Baribo, Sullivan & Carnell Named to Team of the Matchday 2

Baribo’s hat trick, Sullivan’s playmaking, and Carnell’s perfect start earn Philadelphia Union three spots on MLS Team of the Matchday 2.

(Credit: MLS)

MLS announced the Team of the Matchday for Matchday 2, with the Philadelphia Union having three selections: Tai Baribo, Quinn Sullivan, and head coach Bradley Carnell.

Baribo earned his second selection of the season. His two goals against Orlando City on opening weekend earned him a spot on the bench, while his hat trick against Cincinnati secured him a place in the starting XI.

Quinn Sullivan’s two assists against Cincinnati, including one to Bruno Damiani for his debut goal, earned him a spot on the bench. (It’s worth noting that MLS tracks secondary assists, which is why Sullivan was credited with two for the game.)

Head coach Bradley Carnell was also selected after starting his Union tenure with a perfect 2-0 record.

(Credit: MLS)

In addition to making the starting XI for Team of the Matchday 2, Baribo was named Player of the Matchday for the second time in his career. His first honor came on Matchday 27 last season against the New England Revolution, when he also scored a hat trick in a 5-1 Union victory.

Baribo is the first Union player to win Player of the Matchday since last season, when Dániel Gazdag received the honor for his Matchday 28 performance against Nashville, in which he scored a hat trick in a 3-0 Union win.

With two goals on Matchday 1 and a hat trick on Saturday night, Tai Baribo became just the fourth player in MLS history to score five goals in the first two games of a season, joining Javier "Chicharito" Hernández (2021), Ayo Akinola (2020), and Brian Ching (2006).

He is also the fourth player in Union history to earn multiple Player of the Matchday honors, alongside Julián Carranza (4), Dániel Gazdag (3), and Sébastien Le Toux (2).

Baribo leads MLS with five goals in two appearances and has scored 21 goals in his last 24 starts across all competitions, dating back to his first start on June 19, 2024, against FC Cincinnati.

Video Credit: Apple TV/MLS Season Pass