New York Red Bulls’ coach Michael Bradley is enjoying a promising start to the 2026 MLS season, while CF Montreal is facing early challenges.
This Sunday in Harrison, N.J., the Red Bulls will host Montreal in a match between two teams in contrasting situations in the Eastern Conference.
New York has secured victories against Orlando and New England, largely thanks to their young trio: Julian Hall, Adri Mehmeti, and Matthew Dos Santos.
These three players contributed to the only goal in a 1-0 win over New England, marking the first goal in MLS history made by three players under 18. Hall, 17, scored with a header from 16-year-old Mehmeti’s assist, following a cross from Dos Santos, also 17. Hall has now netted three goals in two games, tying for the league lead with LA Galaxy’s Joao Klauss.
“It’s an honor, but I expect a lot more from myself, and I hope to achieve more this season,” Hall said.
Bradley’s own career began with the NY/NJ MetroStars at just 17. While MLS has changed significantly over the years, consistent performance remains key.
“We know that not every player will have a perfect game, but we’ll help them improve and keep moving forward,” Bradley said.
Goalkeeper Ethan Horvath recorded his first clean sheet with two saves against New England.
The Red Bulls aim to build on their strong start, facing a Montreal team that has struggled, being scoreless for the last two weeks. They lost their opener 5-0 against San Diego and fell 3-0 at Chicago, despite playing against ten men after a red card.
Montreal coach Marco Donadel admitted that he didn’t set his players up for success after the red card. “They did their best, but we need to work on improving,” he said.
Montreal only managed four shots compared to Chicago’s 17, creating a significant gap in expected goals (4.0 to 0.1).