Before Caden Clark, memorable first Red Bull (and MetroStar) goals from Gaven, Bradley, Altidore, Agudelo and Adams
- by Paul Kennedy @pkedit, Oct 15, 2020
Caden Clark with two goals in his first two games follows in the footsteps of a long line of teens. Here's a look at five of them.
2003. At 16, Eddie Gaven became the second youngest player to score an MLS goal when he struck seven minutes into overtime, giving the MetroStars a 3-2 win at D.C. United. The game was memorable for the maneuver MetroStars head coach Bob Bradley pulled to get Gaven in the game at the start of overtime with his allotment of three subs already used. Taking advantage of an MLS rule that allowed teams to use a fourth sub for the goalkeeper, Bradley had keeper Tim Howard and midfielder Mark Lisi swap positions and then brought on Gaven for Lisi in goal. At the first whistle, Howard went back in goal and Gaven moved into midfield. Soon thereafter, the rule was chucked, closing the loophole.
2005. At 18, Michael Bradley scored his first MLS goal on a header on the last day of the 2005 season, ending his first and only season of play on the then-MetroStars with the winner in a 2-0 victory at Chivas USA that sent them to the playoffs.
2006. Jozy Altidore -- "Altidor-ee," color commentator Shep Messing called him -- was only 16 when he scored from past the 20-yard line on the football markings at Giants Stadium -- about 28 yards out -- in his second game for the Red Bulls in 2006.
2011. Juan Agudelo, 18, scored the winning goal in the opening game of the 2011 season, a 1-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders. It was his fifth game with the Red Bulls.
2017. Tyler Adams was also only 18 when he scored his first MLS goal towards the end of his first full season with the Red Bulls, a volley from a sharp angle, the first of two goals in a 3-3 tie with D.C. United -- and the only two goals he scored in 52 games with the Red Bulls.
