Major League Soccer Gameweek 25
San Diego 0 - 5 FT Philadelphia Union
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
Bruno Damiani 27'
45'+2 Alejandro Alvarado Jr
Cavan Sullivan (Indiana Vassilev) 45'+5
Neil Pierre 45'+7
HT
60' ↓ Alejandro Alvarado Jr ↑Aníbal Godoy
60' ↓ Amahl Pellegrino ↑Cédric Bakambu
60' ↓ Onni Valakari ↑David Vazquez
Cavan Sullivan (Indiana Vassilev) 61'
Bruno Damiani (Francis Westfield) 67'
↓ Indiana Vassilev ↑Quinn Sullivan 70'
73' ↓ Elias Achouri ↑Bryan Zamblé
↓ Cavan Sullivan ↑Jesus Bueno 77'
↓ Bruno Damiani ↑Ezekiel Kwame Alladoh 77'
81' ↓ Ian Murphy ↑Dagur Dan Þórhallsson
↓ Neil Pierre ↑Japhet Sery Larsen 86'
↓ Milan Iloski ↑Malik Jakupovic 86'
Aníbal Godoy 87'
90'+1 Oscar Verhoeven
Malik Jakupovic 90'+4
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
San Diego
Goalkeepers
Duran Ferree 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Oscar Verhoeven
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Manu Duah 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
75%
Duel Win %
Ian Murphy
LATE SHIFT
9
Late Mins
9
Late Mins
81
Total Mins
81
Entry
Kieran Sargeant 
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
46%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
Alejandro Alvarado
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
60
Total Mins
60
Entry
Jeppe Tverskov 
MAGNET
104
Activity
104
Activity
94
Passes
10
Duels
Onni Valakari
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
60
Total Mins
60
Entry
Forwards
Anders Dreyer
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
29%
Pass Acc
Amahl Pellegrino
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
60
Total Mins
60
Entry
Elias Achouri
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
73
Total Mins
73
Entry
BENCH
Pablo Sisniega 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Christopher McVey
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Dagur Dan Þórhallsson
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
9
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sam Vines
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Aníbal Godoy 
CLUTCH HERO
87
Goal Time
87
Goal Time
Own Goal
Impact
5.8
Rating
Pedro Soma
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
David Vazquez 
STORMTROOPER
3
Shots
3
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Cédric Bakambu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
30
Total Mins
Started
Entry
B. B. Zamble
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
17
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Philadelphia Union
Goalkeepers
Andre Blake 
OCTOPUS
5
Saves
5
Saves
0
Conceded
100%
Save %
Defenders
Francis Westfield
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
1
Assists
22%
Pass Acc
Neil Pierre
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
73%
Duel Win %
Nathan Harriel
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kai Wagner
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
29%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
Cavan Sullivan 
HITMAN
2
Goals
2
Goals
2
On Target
9.8
Rating
Danley Jean-Jacques
STORMTROOPER
3
Shots
3
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Jovan Lukić 
SWEEPER
4
Cleanups
4
Cleanups
4
Interceptions
0
Blocks
Indiana Vassilev
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
2
Assists
30%
Pass Acc
Forwards
Milan Iloski
STORMTROOPER
4
Shots
4
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Bruno Damiani 
FINISHER
1
Goals
1
Goals
3
Shots
8.1
Rating
BENCH
Andrew Rick
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Japhet Sery Larsen
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
4
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Quinn Sullivan
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
20
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Benjamin Bender
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jesús Bueno
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Alejandro Bedoya
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
M. Jakupovic
CLUTCH HERO
90
Goal Time
90
Goal Time
Goal
Impact
6.5
Rating
Augustin Anello
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ezekiel Alladoh
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
Started
Entry
League Standings
P: 21 GD: +26
P: 21 GD: +5
P: 20 GD: +11
P: 21 GD: 0
P: 20 GD: +7
P: 20 GD: 0
P: 21 GD: +4
P: 21 GD: +2
P: 20 GD: +2
P: 21 GD: +1
P: 19 GD: -4
P: 20 GD: -11
P: 19 GD: -4
P: 20 GD: -13
P: 20 GD: -26
League Standings
P: 25 GD: +33
P: 26 GD: +4
P: 26 GD: +9
P: 26 GD: +7
P: 26 GD: +8
P: 27 GD: +14
P: 26 GD: +1
P: 27 GD: -8
P: 26 GD: -1
P: 26 GD: 0
P: 26 GD: -12
P: 25 GD: -5
P: 24 GD: -5
P: 26 GD: -7
P: 25 GD: -34
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
San Diego
Philadelphia Union
San Diego
Philadelphia Union
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
A Five-Star Union Dismantling at Snapdragon
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 57/100. Philadelphia's ruthless counter-attacking masterclass turned a tight midfield battle into an unforgettable blowout on the road.
