Julian Hall expressed his desire to make a mark at his first senior U.S. men’s national team camp, and he has certainly done just that.
The young talent from New York City, currently playing with Red Bull New York, scored in his second consecutive match for the national team. This achievement places him among just 13 players in USMNT history who have managed to score in their first two senior matches. His goal came in the 51st minute with a header during the United States’ 4-2 victory over Chile.
At only 18 years old, Hall started his first game for the USMNT on Tuesday night in St. Louis, building upon his strong showing from the previous match in Orlando.
His recent goal not only secured the tie after Chile initially took the lead but also made him the youngest player in the program’s history to score in two consecutive games.
“It’s been amazing to share the field with some incredible players. They’ve really put me in the right spots, and I’m just trying my best to finish those chances,” Hall commented during an interview with TNT Sports.
The key moment came when Gio Reyna delivered a precise ball into the box, and Hall made a remarkable leap to redirect it past a diving goalkeeper, Lawrence Vigouroux.
After scoring, Hall celebrated with a move that he jokingly attributed to his experiences playing the FIFA video game series.
But that wasn’t all Hall contributed on Tuesday. He also played a crucial role in the buildup to the opening goal scored by Sebastian Berhalter, using a clever dummy to create space for his teammate.
Entering the international window with good momentum, Hall had recently netted the winning goal in a Red Bulls match against their rivals, New York City FC, earlier this month. Despite facing a scoring drought prior, he has emerged as one of the standout young players in MLS this season, racking up 10 goals and five assists during the regular season under first-year coach Michael Bradley, a USMNT icon from his playing days.
After the match on Tuesday, Hall credited Bradley’s coaching for helping him and fellow Red Bulls player Adri Mehmeti reach this point in their careers.
“It’s been amazing. There are a lot of young guys on our team, including Adri, and he’s contributed significantly to our development,” Hall said. “He’s a big reason why we are here right now, providing fantastic advice before we came here, and he’s just been awesome.”
