Philadelphia Union phenom Cavan Sullivan scores first MLS goal | OneFootball

By José Nuñez

The moment so many American soccer fans have been waiting for arrived Wednesday night.

Cavan Sullivan scored his first MLS goal in the Philadelphia Union's 4-3 loss to Orlando City, serving as a spark during an entertaining seven-goal match at Inter&Co Stadium.

Sullivan subbed on for the injured Jovan Lukić in the 44th minute and provided an immediate impact, netting his first league goal in the 75th minute by finishing a tidy cross from Ben Bender.

At 16 years and 227 days old, the goal makes Sullivan the eighth-youngest player to score in an MLS regular-season match. He joins a list that includes Freddy Adu, Gianluca Busio, Jesús Ferreira and Diego Fagúndez.

"He changes the complexion of a game… he starts a trickle-down effect,” head coach Bradley Carnell told reporters after the match.

“He is doing a great job in assuming responsibility and taking ownership and trying, and that’s great. He has a chip on his shoulder.”

Youngest goalscorers in MLS history

Gaining momentum

Now in his third professional season, Sullivan found the net twice earlier this year in Concacaf Champions Cup play. He also has two assists in league games.

With the goal-scoring monkey off his back, the homegrown standout has momentum to build on. 

“It is a pretty great feeling scoring my first. I have been working on this one for a while,” Sullivan told Apple TV post-match. “I scored in the Concacaf Champions Cup, but this one means a lot after a tough year and a half without one. I am really happy, but we just have to keep going and climb the table.”

This is just the beginning for Sullivan, who signed his marquee homegrown deal at age 14 and became the youngest signing in club history.

The US youth international is now earning more opportunities with the first team, developing ahead of his reported eventual move to English powerhouse Manchester City.

WATCH: Orlando City top Philadelphia Union in seven-goal thriller