By Anonymous (not verified), February 21, 2026
From Red Bull New York:
Red Bull New York Post Match Media Quotes
Post-match availability with Head Coach Michael Bradley and forward Julian Hall following Red Bull New York’s 2-1 victory over Orlando City SC at Inter&Co Stadium. Also below, you will find a short recap of the match.
Julian Hall Brace Leads Red Bull New York to a 2-1 Win in 2026 Season Opener
Hall scored his first career MLS brace to help secure a 2-1 win on Saturday. With two goals scored on the day, Hall became the fifth player in MLS history to record multiple goals in a game at 17 years or younger (17 years and 334 days old). He is also the youngest player in franchise history to score a brace in a match since 2007 when Jozy Altidore did it against Real Salt Lake at 17 years and 311 days old.
Six players made their MLS debuts in goalkeeper Ethan Horvath, midfielder Adri Mehmeti, defenders Matthew Dos Santos and Juan Mina, winger Jorge Ruvalcaba and forward Tanner Rosborough. New York became the first team in MLS history to start three players that were 17 years old or younger in a single match (Hall, Mehmeti, Dos Santos).
Red Bull New York Head Coach Michael Bradley
Overall thoughts on match…
There were a lot of good things, a lot of really good things. We talked before the game about the idea that you work all preseason, and then you get your chance in the first game when the lights come on, to put it all to the test. And you can't ever predict exactly how it's going to go. But we wanted to make sure that we showed our ideas, our personality, our football and for the first game, there was a lot of good stuff.
On the performance of forward of Julian Hall…
Julian (Hall) is a really talented young player. It's easy to forget how young he still is, because he's been a professional for a few years, but he has really, really big qualities, and we've got to keep pushing him so that he can take the next step. And tonight was a really good start for him. He had a really good preseason. So we were all really excited for him, that he could take the good preseason and turn it into really strong performance.
On defender Matthew Dos Santos…
Matty (Dos Santos) is a is another really talented young player. And we know how good he is. We know what a what a good kid he is. I got to see all of that up close when I came into the second team last year. As things went, he actually didn't even come to the first part of preseason with us, just with our numbers. And some of the situations that were still up in the air. Matty stayed in New Jersey, trained with the under eighteens and trained with the second team while, while we were in Bradenton for the first part of preseason. And then when we got back in between we wanted to bring him in with us and start to get him a good stretch of days with the first team, and he from day one showed that he needed to stay with us. We're really happy with really happy with him over that period in between Bradenton and Texas, and then as we got into the games in Texas. He just kept getting better and better. And ultimately, as we were moving through the last week or so, felt like he was a guy who deserved to be on the field from the start.
On defensive performance…
As you said, the part of defending, the part of being a team that's hard to play against, that is collective. That is everybody attacks, everybody defends. That’s the starting point. That is the identity that we have to have. But of course, within that, you need your defenders. You need your goalkeeper to also be ready to make big plays. Be ready to find the find ways, both by the book and off the cuff to make plays and make sure that the other team doesn't have easy ways of making chances and score. And so obviously, the part of football when things are perfectly organized and when things play out in the way that you expect, then, yeah, that's a little bit what I mean when I say by the book. But then there's other situations that you can’t predict that are dynamic and spur of the moment, and you have to have all players but defenders and a goalkeeper who, in those moments are ready to again, find ways to make plays and find ways to make sure that the other team doesn't get anything easy. And so I think Matty (Dos Santos) Dylan (Nealis), Justin (Che) Jahkeele (Marshall-Rutty) Juan Mina, Omar Valencia, Ethan Horvath, Gustav Berggren played a few minutes in center back when, Justin was cramping, and so those guys all deserve huge credit.
Red Bull New York Forward Julian Hall
On scoring his first career MLS brace…
We work on those type of situations in training every day. I think Michael (Bradley) did a great job setting me up in the system to be as much of a threat in the box as possible. So the feeling is amazing right now, but we're focused on the next game already.
On Red Bull giving himself and other young players opportunities…
We're all really grateful for the coaching staff trusting us. Me, Adri (Mehmeti) and Matty (Dos Santos) came through the academy, and we fought so hard to get to this position. So it was an amazing opportunity today, and we're happy to get the three points
On mentorship of teammate Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting…
Choupo has been such a vital person for me. As soon as he came into the club. He's seen so much of football, and he's been such a great mentor for me. And just knowing he's supporting me whenever, if he's on the field or off the field, it's great to know. We talked a little after the game and it was great.
On team mentality going into the match…
When we're going into this game, we want to really impose our will onto the other team. We try to lock them down as much as possible and not let them breathe. And thankfully it was working for us. We're going to try and take this into the next game next weekend.