Red Bull New York rode a clinical Julian Hall hat trick to a dramatic 3-2 victory over Columbus Crew on Wednesday night at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, surviving a second-half push from the visitors to claim all three points in this Major League Soccer fixture.
Hall wasted little time setting the tone. The Red Bulls forward opened the scoring in the 7th minute, giving the home side an early platform despite Columbus seeing far more of the ball across the night. The Crew responded in the 22nd minute through Max Arfsten, who drew the visitors level and settled them after a sharp Red Bull start.
But Hall was not done. With the first half moving toward the interval, he struck again in the 40th minute to restore Red Bull New York’s lead at 2-1. It was a massive moment in the flow of the match, sending the hosts into halftime with the advantage after a lively opening 45 minutes.
Columbus continued to control possession after the break and eventually found a route back into the fixture. Diego Rossi converted from the penalty spot in the 64th minute to make it 2-2, capping a spell in which the Crew looked capable of turning pressure into a winning goal. With nearly 70 percent possession on the night, the away side had long stretches of territorial control, but Red Bull remained dangerous whenever they broke forward.
That threat told again in the 78th minute, and it was Hall once more at the center of it. The teenager completed his hat trick with his third goal of the night, putting Red Bull New York back in front at 3-2 and igniting the home crowd. Columbus pressed late, but the Red Bulls held firm through a lengthy spell of stoppage time to see out an important win.
The numbers underscored the contrast in styles. Columbus Crew finished with 69.4 percent possession, but Red Bull New York made their moments count, putting 6 of 13 shots on target and scoring three times. Columbus managed 4 shots on target from 12 attempts, with Arfsten’s 22nd-minute strike and Rossi’s 64th-minute penalty not quite enough to rescue a result.
Hall’s treble will rightly dominate the headlines after a ruthless attacking display. His goals in the 7th, 40th and 78th minutes proved decisive in a fixture that swung back and forth and showcased Red Bull New York’s efficiency in key moments. For Columbus, there was encouragement in the control they established for much of the match, but defensive lapses and Hall’s finishing left them empty-handed at full time.
In the end, this was a match won by cutting edge. Columbus had the ball; Red Bull had the difference-maker. And on this night in New Jersey, Julian Hall was exactly that.
