FRISCO, TX (June 24, 2023) – The New York Red Bulls Academy U15 team has come out on top of the 2023 MLS NEXT Cup as champions, cementing themselves as one of the top academy sides in the entire nation. Forwards Julian Hall and Tanner Rosborough led the scoring in a 2-1 comeback victory over CF Montreal Academy to claim the top spot in MLS NEXT.
The group, led by Head Coach Simon Nee, put in an incredible performance throughout the entirety of the tournament, having scored nine and only allowed two goals in five matches. With wins against St. Louis Scott Gallagher, Colorado Rapids, Seattle Sounders, LAFC, and CF Montréal, the club matched up against some of the most successful academies in MLS NEXT regular season play.
In the final match, the team showed its resiliency after going down 1-0 with five minutes remaining. Three minutes later, Julian Hall continued what he had done all tournament long, and found the back of the net to give New York life in the dying stages of the match. Rather than settling for extra time, Tanner Rosborough smashed the ball past the Montreal goalkeeper two minutes later in the 80th minute to claim the 2023 MLS NEXT Cup trophy.
Forward Julian Hall did not only shine in the final, but throughout the entirety of the tournament. Hall won MLS NEXT Cup MVP for the entire tournament in addition to claiming the golden boot title with his five goals scored.
Even though Hall had the most goals in Texas, New York’s attacking depth was highlighted throughout all five matches played. The team had nine different goal scorers, including Paul Sokoloff, Gil De Souza, Desmond Chemweno, Eric Palei, Jaylen Lester, Adri Mehmeti, and the previously mentioned Hall and Rosborough.
Goalkeeper Aiden Stokes and the entire defensive line were also highlighted in the squad’s success. The back line and Stokes only allowed two goals in the tournament and tallied three clean sheets in the opening three rounds. Stokes asserted his presence in net, including a penalty shot save against Seattle to prevent a comeback and secure the 2-0 victory.
To cap off what was already a fantastic regular season after being the division leaders, the side was able to lift its first ever MLS NEXT Cup trophy.
