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Philadelphia Union hit historic form behind Milan Iloski hat trick
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- Philadelphia Union hit historic form behind Milan Iloski hat trick
Philadelphia Union hit historic form behind Milan Iloski hat trick
By José Nuñez
Despite missing their young USMNT stars, the Philadelphia Union would not be stopped on Satuday night.
Milan Iloski delivered a man-of-the-match performance, netting a brilliant hat trick to lead a 4-2 home victory over Orlando City and extend the Union's unbeaten streak to a club-record 12 games(10 wins, two draws).
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Philadelphia are also entering the MLS record books thanks to their extraordinary post-2026 FIFA World Cup form: with 32 points over their last 12 games, the Union are tied for the most points in any 12-game span in league history.
The last team to accomplish the feat was Seattle Sounders FC (2018).
WATCH: Milan Iloski guides Philly to crucial win with clutch hat trick
No homegrowns? No problem
Ahead of Saturday's match, the Philadelphia Union had plenty to be proud of as three of their young homegrown stars – Cavan Sullivan , Neil Pierre and Frankie Westfield – made their US men's national team debuts in a 4-1 victory over Peru.
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For interim head coach Ryan Richter , those very same players have become key catalysts of what has turned into an improbable comeback, helping push the Union from last in the East Conference heading into the World Cup break to sixth place - firmly in contention for an Audi 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs spot.
On the night, however, Iloski was the star at Subaru Park. With his hat trick, the club's top scorer improved to 16g/6a on the season to enter the MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi conversation.
More milestones
Iloski also joined Dániel Gazdag and Julián Carranza as the only players in Philadelphia Union history to record multiple hat tricks in the same season. Gazdag and Carranza both accomplished the feat in 2022, while Iloski followed up his three-goal performance vs. Inter Miami CF in May with his second hat trick of 2026 on Saturday night.
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"A lot of hard work. We made sure we set that standard first," Iloski shared with Apple TV. "Of course, scoring a hat trick is great. But a lot of guys really stepped up tonight and played really well.
"So it is a full team effort, and we really showed our depth tonight. So it is a big performance for the team."
The Union will have their international talent back when they return to action on Oct. 10 to host Real Salt Lake at Subaru Park (7:30 pm ET | Apple TV ).
HIGHLIGHTS: Philadelphia Union vs. Orlando City | September 26, 2026
