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The Guardian - US
The Guardian - US
Sport
Leander Schaerlaeckens

Watching Cavan Sullivan, excitement is tempered by memories of hypetrains past

Cavan Sullivan of the Philadelphia Union jogs onto the field high-fiving young fans
Cavan Sullivan made his Union debut as a 14-year-old in 2024. Photograph: Isaiah Vazquez/Getty Images

The trouble with trying not to hype up Cavan Sullivan is that he keeps on doing cool stuff. Like this past weekend, when he scampers along on a Philadelphia Union breakaway, loses his man by stopping so suddenly it’s as if he’s pulled a ripcord, back-heels the cutback behind his standing leg, watches it slowly kiss off the far post and in, and celebrated the goal by bowing and doffing an imaginary top hat to the crowd.

Like when he doubles the score by setting up an attack and finishing it himself with a left-footed lash through the goalkeeper’s legs form an acute angle. Like when he fashions yet another goal by holding up the play and then suddenly springs a teammate up the right flank.

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