Overview
- New York Red Bulls opened the 2026 MLS season with a 2-1 win at Orlando City, powered by a first-half brace from 17-year-old Julian Hall.
- Michael Bradley started three under-18s for the first time in MLS history, with Hall, 16-year-old Adri Mehmeti, and 17-year-old Matthew Dos Santos in the XI.
- Hall’s opener came from Emil Forsberg’s cutback after a build-up involving Cade Cowell, and his second was finished off Mehmeti’s pass in the box.
- Bradley praised Hall’s quality and maturity after the match, framing the performance as an early step in a plan to push young academy products forward.
- Forbes noted Dos Santos was on loan from Red Bulls II, where Bradley won last year’s MLS NEXT Pro title, as reports also flagged an incomplete back line and ongoing roster questions.