Match Report (R1): Philadelphia Union 7–0 Defence Force

elclasicohonduras
5 hours ago
3 min read

Cavan Sullivan had an unforgettable night after providing a poker of goal contributions; 2 goals, and 2 assists.

Written by Denis Gomez

Photos : Concacaf Media

Philadelphia Union delivered a dominant performance at Subaru Park on Thursday night, defeating Defence Force 7–0 to complete an emphatic two-leg sweep in the Concacaf Champions Cup Round One matchup.

Two-time Concacaf Champions Cup winners Defence Force (1978, 1985) entered the second leg hoping to recover from a difficult first match, but an early missed opportunity proved costly. The visitors created a clear chance in the opening minutes that could have altered the momentum, yet failed to capitalize — a theme that head coach Devorn Jorsling later acknowledged.

“Just as in Trinidad, we created a first chance at the game. If people had taken that chance to get some confidence, that would have been great,” Jorsling said post-match.“Coming here to Philadelphia, in the conditions we were in, with guys from the Caribbean, it was extremely difficult.”

Philadelphia quickly seized control. Geiner Segura opened the scoring in the 7th minute, followed by goals from Lukic (10’) and Korzeniowski (12’) as the Union overwhelmed the Defence Force back line inside the opening quarter-hour. Korzeniowski added his second just after halftime (48’), before Bender extended the lead in the 53rd minute.

The night belonged to 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan, who made history at Subaru Park. The homegrown star recorded four goal contributions (two goals, two assists) and became the youngest U.S. player to score in the Concacaf Champions Cup at 16 years, 4 months, and 29 days, finding the net in the 76th and 88th minutes.

Union head coach Bradley Carnell emphasized the importance of momentum and squad cohesion following the club’s recent league setback.

“What you’re looking for is momentum… and relationship-building across the whole roster,” Carnell said.“The work rate, the work ethic, and the real professional environment to keep the clean sheet at all costs was an objective of ours.”

Defensively, Philadelphia remained disciplined and composed, limiting Defence Force after the early scare and preserving a clean sheet. Carnell credited the collective effort and professionalism across the lineup, particularly from young players earning competitive minutes.

Despite the lopsided scoreline, Carnell also praised the visitors’ resilience.

“They never gave up. I don’t think the scoreline reflects how competitive they were.”

For Defence Force, the match marked their return to the Concacaf Champions Cup after a 24-year absence, with their last appearance dating back to 2002 against Pachuca. Jorsling pointed to long-term growth as the takeaway.

“It’s been two years since new management took over. We’ve started introducing sports science like GPS tracking. Playing against a team like this, you take little things and try to improve.”

Philadelphia Union now turn their focus back to league play, carrying confidence, depth, and growing internal competition into the weekend.

Philadelphia advances to the Round of 16 and will face Mexican powerhouse Club América at Subaru Park on March 10. Philadelphia will host the first leg, as Club América holds a higher Concacaf ranking (4th) compared to the Union’s 13th.

Three Takeaways

Cavan Sullivan makes history – The 16-year-old recorded two goals and two assists, becoming the youngest American to score in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
Youth and experience clicking – Bradley Carnell highlighted strong on-field relationships between veteran leaders and young players.
Defence Force overmatched – Returning to continental competition after 24 years, Defence Force struggled to cope with the Union’s intensity across both legs.

Starting XIs

Philadelphia Union: Rick; Martinez, Lukic (Olivas 46'), Sullivan, Bedoya (Bueno 75'), Rafanello, Mbaizo, Alladoh, Makhanya (Bender 46'), Korzeniowski (Jakupovic 59'), Sequera

Defence Force:Williams; Garcia, Araujo-Wilson, Felix, Coryat(Tinto 80'), George(Sadoo 56'), Francois, C. Bailey(Dillion 56'), Noel (Hodge 56'), T. Bailey (Ollivierra 80'), St. Hillaire