Less than two weeks after arriving in Philadelphia to put pen to paper, club-record signing Bruno Damiani gave Saturday’s sell-out Subaru Park crowd a glimpse into what he hopes to add to the 2025 Union squad, scoring his first goal in Blue and Gold.
“It's what I was looking for. I’m very happy, and it's just the beginning,” Damiani said.
The 22-year-old Uruguayan striker made his Union debut in the team’s home opener, entering in the 68th minute to replace Mikael Uhre. Thanks to a hattrick from Tai Baribo, the match was in hand, but in the 93rd minute, Damiani scored a goal of his own, opening his Major League soccer account in front of Union faithful for a 4-1 final score.
“First of all, I was very happy for our team and how we were playing at that moment. For Tai also, scoring three goals,” Damiani said of his thoughts on the sideline before subbing in.
“I was just looking at the rival's center backs, looking at how they play so I could feel comfortable with the play and situations.”
That comfort showed as he ran in lock step with Cincinnati defender Alvas Powell before descending onto a powerful pass from Quinn Sullivan on the right side. Damiani placed his shot between Cincy’s 24-year-old keeper Roman Celentano and the right post, triggering the club’s beloved goal-scoring song for the first time as a Union player.
It’s been a busy few weeks for Damiani, who made moved to Philadelphia from Montevideo, Uruguay, where he grew up and played for Nacional and on loan at Boston River.
While his first days in the United States were spent finalizing paperwork, apartment hunting, and settling into team training, his introduction to the club and the culture within it has been a positive one, especially after Saturday's victory.
“I'm very thankful for all the teammates, because they received me well. I feel very comfortable. There are more than two or three people that know Spanish, so I can speak with them, drink some mate, and feel comfortable. Also, the other ones are very nice,” Damiani said.
"About the stadium, I really like it. When we came [Friday] to train, I felt good. I feel positive vibes, and today we got the result, and I also got my own results, so I'm very happy.”