Deadlock and Drama
The Stakes were monumental as this clash kicked off, with both sides deadlocked at 26 points in the standings and desperate for momentum. San Diego came out looking to dictate the rhythm at Snapdragon Stadium in front of their home crowd. The hosts dominated possession, holding onto the ball for a massive 60% of the game and aggressively working the flanks to rack up eleven corner kicks early on. For a long stretch, it looked like a classic tactical stalemate. However, the Balance of the game shifted drastically just moments before the halftime whistle. Following a highly tense VAR review that ultimately saw a straight red card for San Diego midfielder Alejandro Alvarado Jr rescinded, the emotional tide of the match immediately swung in the visitors' direction.
Sullivan Steals the Show
Deep into that extended first-half stoppage time, Philadelphia Union found their lethal edge. Indiana Vassilev played the role of chief creator, slipping a perfect pass to Cavan Sullivan who ruthlessly broke the deadlock. That devastating late goal completely altered the Intensity of the second half. Forced to chase the game, San Diego pushed their lines aggressively up the field in search of an equalizer, leaving vast, punishing spaces behind their defense. Sullivan made them pay the ultimate price in the 61st minute, completing a phenomenal individual brace off yet another pinpoint feed from Vassilev. Despite an astonishing 30 combined shots between the two sides, the hosts' steep possession advantage suddenly meant absolutely nothing against Philadelphia's clinical, lightning-fast attacking transitions.
The Floodgates Open
From that moment on, the floodgates completely opened in California. Bruno Damiani added a third goal just six minutes later, expertly finishing off a crisp sequence orchestrated by Francis Westfield. A catastrophic defensive collapse late in the game saw Aníbal Godoy credited with an unfortunate own goal, thoroughly demoralizing the home supporters. Finally, Malik Jakupovic put the final nail in the coffin deep in stoppage time. There was an undeniable Upset Factor given the sheer magnitude of a 5-0 blowout between two evenly matched teams on paper. Ultimately, the Union's ruthless finishing sends them back to the East Coast with massive momentum and three crucial road points.
Key Questions
How did VAR change this match?
A 45th-minute VAR review cancelled Alejandro Alvarado Jr's red card, leading to extended stoppage time where Philadelphia scored their crucial opening goal.
What made Cavan Sullivan the Man of the Match?
Sullivan was ruthlessly efficient, scoring a brilliant brace that broke San Diego's spirit and entirely shifted the game's momentum in Philadelphia's favor.
What caused the 5-goal thriller?
San Diego dominated possession but left themselves exposed. Philadelphia capitalized with lethal transition attacks, converting their chances to secure a massive 5-0 road victory.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Firepower Meets Fragility at Snapdragon Stadium
Highly Entertaining Futmetrix Score: 70/100. Low league stakes mask an explosive matchup where two potent offenses prepare to exploit leaky backlines.
The Setup
This mid-table Major League Soccer clash promises fireworks. San Diego host Philadelphia Union at Snapdragon Stadium with both teams arriving in strong Form. The home side sits eighth, just six points ahead of the twelfth-placed visitors. Despite modest Stakes in the immediate standings, the underlying metrics point to chaos. A combined average of over four goals per game suggests defenses will be stretched to their absolute limits. The lack of defensive Balance on both sides guarantees an open, thoroughly entertaining contest.
Key Battle
The midfield will dictate the tempo, with Anders Dreyer and Cavan Sullivan pulling the strings. Dreyer is San Diego's creative hub, already boasting a flurry of assists that elevate the Stars rating of the home side. Sullivan has been just as lethal for Philadelphia, constantly finding pockets of space to orchestrate attacks. Whichever playmaker finds more time on the ball will likely tip the scales in this impending shootout.
Our Prediction
Expect a high-scoring draw. The attacking quality on both sides easily outweighs their defensive discipline. San Diego will strike early, but Philadelphia's resilience and Sullivan's vision will ensure the visitors grab a share of the points in a thrilling 2-2 finish.