February 28, 2026; Harrison, New Jersey, USA; Red Bull New York forward Julian Hall (16) reacts after scoring a second-half goal against the New England Revolution at Sports Illustrated Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images For new coach Michael Bradley and the New York Red Bulls, the first two weeks of the 2026 MLS season feel like something out of a dream. But for CF Montreal, the season is already shaping up to be a nightmare.
Bradley’s “Baby Bulls” host Montreal in Harrison, New Jersey, on Sunday in a clash between teams on opposite sides of the Eastern Conference table.
In the win over Orlando and last week’s win over New England, New York relied heavily on its teenage trio of Julian Hall, Adri Memeti and Matthew dos Santos.
In fact, these three worked together for the only goal: the team’s 1-0 win over the Revolution. 17-year-old Hall headed the ball home with an assist from 16-year-old Memeti after an initial cross from 17-year-old Dos Santos.
It was the first goal in MLS history to be contributed by three players under the age of 18. It was also Hall’s third goal in two games. He shares the league lead with LA Galaxy’s Joao Klaus.
“It’s an honor, but I expect more from myself and I hope many more great things happen this season,” Hall said.
Bradley debuted at the age of 17 with the club’s previous version, the NY/NJ MetroStars. MLS has changed tremendously over the past 20 years, but consistency from week to week is still important.
“We know that whether you’re a young player or an average player, you can’t be perfect every weekend and you can’t be your best every game,” Bradley said. “But we will continue to find the right ways to help these people and allow them to continue to take the next step.”
Ethan Horvath made two saves in his first MLS clean sheet against New England.
New York will look to extend its strong early start against Montreal, which has been shut out for the second straight week. After losing 5-0 to San Diego in the season opener, the club dropped a 3-0 decision at Chicago last weekend.
The latter result came despite a man going down in the 54th minute. Chicago scored two goals in extra time in the second half.
“It’s difficult. I don’t think we put the players in a position to perform at their best after the red card,” Montreal coach Marco Donadell said. “They’ve done everything. They’ve pushed and they’re very disappointed. Now all we have to do is work.”
Montreal was outscored 17-4 by the Fire as the club had just two shots on goal. The 4.0 to 0.1 xG difference was also steep.
–Field level media
