The New York Red Bulls could have a rising star in Julian Hall.
After Hall played a key role in a strong season opener under new head coach Michael Bradley, the Red Bulls aim for two wins in a row when they host the New England Revolution on Saturday in Harrison, N.J.
At just 17, Hall scored both goals in New York’s 2-1 victory against Orlando City SC last week. He became only the fifth player in league history to achieve a multi-goal game before turning 18 and was named MLS Player of the Matchday for the opening weekend.
Hall’s performance helped Bradley, a former U.S. men’s national team player and son of longtime coach Bob Bradley, enjoy a successful debut as head coach for the Red Bulls (1-0-0, 3 points).
“Julian is a really talented young player,” Michael Bradley said. “It’s easy to forget how young he is, as he’s been a professional for a few years. He has great potential, and we need to keep pushing him to improve.”
Last season, the Red Bulls split their two-match series with the Revolution, each team winning at home.
The Revolution (0-1-0, 0 points) are looking to bounce back after a disappointing 4-1 loss against Nashville SC to start their season. They fell behind 3-0 at halftime, with Sam Surridge scoring twice early in the match.
Assistant coach Michael Morris discussed the team’s focus on mental resilience this week.
“It’s about building a mentality where if something goes wrong, we must focus on the next action,” Morris said. “It’s all about moving forward, finding the intensity, staying united, and facing challenges together. How you respond is up to you.”
Leo Campana scored the only goal for New England, starting his second season with the club. Morris mentioned that defender Mamadou Fofana returned to practice this week after missing the beginning of the season while waiting for his green card.