MLS Matchday 7: Young Stars Shine as Season Heats Up
The latest round of MLS action delivered excitement, with young talents stepping into the spotlight and a major coaching change shaking up the league. Here's what went down across the matches.
Emerging Talents Take Center Stage
This season is turning into a showcase for the league's next generation. Julian Zakrzewski Hall, the 18-year-old New York Red Bulls midfielder, continues to impress. In their 2-2 draw with Inter Miami, Hall didn't score but provided two crucial assists, demonstrating his growing playmaking ability. He's started every game this year and already has five goals in seven matches, signaling his rapid development.
He's not alone. A wave of young players is making a significant impact:
- Lucas Herrington (18, Colorado Rapids): The Australian defender is a rock at the back, playing more minutes than most and completing passes with 95% accuracy.
- Adri Mehmeti (NY Red Bulls): Benefited from Hall's creativity to score against Miami.
- Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake), Luca Bombino (San Diego), Niko Tsakiris & Beau Leroux (San Jose): All are homegrown American talents featuring regularly and performing well for their clubs.
This youth movement is adding a fresh, dynamic layer to the league's quality and narrative.
Coaching Carousel and Table Turmoil
The weekend also brought a significant change in the dugout. CF Montréal, sitting at the bottom of both the Eastern Conference and the overall Supporters' Shield standings, parted ways with head coach Marco Donadel. This came after a loss to the Philadelphia Union, who themselves secured their first win and points of the 2026 season. Montréal's struggles are pronounced, with the historic soccer city yearning for a team that matches its passion. The search is now on for a successor who can replicate the brief success found under Wilfried Nancy in 2022.
In contrast, another coach is enjoying a promising start. Colorado Rapids' Matt Wells, a former Tottenham Hotspur assistant, has implemented a hands-on, directive style from the sideline. This approach appears to be working wonders. The Rapids, powered by young stars like Herrington and Paxten Aaronson, thrashed Houston 6-2 this weekend behind a standout performance from Rafael Navarro. They look like genuine contenders in the Western Conference, a stark turnaround from previous seasons.
Key Takeaways from Matchday 7
- The Kids Are Alright: MLS 2026 is being defined by its youth. Players like Julian Zakrzewski Hall and Lucas Herrington aren't just getting minutes—they're becoming essential to their teams' successes.
- Montréal in Crisis: CF Montréal's decision to fire Marco Donadel highlights deep-rooted issues. Simply changing the coach may not be enough without a fundamental shift in style and mentality for the league's bottom club.
- Coaching Philosophies Clash: The contrasting fortunes of Matt Wells's detailed sideline management in Colorado and the failed tenure in Montréal show the pivotal role a coach's approach plays in team performance.
- The Race is On: With unexpected teams like Colorado rising and traditional narratives being rewritten by young stars, the early Supporters' Shield and conference races are wide open and unpredictable.
— Editorial Team
