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MLS Analysis

MLS Youth Report: Shore, Gomez, Mehmeti, & Izoita deliver big performances, Nashville duo win Shield

ASN's Brian Sciaretta serves up another MLS Youth Report to look at how top young American players performed in the lastest round of games
BY Brian Sciaretta Posted
October 26, 2026
9:05 AM

The 2026 MLS SEASON is in its final rounds of games, and the year has already proven to be the best in history for young American players. Never have so many key U.S. youth internationals contributed so much in the league during one season. The games are becoming more important as the playoff races heat up. Now we will see which players will step up at the most pivotal moments.

This past week we saw several players step up and deliver key results. It will only add to the intrigue when the November rosters are released for the U-20, Olympic, and full national teams.

 

Shore’s dramatic equalizer

 

On Saturday night, New York City was trailing Orlando City 2-1 deep into stoppage time and it appeared Orlando would prevail after New York City’s Talles Mango missed a penalty in the 81st minute.

But with one of the final kicks of the game, U.S. U-20 midfielder Jonny Shore scored a dramatic equalizer with a shot from the edge of the box. Second later, the final whistle sounded for a 2-2 draw.



It completed a successful shift from Shore who entered the game in the 71st minute and completed 23/24 of his passes to help NYCFC keep on the front foot until the end. Shore is a potential starter for the U.S. U-20 national team and should have a big role to play next year at the U-20 World Cup.

Meanwhile, Justin Ellis played 60 minutes for Orlando at right wing but did not make much of an impact.

 

Heavy USYNT presence in Philly-Revs

 

The Philadelphia Union and New England Revolution are two of the most youth-oriented teams in MLS this 2026 season. The two teams met on Saturday in Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia Union saw its 15-game unbeaten run end with a 2-1 loss at home to the Revs.

The Union were shorthanded as Cavan Sullivan did not suit up due to a recent injury in training. Despite that, seven players eligible for U.S. youth national teams played in this game between both teams.

Josh Wynder went the distance in central defense and aside from a moment when Milan Illoski get behind him for a dangerous chance (which Matt Turner saved), he played very well. After needing a few games to shake off the rust from a long injury, Wynder has been very good the last three games. It remains to be seen if the Revolution will be able to extend his loan from Benfica after the season.

Peyton Miller assisted on Dor Turgeman’s goal with a diving header which the Israeli international was able to slam home.  



Miller continues to play very well and has had an excellent season for the Revs. Interestingly in this game, he was playing left back as opposed to left wing. He wasn’t able to get forward as much as he typically does but he handled his defensive responsibilities very well. But even playing further back, he still found his moments to get into the attack – such as on this goal. He also drew three fouls.

Neil Peirre had a mixed performance. In stoppage time, he scored via a header to make the game interesting in the final minutes. But he also conceded a penalty late in the game that was converted by Carles Gil for a 2-0 lead. It wasn’t his best performance, and it is only fair to expect such a young player to occasionally be inconsistent. He is still one of the top central defense prospects in American soccer.

For the Revs, Brooklyn Raines did not start (which is rare for him) but he came off the bench in the 76th minute, completed 6/6 passing, and made a bunch of clearances at a time when the Union were pressing. Meanwhile, U.S. Olympic hopeful Ethan Kohler played 90 minutes in central defense in a decent shift.

Also, forward Malik Jakupovi?, 17, played the final seven minutes for the Union. He might have more of an opportunity moving forward as Milan Illoski suffered a hamstring injury and will miss the next two games.

 

Gomez stars again as a suber sub

 

Sebastian Gomez, 20, has had a good first season for the Seattle Sounders first team and for the second straight week, he scored an important goal coming off the bench on Saturday. In a 2-2 road draw with San Diego FC, Gomez scored in the 56th minute to give Seattle a 2-0 lead.



While the Olympic team will be difficult to make, Gomez is giving himself a great chance for at least a look.

Three other U.S. youth internationals played in this game, but neither made much of an impact. Right back Oscar Verhoeven played the full game for San Diego. For Seattle, central defender Stuart Hawkins entered in the 64th minute while U.S. U-20 central midfielder Snyder Brunell entered in the 68th.

