History was made under the lights in Harrison, New Jersey, as 18-year-old Julian Hall etched his name into the MLS record books. The New York Red Bulls' rising star scored a hat trick on Wednesday night, becoming the youngest player in league history to achieve the feat at just 18 years and 50 days old, powering his team to a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Columbus Crew.
Hall's performance was nothing short of spectacular. After entering the 2026 season with only three career goals in 38 appearances across three MLS campaigns, the young forward has exploded onto the scene with nine goals this year alone. His hat trick not only secured the win but also signaled the arrival of a bona fide star in the making.
The Red Bulls (5-5-3) are finally finding their rhythm. Coming off a 3-1 win over Chicago on Saturday that snapped a five-game winless streak, this victory marks the first time since their season-opening 2-0-0 start that the team has strung together back-to-back wins. Cade Cowell was instrumental in the attack, providing two assists, while goalkeeper Ethan Horvath made two crucial saves to keep the Crew at bay.
The match was a rollercoaster from the opening whistle. Hall opened the scoring in the seventh minute with a sliding finish off a low cross from the right side by Cowell. The Crew responded quickly, as Max Arfsten capitalized on a Red Bulls turnover in the defensive half, slipping a first-touch shot under the crossbar and inside the left post to level the score at 1-1 in the 22nd minute.
Just before halftime, the Red Bulls struck again. Cowell, leading a counterattack, bent a low cross between Crew defender Sean Zawadzki and goalkeeper Patrick Schulte, setting up Hall for a first-touch finish from point-blank range to make it 2-1 in the 40th minute.
The Crew refused to go quietly. Diego Rossi pulled his side level in the second half, setting the stage for Hall's historic moment. In the 79th minute, Gustav Berggren's header off a corner kick—played in by Rafael Mosquera—was blocked at the goal line by midfielder Sekou Bangoura. But Hall was in the right place at the right time, pouncing on the rebound to give New York a 3-2 lead and seal his place in MLS history.
For the Crew (3-7-3), the loss extends a frustrating stretch. After securing their only back-to-back wins of the season, they have now dropped three consecutive matches. Despite goals from Arfsten and Rossi, Columbus couldn't contain the Red Bulls' young phenom on a night when history was made.