Three Things Red Bull Should Learn from NE Revs Ahead of Montreal
Red Bull New York has six points through two games in the 2026 Major League Soccer season. A 1-0 win last Saturday over the New England Revolution at Sports Illustrated Stadium once again shone a light on the team’s young players.
Now, RBNY has a chance to go 3-0 to start a season for the first time ever in 31 seasons of play.
With the win, Head Coach Michael Bradley also became the third coach in franchise history to win their first two games in charge of the club.
RBNY takes on CF Montreal this Sunday. Montreal has conceded eight goals through two games and has yet to score a goal.
Sunday looks like a prime time for New York to win another game during its lax early-season schedule.
Offense Continues to Shine
When Michael Bradley took over as head coach, it was known that young players would be the key. Coming from the reserve team and backed by head of sport Julien de Guzman, the youth movement seemed inevitable. But nobody had it in the cards that he would start three players who are so young that they can’t vote yet.
Now, the offense runs through them.
On Saturday at Sports Illustrated Stadium, RBNY’s home ground, a 1-0 win over New England was secured by a 53rd-minute goal from center forward Julian Hall. The 17-year-old scored with a close-range header from a well-worked short corner. Fellow 17-year-old Matthew Dos Santos’ service inadvertently met Red Bulls central midfielder Adri Mehmeti, 16, whose glancing header fell to an unmarked Hall.
Two games in any league is hard to judge success or predict how a season will go. That is true in any sport. What New York is doing has been tried before. Just look at San Diego FC last year, riding youth all the way to the Western Conference Final in their inaugural season.
Right now, New York’s offense has shown a lot of raw talent with plenty of outstanding moments. The bad part of youth has also appeared a few times. But consider this: Saturday’s midfield contained a young Mehmeti flanked by Bundesliga legend Emil Forsberg and MLS veteran Ronald Donkor. The midfield has been playing up, giving Mehmeti space to grow while other players can fall back.
Dos Santos Out? For Now
After playing in two straight games as a short-term call-up, 17-year-old Matthew Dos Santos has reached an impasse. The Red Bull New York II defender cannot be called up again by the first team for the MLS regular season. However, he can appear in the U.S. Open Cup for two short-term call-ups.
Head coach Michael Bradley told the media that he, Dos Santos, and the front office will likely have conversations about what happens next. That could possibly include a first-team contract.
When asked, the player himself was more casual about his future.
“We go day by day. Just continue training, Dos Santos said.
“Everything that happens behind the scenes is really not in my hands, so I just focus on what I can do.”
Dos Santos has been playing a big part for the first team through two games. Hall’s game-winning goal in the 53rd minute was set up by Dos Santos, who fed 16-year-old Adri Mehmeti. The midfielder headed the ball to Hall, completing the teenage trifecta ahead of the goal.
It’s only been two games, but Dos Santos has played very well under his former RBNY II head coach, Bradley. In those games, the young defender has been subbed off midway through the second half in each. First by Omar Valencia, then by Juan Mina, last Saturday.
Both might be options for New York on the left side. The back four of Dylan Nealis, Justin Che, and recent addition Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty. That defense also earned goalkeeper Ethan Horvath his first-ever MLS clean sheet. The Red Bulls have recorded 101 clean sheets at home since 2010, the most in MLS during that time.
Overall, New York seems to be testing options on the left. This weekend will see the team make a decision, unless Dos Santos is officially signed in the next few days. Valencia might be the better of the two options, but New York has seemed hesitant on him for some unknown reason.
Hot Hand Hall
After two matchdays, 17-year-old Julian Zakrzewski Hall is tied for the league lead in MLS goals. His company? LA Galaxy’s João Klauss, who has been a top scorer in European competition and recently with St. Louis CITY.
“Of course, it’s an honor, but I think I expect a lot more for myself, and hopefully, there’s some more good things to come this season,” Hall said when asked about being top of the MLS leaderboard.
Hall followed up his Player of the Matchday performance against Orlando City with another goal versus New England. He went the full 90 minutes and stoppage time. That said, Hall only had two shots – one on target and one off. Both came in the second half around the same time.
The Manhattan native is the second-youngest player in club history to score in a home opener.
Hall’s fast start has been a joy to see. A similar feeling to watching Mohammed Sofo last season take the offense by storm in both the Open Cup and regular season. However, Sofo slowed down after a few weeks. It remains to be seen how consistent Hall can be.
Emil Forsberg has one assist through two games. Last year’s team leading scorer, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, only played eight minutes last weekend.
The team trusts Hall; that much is clear.
It’s hard not to after what he’s shown.
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