces early. Fifty Seconds into the game, Leon Flach was pulled down about 5 yards outside the box, near the top to the goalkeeper’s right. Kai Wagner‘s left-footed delivery got through traffic in the box running across to Jack Elliott. He met it on the half volley with his right shin, the ball taking paint with it as it screeched across the top of the crossbar.
Thai Baribo, the man of the match, helped set himself up for his first goal in the 28th minute. He was arm-barred/drug down by Jonathan Mensah while holding the ball up about thirty yards from goal. This set up another Kai Wagner set piece which was delivered deep to the back post. Jack Elliott, who has not been in the greatest form lately from all indications, was able to get the inside of his right foot to it near the touchline. The ball chopped like a Johan Rojas grounder right onto the head of Baribo in the center of the goal. The Israeli striker did all he needed to, nodding the ball away into the far corner for a one-nil Union lead.
The second Union goal indirectly came as the result of some Union bravado, led by the newly returned Jose Martinez. In the 38th minute, he decided to strike a ball from about equal lengths out as time on the clock, forcing Aljaz Ivacic to tip over the bar and give the Union a corner kick. The ensuing Wagner corner went across the top of the eighteen to Olivier Mbaizo, whose strike from twenty yards out was deflected out for another corner. This time Jakub Glesnes had a lightbulb and made a near-post run. His guided header was pushed perfectly into the far corner, beating Ivacic to his left. No thanks to Apple TV, by the way, who caused you to miss the goal by showing the previous replay during the live corner.
Minutes later, after New England flubbed their attacking threat, the Union put the game to bed before the piercing burst of the halftime whistle. After recovering the ball defensively, it was worked out wide to Alejandro Bedoya on the right to transition. He rolled a ball down the side that Mikkel Uhre was able to outrace and outmuscle his man to with great determination. After getting to the ball first and shaking his defender off, Uhre took a couple of touches more forward and pulled the ball back. Baribo made a nice run across the box towards Uhre, meeting the ball twelve yards out and pulling it across his body into the far corner for a three-nil lead.
In case fans thought about leaving to get out of the rain with a three-nil lead, Jim Curtain had Cavan Sullivan and the substitutes start their paces right as the second half kicked off. Savvy Jim, very savvy.
Five minutes into the second half, New England gave themselves life for all of about two minutes. Much like New England had done earlier, Philadelphia squandered a scoring chance only to see the Revolution go back the other way and capitalize on their opportunity. Jack Panayotou made a long run down the left wing before a cross from Ryan Spaulding was smacked away by Blake. Ian Harkes ended up with the ball on his right foot and, with a great blend of precision and pace, whipped it past Andre Blake’s outstretched right arm and into the side netting for a 3-1 game. Maybe it was going to be a game?
Play resumed and Jack Elliott took the space he was given, up to midfield. He played out wide to his left to Kai Wagner. His first touch was a beautiful left foot ball that wrapped behind the Revolution backline and into the path of an onrushing “Brace” Baribo; a brace is two goals in a game for one player. After a good first touch to slow the ball and drop it perfectly with his right boot, he hit it across Ivacic to seal the hat trick and the win.
All that was left was fun and history and the way it played out was kind of cool. Quinn Sullivan, older brother of Cavan, came on in the 71st minute for Mikkel Uhre. In the 84th minute, he had the ball near the top of the eighteen to the Ivacic’s right. When he suddenly became invisible to New England defenders, he found himself twenty-two yards out on his right foot and with a 4-1 lead. Why not have a go and have a go he did. It was a good one too. The ball was hit and into the side netting on the far side before Ivacic ever moved his feet.
5-1 Union and before they had started back towards midfield, Cavan Sullivan was heading to check in.
At fourteen years old and 293 days, he became the youngest debutant among the top North American professional sports leagues (MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, NHL, NWSL) surpassing Freddy Adu. His debut was short-lived though he did strike Ivacic’s palms right before the final whistle.
After so many nights where things went wrong, it was nice for Jim Curtin, the team, and the home crowd to get a night like this. Thai Baribo now has 6 goals on the campaign for the Union and who knows what Cavan Sullivan’s introduction does for the squad moving forward. In a year that had gotten miserable quickly, this fixture was a breath of new life into the team and now it is up to them to sustain it.
They shoot for their first back-to-back wins since March 23rd and 30th, and back-to-back home wins for the first time all season, Saturday at 7:30 PM EST when Nashville SC comes to Subaru Park.
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