FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tai Baribo’s impressive form continued Saturday night as he netted his sixth goal of the season, while Jovan Lukic celebrated his first MLS goal, propelling the Philadelphia Union to a 2-0 victory over the New England Revolution.
Philadelphia, off to a remarkable start with a 3-0-0 record, is leading the league with a total of 10 goals. Their goal differential of plus-seven is tied for the fourth-best in MLS history through the opening three matches of a season.
The New England Revolution, on the other hand, have struggled, being shut out in all three of their first matches and managing just four shots on target across those games.
Baribo etched his name in the MLS records when he struck in the 76th minute, matching Ante Razov’s historic achievement with the Chicago Fire in 1999 for the most goals scored over the first three games of a season. His accomplishment came via a deftly placed header, courtesy of Kai Wagner’s precise arcing cross from the right wing, which beautifully found the back post.
Jovan Lukic, introduced to Philadelphia from Serbia in February, made his mark in stoppage time. He latched onto a backward pass from Indiana Vassilev and launched a powerful, one-touch shot from the edge of the area that ricocheted off the back post into the net, setting the score at 2-0.
New England controlled 53% of the match’s possession but were outshot 18-9, with Philadelphia holding a decisive 9-1 advantage in shots on target. The Revs’ goalkeeper, Aljaž Iva?i?, was tested frequently, resulting in six saves.
Compounding New England’s woes, Leo Campana squandered an early opportunity with a wayward shot before motioning for a substitution. He was subsequently replaced by Maxi Urruti in just the 10th minute. Campana, a promising 24-year-old striker, had recently joined from Inter Miami for a record $2.5 million in guaranteed General Allocation Money.