 

Mehmeti’s big outing vs. Miami

 

After losings its last two games to DC United and Toronto, Red Bull New York was in a bad position. On the edge of the playoff line, the team had blown winnable games and now faced the hardest portion of its schedule.

But on Saturday, RBNY posted a 2-0 win over Inter Miami in one of the most surprising results from the weekend. The result was made possible by the play of Adri Mehmeti, 17, who controlled central midfield and helped create big players. In particular, he was instrumental in the build-up to the opening goal (which was an own goal on Miami).  



Unsurprisingly, Mehmeti was named to the MLS Team of the Matchday for his performance.

Both Mehmeti and Julian Hall, 18, were subbed out in the 83rd minute. Hall did not factor into the scoring but was dangerous with his runs close to goal.



Whether Red Bull makes the playoffs will largely come down to these two players.

 

Izoita starts for Portland

 

Portland has historically not been a good place for young American players to break through but on Saturday night in a 3-2 win at home over Charlotte FC, homegrown attacking midfielder Eric Izoita, 19, earned the start.  More importantly, Izoita assisted on each of Portland’s first two goals, each scored by Ariel Lassiter.

The first came in the 11th minute wen Izoita got behind the Charlotte backline and slid the ball across the goal for Lassiter to hit into the top of the goal.



The second goal came in the 40th minutes, when Izoita played Lassiter behind the backline with a cleaver one-touch volley for a pass.



Izito very very impressive in this game. It is just one game, of course, but it should keep him in the Timbers lineup.

This is good for Portland which is hoping to make a late push into the playoffs, and it could potentially be good for the United States U-20 team, which is facing uncertainty over which players will be available to it next summer.

 

Olympic hopefuls help Nashville win shield

 

Nashville SC won the 2026 Supporters Shield on Saturday after a comfortably easy 2-0 win over CF Montreal in Canada. Matthew Corcoran started and played 67 minutes in central midfield while Reed Baker-Whiting played the whole game at left back. Neither American stood out, but both were solid and did their jobs.

 

Both players should be in strong consideration for being in the plans for the U.S. Olympic team for helping Nashville be as dominant as it has during this regular season. Of course, Nashville’s biggest contributors are designated players Hany Mukhtar, Sam Surridge, and Cristian Espinoza, but DPs only matter if there is a strong foundation behind them. That is where Corcoran and Baker-Whiting are. Both are consistent, which is a huge attribute for young players.

 

Elsewhere in MLS

 

Elsewhere among young players in MLS:

United States U-20 right back Harbor Miller played all 90 minutes for the Galaxy in a wild 2-2 draw with LAFC on Sunday night. That win kept the Galaxy just inside the Western Conference playoff line at ninth place.

Austin FC defeated Sporting Kansas City 2-1 in a matchup between the two worst teams in the Western Conference. U.S. U-20 midfielder Ervin Torres started for Austin but was subbed out in the 33rd minute due to an injury. He was able to limp off the field for the substitute and it hasn’t been revealed how long he will be out.

Olympic-eligible left back Tate Johnson put in another decent 90-minute shift for Vancouver but could not prevent a 1-0 loss away to Colorado. Vancouver remained in first place.

Taha Habroune continues to be one of the most in-form attacking midfielders in MLS in recent weeks, scoring in his previous three games. That streak was snapped on Saturday, but Habroune, 20, still played well over 68 minutes as Columbus defeated Toronto 4-2 for its fourth win in five games. Once in last place, Columbus is now a point out of ninth place, for a spot in the play-in game.

There is a lot to like about Habroune as a player in the second half of the season. He handles his tactical assignments, which vary as he plays different midfield positions. He can create, he can score, and he can help in possession.

Real Salt Lake defeated St. Louis CITY 3-0 in a win that was made easier thanks to a St. Louis red card late in the first half. U.S. U-20 midfielder Colin Guske helped see out the win when he entered in the 67th minute while U-20 hopeful Aiden Hezarkhani played the last 10 minutes.

DC United lost its third game in a row, falling to FC Cincinnati 2-0 at home. Oscar Avilez, 16, played the last 25 minutes for DC United but could not generate much in the attack during his shift.

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