Cavan Sullivan Makes MLS History as Philadelphia Union Blank CF Montréal 2-0

Cavan Sullivan is 16 years old, and he just pulled off a LeBron James chalk toss in front of a home crowd. Honestly, after Saturday night, who is going to tell him to stop?

Sullivan scored in the 75th minute to seal a 2-0 win for the Philadelphia Union over CF Montréal at Subaru Park, becoming, per the club and MLS, the youngest player in league history and the first teenager to put together a five-game goal contribution streak. Danley Jean Jacques scored the opener, Andre Blake stopped a penalty in between, and the Union stretched their MLS unbeaten run to eight matches.

A Scare, Then a Siege

Montréal nearly turned the night upside down inside two minutes. The visitors had the ball in the Union net in the second minute, but a VAR review wiped it off for offside, and it stayed 0-0. That was about as good as it got for Montréal in the first half.

Philadelphia took over from there. Bruno Damiani fired high and wide from the center of the box in the ninth minute, then Sullivan forced Sébastian Breza into a save from the left side of the box in the 13th, with Damiani missing the follow-up. The first half got chippy, too: four yellow cards by the 30th minute, two for each side. Prince Owusu headed a Fabian Herbers corner just over in the 31st, but the Union had the better of the half. Kai Wagner sent a shot from distance just wide in the 41st, and Damiani missed again from the middle of the box in first-half stoppage time.

Montréal sent on Brandan Craig for Jalen Neal at halftime, and the Union came out flying. Milan Iloski had a shot blocked in the 47th, Wagner tested Breza from a tight angle in the same minute, and Iloski forced Breza into another save with a header in the 48th. The pressure finally broke through in the 57th minute. Jean Jacques had a close-range effort slide just wide off a set piece, then buried a second chance from the same range with his left foot into the bottom left corner. Per the club, it was his fourth goal of the year.

Blake Holds, Sullivan Strikes

Then came the moment that could have flipped the night. In the 64th minute, Neil Pierre fouled Hennadii Synchuk in the box, and Montréal was awarded a penalty. Owusu stepped up in the 68th and Blake, wearing the captain's armband, saved his left-footed attempt down the middle.

Montréal regrouped with a double change in the 69th, and the Union sent on Jesús Bueno and Quinn Sullivan. Blake was called on again in the 74th, saving Owusu's close-range effort off a Herbers cross. A minute later, the Union put it away. Cavan Sullivan found space in the middle of the box and slotted a left-footed shot into the bottom right corner, his first MLS goal at Subaru Park according to the club. Then he headed to the corner for the celebration.

The rest was a Union shooting gallery. Breza stopped Cavan Sullivan again in the 82nd, just before he was subbed off, and Quinn Sullivan forced saves in the 88th and in stoppage time. The Union also gave 17-year-old homegrown striker Malik Jakupovic a short cameo at the end.

The Kid, the Captain and the Breakthrough

Cavan Sullivan put all three of his shots on target and scored. MLS says it was his third goal in as many games and that he now has 11 goal contributions (four goals, seven assists) this season, breaking Freddy Adu's single-season mark for a player 16 or younger. The league also notes the Union extended the longest streak in MLS history of matches in which a teenager has scored or assisted for a club, now nine games.

"You can contribute to the game and get your goals and assists, be decisive and productive in the game by being in the right place at the right time," interim head coach Ryan Richter said. "And that's where he was tonight, and he finished the play well."

Andre Blake made two saves, and both mattered: the penalty and the point-blank stop on Owusu six minutes later. Two saves, two huge moments.

Danley Jean Jacques broke the deadlock with his only shot on target and took three shots in all.

Sébastian Breza made six saves and kept the score respectable. Montréal also piled up 32 clearances.

The Spot Kick That Changed It

The turning point was Blake's penalty save. At 1-0 with 22 minutes to play, a Montréal equalizer would have changed the entire mood at Subaru Park. Instead, Owusu was denied again six minutes later, and Sullivan doubled the lead a minute after that, before Montréal could recover.

Stats That Matter

• Shots: Philadelphia 19, Montréal 5. On target: Philadelphia 8, Montréal 2.
• Saves: Breza 6, Blake 2 (including a penalty).
• Corners: Philadelphia 6, Montréal 1.
• Clearances: Montréal 32, Philadelphia 19.
• Possession: Essentially even, Philadelphia 50.7 percent.

From Last Place to the Playoff Line

Philadelphia moved to 7-6-10 with 27 points. According to MLS, the Union were in last place heading into the World Cup break, have gone unbeaten with six wins and two draws since Richter took over after the pause, and moved into a playoff position for the first time this season with this win. This came on the heels of a 3-1 win at the New York Red Bulls last weekend.

Richter still was not getting carried away. "Overall, not a perfect performance, but another win at home, and we need to keep this going in the right direction, and, again, keep trying to improve as a team, and not be satisfied just with the result," he said. The Union host FC Cincinnati on Wednesday.

Montréal fell to 5-6-12 with 21 points. After a 7-1 loss at Inter Miami a week earlier, this was a much tighter performance, but two shots on target will not win many road games. Montréal host Charlotte FC at Stade Saputo on Wednesday.

Chalk It Up

The celebration was a LeBron James-style chalk toss, and Sullivan had been planning it for a while.

"I had Kim, our photographer, holding the chalk for multiple games. I just kept missing out on it!" Sullivan said. "Tonight, great crowd, I figured it was the perfect time."

That is the energy of a kid who knows he is going to score eventually and wants to be ready when it happens. Somewhere, a team photographer deserves an assist.

Stats from ESPN's match data. Postgame quotes and match notes as reported by MLSsoccer.com and the Philadelphia Union (philadelphiaunion.com).