Mikael Uhre and Tai Baribo Lead Union to 2-0 Victory, Extending Unbeaten Run to 14 against Red Bulls

Union Keep Playoff Hopes Alive with terrific displays by Danley Jean Jacques and Mikael Uhre.

(Credit: Philadelphia Union)

Harrison, N.J — The Philadelphia Union got a much needed win against New York Red Bulls, as they look to secure one of the final playoff spots with seven games to go in the MLS regular season.

Mikael Uhre opened the scoring in the 4th minute, netting his first league goal since June 15th against Inter Miami. This goal brought Uhre’s tally to 10 goals and five assists across 35 games in all competitions, marking the third consecutive season he has hit double digits with the Union. Tai Baribo doubled the lead to 2-0 in the 14th minute, continuing his impressive form with seven goals in his last five appearances for the Union.

Key Moments

The Union wasted no time capitalizing on their first chance, with a well-executed play starting from the back. Olivier Mbaizo found Danley Jean Jacques open in the middle of the field, who then delivered a fantastic line-splitting pass to Jack McGlynn. This pass took the Red Bulls’ midfield completely out of the play, forcing Sean Nealis to step out of his centerback position. McGlynn, seizing the moment, set up Mikael Uhre in a one-on-one against Red Bulls defender Kyle Duncan. Uhre cut inside from the left and unleashed a long-distance shot that beat Carlos Coronel at his near post.

Just ten minutes later, the Union struck again. Jack Elliott played a long diagonal ball up the right sideline to Olivier Mbaizo, who beat Red Bulls defender John Tolkin and headed it down to an unmarked Alejandro Bedoya. The Union’s front three advanced quickly, and Bedoya found Dániel Gazdag at the top of the 18-yard box. After a series of clever combination passes between Mikael Uhre and Gazdag, the Danish forward set up Tai Baribo at the center of the penalty arc, where Baribo unleashed a powerful shot past Coronel’s near post once more.

Four minutes after the Union scored their second, Red Bulls had a chance of their own with Elias Manoel one v one against Andre Blake, after Kyle Duncan played a first timed bouncing pass into him. Andre Blake did well to make the save, but Red Bulls kept the pressure on after the Union struggled to clear the ball out of their half, Duncan unleashed a shot from the right side of the Union’s 18-yard box, which Blake once again saved.

The second half started with Red Bulls forward Lewis Morgan hitting the post in the 46th minute, a moment that could have shifted the game’s momentum. Just two minutes later, the Union had a chance to extend their lead, with Jack McGlynn setting up Mikael Uhre for a shot on goal, but Coronel was equal to the task this time.

Despite the Red Bulls hitting the post/crossbar three more times—twice by Elias Manoel and once by Lewis Morgan—the Union held firm. Tai Baribo nearly added a third for the Union in the 73rd minute, hitting the post after a fantastic run and pass by Danley Jean Jacques. In the end, the Union’s two goals were enough to secure their seventh win of the season (7-11-9, 30 pts.).

Danely Jean Jacques’ Man Of The Match Performance

Danley Jean Jacques started his second consecutive Union game and made his fourth appearance overall for the club since coming over from FC Metz on August 8th. Watching Jean Jacques last night, you would’ve thought he’s been playing for the club for year, that’s how well he played. He played all 90 minutes, completed 22/28 passes (79%), completed two dribbles, won one tackle, intercepted the ball twice, and created one chance. None of those numbers really stick out, but when you’re playing as a six, you’re never really going to be the star of the show.

“Danley had, I thought, a really quiet, great game tonight, which is what you want out of a six,” said Jim Curtin after the game. “You don't want to notice them. It's like an offensive lineman; when you don't talk about them, they're having a great game. So that was really good from Danley.”

Jean Jacques’ passing was particularly impactful, with 16 of his 28 passes moving the ball forward, emphasizing his role in transitioning from defense to offense. His line-splitting pass to Jack McGlynn in the 4th minute led directly to Mikael Uhre’s goal. Another forward pass in the 30th minute found Dániel Gazdag, demonstrating his vision and willingness to take risks, a quality Curtin highly values in his midfielders.

“I think you see the good defensive instincts, but then you can also see composure in tight spaces. So some of the passes he played into Dani [Gazdag], you're starting to see some of the relationships come… I think he did a great job not only defensively, but playing forward,” said Jim Curtin.

With this performance, Jean Jacques is proving he has the attributes the Union seek in their midfielders—quick transition from defense to offense, recovery speed, composure under pressure, and high soccer IQ.

Mikael Uhre Answer’s Jim Curtin’s Challenge

Jim Curtin had publicly challenged Mikael Uhre to become more involved in the Union’s build-up play, and the forward responded emphatically on Saturday night. Before this game, Uhre averaged just 19.7 touches per match, a number Curtin deemed insufficient. Against the Red Bulls, Uhre increased that involvement, finishing with 31 touches, a goal, and an assist, bringing his season totals to ten goals and five assists.

“With the way Red Bull plays with Mikael, he's a weapon because their centerbacks are brave and they'll step on the other side of midfield and that leaves him open in transition,” said Jim Curtin.

“I thought he came off the back line a couple of times and set them up early to receive some balls at his feet, and then lays them back to Dani [Gazdag], which then sets up the next play where now the centerbacks are aggressive and maybe overplay him and then he can get in behind. So we need those runs in behind. What people don't realize is it creates so much space for Gazdag to operate underneath. Doesn't mean Mikael gets the ball every time when he makes those runs, but it makes the centerbacks drop five, 10 yards deeper and now Dani has more room to operate.”

While Uhre could have added to his tally if not for some sharp saves by Carlos Coronel, the fact that all five of his shots were on target was promising. Uhre also showed his ability to exploit space and link up effectively with both Tai Baribo and Dániel Gazdag, particularly in the “green zone” that Curtin often references.

For the Union to get into one of the final playoff spots, it’s important for Mikael Uhre to have more of these games constantly for the Union, because when he’s in hot form, he’s hard to stop.

What’s Next?

The Union have a break until September 14th, when they travel to Fort Lauderdale to face Inter Miami (18-4-5, 59 pts.), which could mark the return of Lionel Messi. Miami has been in fine form, winning their last four MLS games, with Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez scoring four goals in his last four appearances.

Video Credit: MLS Season Pass/Apple TV