Wednesday night proved to be a pivotal moment for the Philadelphia Union as they secured a convincing 5-1 victory over the New England Revolution at Subaru Park, breaking their 10-game winless streak. The highlight of the match was 14-year-old Cavan Sullivan making history by becoming the youngest player to debut in a regular-season game across the major North American professional sports leagues.
Sullivan played the final five minutes of the Eastern Conference clash in Chester, Pennsylvania, surpassing Freddy Adu’s record by 13 days. Adu himself took to social media to congratulate Sullivan on breaking his record.
Tai Baribo stole the spotlight with his first MLS hat trick, while Jakob Glesnes and Quinn Sullivan also got on the scoresheet. Cavan Sullivan’s goal, a powerful right-footed shot in the 84th minute, led to a celebratory moment with his brother at the end-line.
In his brief appearance at home, Cavan showed promise by registering a shot on target and displaying confidence on the ball. The U.S. youth national team standout had previously scored two goals in consecutive MLS NEXT Pro appearances for Union II.
Speaking to reporters, Sullivan remarked, “This is just the start. I’m happy to have achieved this milestone, but it’s only the beginning of a long journey. It’s not about where you start but where you finish, so I will continue working hard and focusing on Philadelphia and our upcoming season.”
Union coach Jim Curtin added, “This is just the first chapter in Cavan’s career. We have a plan in place for him and he has shown his potential at different levels. While you may not see him every day, the staff sees his progress, and the time was right to give him an opportunity.”
With this win, the Union climbed out of the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings, surpassing the Revs. Sullivan will aim for more playing time as they prepare to face Nashville SC on Saturday before the Leagues Cup action kicks off.
