After snapping a 10-match winless streak, the Philadelphia Union will look to make it two straight victories when they welcome Nashville SC to Chester, Pa., on Saturday night.
The Union (5-10-9, 24 points) halted a 0-6-4 slump on Wednesday night as Tai Baribo’s hat trick led them to a 5-1 win over the visiting New England Revolution.
But the headlines belonged to Cavan Sullivan, who at 14 years and 293 days old, became the youngest player to appear in an MLS match when he entered in the 85th minute.
“I’m really, really happy to have done this, but it’s honestly the first box checked off, so a long journey ahead,” Sullivan said afterward. “I know it’s all about where you finish, not where you start. So I’m just going to keep working, keep developing here.”
Philadelphia’s collective performance can’t be overlooked, either, considering its five goals were a season-high.
“We know that it’s only one game, but it’s a big game for us in a lot of ways, building confidence, the intensity that we played with, even after mistakes,” head coach Jim Curtin said.
The Union added reinforcements to its roster on Thursday, acquiring forward Samuel Adeniran via a trade with St. Louis City. Adeniran has two goals and an assist in 17 appearances (four starts) this season.
Meanwhile, Nashville (6-10-8, 26 points) enters Saturday on a five-match losing streak after falling 3-0 at home against Orlando City SC on Wednesday.
Saturday also marks Nashville’s final match before new head coach B.J. Callaghan officially takes the reins.
An anemic attack – coupled with poor defensive play – has equaled Nashville being outscored 13-3 during its losing streak.
“I think there’s always a willingness to fight. I think the problem that comes with it is a need for the execution,” Nashville interim head coach Rumba Munthali said after Wednesday’s match, per the Nashville Post.
“I think they do fight and they fight all the way through. Even after listening to the guys speak and talk, the willingness to fight is always there, but now it’s the execution of actions.”
Nashville, already missing a host of players, saw the list get longer as Tyler Boyd was diagnosed with a torn ACL in his knee and he will need reconstructive surgery.
Boyd was injured on Wednesday and stretchered off during second-half stoppage time after sustaining a non-contact leg injury.
Boyd was a 61st-minute substitute with Dru Yearwood, who exited in the 70th minute after a hamstring injury. Yearwood will miss Saturday’s match.
–Field Level Media
