In Saturday night’s season opener, Julian Hall delivered two first-half goals to help the New York Red Bulls defeat Orlando City 2-1. The teenager’s performance, combined with key saves by rookie goalkeeper Kevin Horvath, proved decisive in the Red Bulls’ win.
Hall opened the scoring in the eighth minute after Cade Cowell set up Emil Forsberg, who skillfully navigated past defenders before assisting Hall with a simple tap-in. Later, Hall converted a pass from 16-year-old rookie Adri Mehmeti in the 40th minute, extending New York’s lead to 2-0 at halftime.
Player Performances and Game Details
The two goals marked the fifth career tally for Hall, who is still 17 and will celebrate his 18th birthday on March 24. He previously scored once in 26 appearances last season and has already netted twice in 11 outings this year. Horvath, a 30-year-old rookie and U.S. men’s national team member, made six saves to preserve New York’s advantage before Tiago Souza scored for Orlando in stoppage time of the second half.
Horvath took over starting duties from Carlos Coronel, who departed to pursue a career in Brazil after five seasons with the Red Bulls. Meanwhile, Souza made his MLS debut after replacing Tyrese Spicer in the 76th minute for Orlando City.
Orlando’s goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau registered 11 saves during his first start for the club, having recently joined from the Portland Timbers. Crépeau celebrated his 200th professional start, stepping in for longtime Orlando keeper Pedro Gallese, who moved to Colombia’s Deportivo Cali after his contract ended.
Notable Injuries and Substitutions Affecting Orlando City
Orlando City faced an early setback when Wilder Cartagena left the game due to injury in the 14th minute and was replaced by 19-year-old Colin Guske, who played briefly last season over five appearances. These substitutions added pressure on Orlando’s lineup as they attempted a late comeback.
Looking Ahead: Next Fixtures for Both Teams
The New York Red Bulls will host the New England Revolution in their next match on Saturday, aiming to build on this opening victory. Orlando City is scheduled to play at home against Inter Miami on March 1 as they regroup following the narrow loss.
