March 1, 2025 – Chester, PA
Philadelphia Union couldn’t have asked for a better start to their 2025 home campaign. In front of a packed Subaru Park, the Union rolled to a 4–1 victory over FC Cincinnati, fueled by a brilliant hat trick from striker Tai Baribo.

Baribo Wastes No Time

Baribo opened the scoring just six minutes into the match with a clinical finish inside the box. His movement and composure set the tone early, and Cincinnati never truly recovered.

By the 30th minute, Baribo had doubled the lead—timing his run perfectly to latch onto a cross and slot it past the keeper. He completed his hat trick early in the second half with a simple tap-in, capping off a dominant individual performance and putting the Union firmly in control.

Cincinnati’s Brief Response

FC Cincinnati pulled one back in the 58th minute through Evander, who curled in a beauty from the edge of the box. It was a brief moment of life from the visitors, but not nearly enough to shift the momentum.

Debut Goal for Damiani

In stoppage time, Union’s new signing Bruno Damiani made his presence known. Coming off the bench for his club debut, he calmly finished a one-on-one to make it 4–1 and seal the win in style.

Final Thoughts

This was a statement game from the Union—relentless in attack, sharp on the press, and brimming with confidence. Baribo’s hat trick will get the headlines, but this was a full-team performance that showed just how dangerous Philly can be when firing on all cylinders.