The Philadelphia Union shot into first place in the Eastern Conference with a resounding 5-0 victory over Toronto FC at Subaru Park on Saturday, getting a hat trick from Sergio Santos and additional goals from Mark McKenize and Jamiro Monteiro.

With the dominating result, Philadelphia are even on points with Toronto atop the East table on 41 points, but have claim to the the top spot for the moment on the goal differential tiebreaker. 

The Union were on the front foot from the jump, missing a golden chance to take the lead just six minutes into the contest when Monteiro sent in a cross that found Kacper Przybylko in front of goal for a wide-open header that the Polish striker put wide.

The hosts would continue to press the action, and found themselves rewarded for their early efforts in the 27th minute after Kai Wagner sent in a pinpoint bending cross that Santos expertly redirected into the net for the opening goal. That advantage very nearly doubled on the half-hour mark when Jose Martinez teed up a shot from just outside the area that looked bound for goal, only to be denied by a reaction save from Toronto goalkeeper Quentin Westberg.

The Union then found their second in the 33rd minute, set up by a corner kick from Monteiro that was headed back across the box by Przybylko into the path of a wide-open McKenzie, who cashed home a headed finish.

After the dominant first half, Monteiro kept it rolling 10 minutes after the second-half restart, lashing home a gorgeous distance shot that went over the arms of a diving Westberg before deflecting off the cross bar and into the net.

Santos would continue the onslaught with his second of the evening in the 63rd minute, slotting home another cross from Wagner to push the lead to 4-0. The Brazilian then got his hat trick five minutes after that, finishing off a counterattack that saw him nestle home a feed from Brenden Aaronson to round off the 5-0 final.