14-Year-Old Rising Through the Ranks with Remarkable Talent

Adri Mehmeti continues to impress, and at just 14 years old, he became the second player born in 2009 to officially debut in a game during the first round of the US Open Cup between New York Red Bulls II and Hudson Valley Hammers. Mehmeti had been on the bench last Sunday in the first game of New York Red Bulls II against Columbus Crew 2, although on that occasion he did not take the field.

On this occasion, after the second half, coach Ibrahim Sekagya ordered his entry in the 69th minute after replacing Bento Estrela. In his 20 minutes on the field, he made a very good impression, demonstrating why at such a young age he is considered one of the best prospects in the country. Mehmeti is a player with impressive technical and passing ability, as well as a strong defensive game. He can operate as a holding defensive midfielder but also possesses the technical qualities to play as a box-to-box midfielder. Additionally, he stands out for his excellent ball-striking ability. Mehmeti has progressed this season and is now full-time with New York Red Bulls U-17. Adri Mehmeti, of Albanian-American origin, has already represented both Albania and the United States at the U-15 level, being the standout player with both teams.

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Future Stars on Display in the U.S. Open Cup

The first round of the US Open Cup witnessed some outstanding performances from young prospects. In the game between Chicago Fire II and Chicago City SC, two young players scored and delivered exceptional performances. Giovanni Granda, a forward born in 2007 highly valued within the organization, scored Chicago Fire II's second goal in the 45th minute. In the second half, forward Vitaly Hlyut, born in 2008 and making his debut the previous weekend, scored the sixth goal in the 86th minute, sealing the final score at 6-0. In addition to Adri Mehmeti's debut in the New York Red Bulls II game against Hudson Valley Hammers, the match featured impressive performances from goalkeeper Aidan Stokes and central defender Davi Alexandre.

Noah Santos started for Portland Timbers 2, and attacking midfielder Daniel Nuñez, born in 2008, made his debut. In the FC Motown vs New York City FC II game, Andrew Baiera and Maximo Carrizo scored their first professional goals, while Jonathan Shore and Jacob Arroyave started. Ervin Torres and Mason Miller, both born in 2007, saw their first minutes this season in the game between Austin FC II and Foro.

Embracing Opportunities on the Global Stage

Young left-back Christian McFarlane has been called up to the England U-17 squad for the qualification matches for the U-17 European Championship, where they will face Northern Ireland, Hungary, and France. McFarlane has been an important player for the English team's 2007 age group, appearing in 11 games and recording 1 assist against Croatia. On Wednesday, McFarlane entered the 58th minute of the second half and did so very adeptly, standing out for his composure on the ball and defensive solidity. In his minutes on the field, the NYCFC left-back prevailed due to his physicality and pace, contributing to England's 5-1 victory.

The action continues for young Mexican-American dual nationals, as Enrique Salazar, Erick Luna, Vicente Garcia, Juan Martinez, Matthew Arana, and Xavier Gomez have been called up to the Mexico U-15 squad for the MIC Football Tournament in Spain. They will compete against youth teams such as Barcelona, Manchester City, Juventus, and Atletico Madrid, among others. It's worth noting that Vicente Garcia, Juan Martinez, and Xavier Gomez participated in the last identification camp for the US U-14 team held in Marietta, Georgia.

A total of 24 US-born players were called up for the recent El Salvador U-17 national team camp. Among some of the most notable players are Jason Molina, DC United goalkeeper who was previously with the Peru U-15 national team, Azyk Gomez, a very skilled right back who was recently with the Mexico U-16 national youth team, Jarell Bonilla, a very explosive winger from Orlando City and Robert Mejia, the LA Galaxy forward who was previously with the USA and Guatemala U-15.

Excitement Unfolds this Weekend

The New York Derby will be one of the main fixtures this weekend. Both New York teams will face off in one of the best derbies in the MLS. The match will be held at the New York Red Bulls academy facility and are expected to be one of the main attractions this weekend. Although a friendly, top players such as Alex Gomez, Paul Sokoloff, Astin Mbaye, and Caleb Simmons, will feature for New York Red Bulls, while Muyi Ajayi and Peter Molinari will feature for NYCFC.

Philadelphia Union will face Atlanta United in what promises to be a great match between two of the best academies in the country. Philadelphia Union U-17 has been in top form, securing victories in their last two matches against NYCFC with a commanding scoreline of 5-0 and against PDA with a narrower result of 5-3. Similarly, Philadelphia Union U-15 has also demonstrated their prowess, claiming victories in their recent encounters against NYCFC and PDA. Atlanta United U-17 also won its last two games against Queen City Mutiny and Charlotte FC, while Atlanta United U-15 was defeated in its last two games against the same rivals. Among other notable games for the weekend are DC United vs Orlando City and Real Salt Lake vs Portland Timbers. These will be the last games for all MLS academy teams before their participation in the Generation Adidas Cup, which begins on March 30th.