CHESTER, Pa. — Tai Baribo was the standout performer on Saturday night with a remarkable hat trick, leading Philadelphia to a 4-1 triumph over FC Cincinnati. It marked the first time in club history that the Union has triumphed in its opening two matches of a season.
The action kicked off early in the Union’s home opener, with Baribo putting the team ahead in just the 6th minute, tallying his third goal of the season. Kai Wagner contributed his third assist, while Quinn Sullivan recorded his second. Baribo’s performance is notable, with 12 career goals in his 20 starts and 28 appearances.
There was a moment of uncertainty in the 30th minute when Baribo’s second goal appeared to be disallowed after Dániel Gazdag was flagged offside, but the decision was reversed following a video review. Baribo found the net once again in the 52nd minute, securing his second career hat trick, with his first achieved in a 5-1 victory against the New England Revolution last season. Gazdag assisted on the last two goals, his first of the season.
For Cincinnati, Evander da Silva Ferreira made his mark by scoring his first goal for the team in the 58th minute, reducing the deficit to 3-1 with an unassisted strike. Evander previously recorded 24 goals and 24 assists during his time with the Portland Timbers.
The goal-fest was capped off when newcomer Bruno Damiani, a 22-year-old forward, scored his first career goal in the third minute of stoppage time during his league debut. He was substituted in the second half and played for 21 minutes, with Sullivan once more adding an assist.
Andre Blake, in his twelfth season, made one save for the Union, who have scored a league-leading eight goals under the new leadership of manager Bradley Carnell. The team began the season with a win over Orlando City, a club that had bested them twice last season during Jim Curtin’s tenure.
In goal for Cincinnati, Roman Celentano managed to stop three shots. Moving forward, the Union will face the New England Revolution away, while Cincinnati is set to host Toronto FC.
