Philadelphia Union vs LA Galaxy

Photography by: Rodolfho Chona

The Philadelphia Union delivered a second-half masterclass Wednesday night, rallying from a 2-0 deficit to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory over the LA Galaxy in front of their fervent home crowd at Subaru Park. It was a win defined by resilience and determination, extending Philadelphia's unbeaten streak to six games across all competitions.

The match began with a sense of urgency for the Union, who entered the game looking to build on their 2-2 draw against the Columbus Crew over the weekend. Head coach Bradley Carnell stuck with an unchanged lineup, a rare occurrence this season, showing faith in the group that had battled back days earlier. Andre Blake remained sidelined with a knee injury, giving Homegrown goalkeeper Andrew Rick his 10th MLS start. The defensive line featured stalwarts Kai Wagner, Jakob Glesnes, Nathan Harriel, and Frankie Westfield, while the midfield quartet of Danley Jean Jacques, Indiana Vassilev, Jovan Lukic, and Quinn Sullivan aimed to link play with the striking duo of Bruno Damiani and Tai Baribo.

Despite a strong start, the Union found themselves on the back foot midway through the first half. A costly turnover in midfield from Jean Jacques allowed Marco Reus to initiate a swift counterattack, threading a pass to Mauricio Cuevas, who slotted home the opener in the 31st minute. Just six minutes later, Reus turned provider again, this time setting up Diego Fagundez to double the Galaxy’s advantage. The Union trudged into halftime down two goals, a chorus of frustration ringing from the River End.

The break, however, proved to be a turning point. Emerging from the locker room with renewed intensity, the Union wasted no time erasing the deficit. In the 48th minute, Harriel redirected a Jakob Glesnes header into the net off a Wagner corner, cutting the Galaxy’s lead in half. Just two minutes later, Baribo rose to meet a pinpoint cross from Jean Jacques, nodding home the equalizer and igniting the Subaru Park faithful.

With momentum firmly in their favor, the Union pressed for a winner. Substitutes Mikael Uhre and Alejandro Bedoya added fresh energy, while the Galaxy struggled to regain composure. Philadelphia dominated possession and peppered the Galaxy goal with chances, but it wasn’t until the dying moments of stoppage time that their persistence paid off.

In the 96th minute, Uhre whipped in a tantalizing cross from the right, finding Baribo unmarked at the back post. The striker powered a header past former Union keeper John McCarthy, securing the victory and sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Baribo’s brace brought his season tally to 10 goals, catapulting him back into the lead for the MLS Golden Boot.

The win marked only the second time in Union history that they’ve overturned a two-goal halftime deficit to claim victory, the first coming in a memorable 2019 clash with the New York Red Bulls. It also highlighted the continued struggles of the defending champion Galaxy, who remain winless through 13 games this season—a dubious MLS record.

For Philadelphia, the performance was a testament to their grit and adaptability, qualities they’ll need as they face Atlanta United on the road this weekend.