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Julian Hall becomes youngest in MLS history with a hat trick and Red Bulls beat Crew 3-2

HARRISON, N.J. (AP) — Julian Hall scored three goals and became the youngest player (18 years, 50 days) with a hat trick in MLS history, and the New York Red Bulls beat the Columbus Crew 3-2 on Wednesday night.

Hall has nine goals this season — after coming into 2026 with three career goals in 38 appearances across three MLS seasons.

The Red Bulls (5-5-3), who beat Chicago 3-1 on Saturday to snap a five-game winless streak, have won back-to-back games for the first time since they started the season 2-0-0.

Cade Cowell had two assists and Ethan Horvath made two saves for the Red Bulls.

Max Arfsten and Diego Rossi each scored a goal for the Crew (3-7-3), who have lost three in a row following their only back-to-back wins this season.

Gustav Berggren’s header off a corner kick played in by Rafael Mosquera was blocked at the goal line by midfielder Sekou Bangoura, but Hall was there to put away the rebound and give New York a 3-2 lead in the 79th minute.

Hall opened the scoring with a sliding finish, off a low cross played from the right side by Cowell, in the seventh minute.

Cowell, on the counterattack, bent a low cross between defender Sean Zawadzki and goalkeeper Patrick Schulte to Hall for a first-touch finish from point-blank range to make it 2-1 in the 40th.

Arfsten, after a turnover by the Red Bulls in their defensive half, slipped a first-touch shot under the crossbar and inside the left post to make it 1-1 in the 22nd.

Rossi converted from the penalty spot in the 64th.

Schulte finished with two saves.

The Crew had 65% possession.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

NYPD says dozens rescued from human trafficking during World Cup

▶ Watch Video: Inside look at security preparations for World Cup Forty-three people, including seven minors, were rescued from human traffickers during the World Cup matches in the New York City area, according to the New York City Police Department's Special Victims Unit.The rescue operations were carried out between June 11 and July 19 by specialized NYPD detectives who arrested 89 individuals."The surprise was really the outpouring of support behind the mission and the collaboration with all our partners," said Inspector Gary Marcus, commanding officer of the Special Victims Unit.Those rescued, largely the victims of sex trafficking, are now being supported with an array of social services for the victims, including food, housing and counseling.The 87 operations carried out during the World Cup have generated new leads, officials said, and law enforcement agencies are building more cases based on the investigations already underway."We have ongoing investigations now as a result of these operations," an NYPD official told CBS News.Major sporting events are known to law enforcement as hotbeds of human trafficking.Years in advance, the NYPD devoted significant resources to preparing for the World Cup. Eight matches were played at New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, including the final on Sunday."When we talk about the outreach and the prep we do, a large part of that involved visiting the known sex offenders, particularly the known human traffickers, in our registry," Marcus said. "Whether they're on parole or probation for human trafficking, we visited them to make sure they're compliant with the terms of their release, and secondly, to let them know that the NYPD is watching."The matches were held in multiple cities around the U.S., Mexico and Canada. Preparations to secure those games and prepare for crimes like human trafficking were coordinated between local, state and federal law enforcement agencies.Police departments in many locations that hosted World Cup matches have made arrests and rescues connected to human trafficking, including in Georgia, New England and Missouri. Nationally, there were more than 673 arrests on human-trafficking charges made during the World Cup, and 61 adults and 13 minors rescued, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
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