HARRISON – Red Bull New York (2-0-0, 6 pts), looks to strengthen their winning streak when they take on CF Montréal (0-2-0, 0 pts) on Sunday. It will be Red Bull’s first meeting with the team from Québec this season.
Following a brutal winter up in the Northeast, there’s expected to be warm temperatures and sunny skies ahead on Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday is expected to be an incredible high of 71 degrees in the town Sports Illustrated Stadium resides in. But, what does this have to do with New York’s third match of the season Sunday?
Well, Red Bull are off to a hot start, one that has received praise from many throughout Major League Soccer (MLS). Head coach Michael Bradley’s trust in the youth has been spectacular to witness with 17-year-old Julian Hall leading the team in goals with three. Additionally, the results of 17-year-old defender Matthew Dos Santos on the backline have been so positive that Red Bull agreed it was time to make a huge move.
On Friday, New York officially announced that they had signed Dos Santos to an MLS contract as a homegrown.
“Matty has worked hard every day to put himself in this position,” Bradley said in a press release Friday. “He’s shown a real willingness to learn, a good understanding of what we ask from players in his role, and the character we value in this group. This contract is a positive step for him, and now the focus is on continuing to push his development and helping the team in any way he can.”
Truly, Red Bull have been flourishing to start the 2026 season and fans have been enjoying this fun ride to start. Unfortunately, not all stories in MLS are the same and what has transpired in the second most populated city in Canada is dismal.
For the city that the iconic Canadiens of the National Hockey League (NHL) call home to, one would assume that Montréal’s soccer club would be just as good. It’s the total opposite for a club that has had multiple identity crises during their time in MLS.
Realistically, the club that plays at Saputo Stadium is closer to the former Montreal Expos of Major League Baseball (MLB) who had an underwhelming history. At least when the Expos became the Washington Nationals they eventually won a championship in 2019. CF Montréal on the other hand is far from being a contender in MLS.
With an USL-caliber roster, it’s safe to say Red Bull will have their way against one of the worst defenses in the league. Outside a great player like forward Prince Owusu, Montréal has no real attacking threat to hurt New York. Entering their match with Red Bull, Montréal have still not found the back of the net this season.
Furthermore, CF Montréal trading current Red Bull defender Jahkeele Marshall-Rutty for Wiki Carmona in February has looked awful so far. While Marshall-Rutty has done well on New York’s backline, Carmona has subbed on twice and played only 12 minutes vs Chicago Fire FC last Saturday.
There are many more problems facing Montréal, which includes ownership and there isn’t enough time to dive into that. Simply put, if Red Bull do not manhandle their visitors at home on Sunday, it would be concerning. If San Diego FC put up five goals and Chicago put up three goals against a poor Montréal backline, Red Bull can do the same.
If there was ever a time for players like Jorge Ruvalcaba, Cade Cowell, Emil Forsberg or Eric Choupo-Moting to score their first goals of the season, it’s Sunday.
Expect an incredible offensive display from Red Bull on Sunday at home. Kickoff for Sunday’s match is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. on Apple TV.
