NEW YORK RED BULLS v CHIVAS USA
GIANTS STADIUM, E. Rutherford, N.Y.
7:30 p.m. ET (FSN-NY; FSN-PT)
May 20, 2006 (WEEK 8) / MLS Game #43
It's now a month-and-a-half into the 2006 season, and the New York Red Bulls still don't have a victory to go with their new name as their six-game winless run to begin the campaign is starting to approach MLS record territory. Still, the Red Bulls have lost just once on the campaign; one of their five draws came against Chivas USA three weeks ago. Chivas are winless in their last four games after opening the season in impressive fashion, playing on back-to-back weekends for the first time in more than a month.
REFEREE: Abbey Okulaja. SAR (bench): Nate Clement; JAR (opposite): Steven Taylor; 4th: Lee Suckle
MLS Career: 45 games; FC/gm: 31.0; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 3; pens: 12
MLS 2006: 3 games; FC/gm: 32.3 (avg: 31.3); Y/gm: 4.0 (avg: 3.83); R: 0 (MLS: 8); pens: 0 (MLS: 10)
Games involving Red Bulls: P12 W6 L1 T5; FC/gm: 31.4; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 1; pens: 6
Games involving Chivas USA: P2 W0 L1 T1; FC/gm: 31.5; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 0; pens: 1
INJURY REPORT: NEW YORK RED BULLS - OUT: DF Taylor Graham (hernia surgery recovery); QUESTIONABLE: MF Mike Magee (R ankle sprain); FW Edson Buddle (L hamstring strain); GK Tony Meola (L calf strain); MF Amado Guevara (R calf contusion; abdominal strain) ... CHIVAS USA - OUT: MF Ramón Ramírez (L knee sprain), MF Mike Muñoz (R ankle tendonitis); DF Orlando Pérez (concussion), DF Esteban Arias (concussion); QUESTIONABLE: MF Francisco Gómez (L knee surgery); PROBABLE: FW Matt Taylor (R ankle fracture)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: CHV: Claudio Suarez (Mexico; 2006 World Cup); John O'Brien (USA; 2006 World Cup)
SUSPENDED: none
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (3 meetings): Red Bulls 1 wins (0 shootout), 5 goals ... Chivas USA 0 wins (0 shootout), 3 goals ... 2 draws
AT GIANTS STADIUM: (1 meeting): Chivas USA 0 wins (0 shootout), 3 goals ... Red Bulls 0 win (0 shootout), 3 goals ... 1 draw
This is the second of two league meetings set between the teams this year, the only one at Giants Stadium. Two of their previous three meetings have ended in draws, last year's meeting at Giants Stadium (the first ever between the clubs) concluding 3-3 as Amado Guevara's hat trick answered Juan Francisco Palencia's double in his MLS debut.LAST MEETING:
4/29: CHV 0, NY 0
Chances were few and far between as Chivas USA and the Red Bulls played to a drab scoreless draw, leaving Chivas USA with a three-game winless streak after opening their season with a victory, and the Red Bulls still searching for a first victory to go with their new name.
The two best chances came in quick succession at the end of an end-to-end movement midway through the second half. Chris Henderson found himself alone in front of goal just after the restart, but Chivas 'keeper Brad Guzan kicked out his low shot.
Chivas quickly countered and raced to the other end, Ante Razov beating a pair of New York defenders in front of goal, but his shot was well held by Tony Meola. The veteran 'keeper was later called upon to deflect a full-blooded blast from Chivas fullback Lawson Vaughn, but a Red Bulls defender was on hand to clear the rebound.
Here's Bob Bradley's team (4-3-1-2): Brad Guzan - Lawson Vaughn (Drew Helm 88), Carlos Llamosa, Tim Regan, Jonathan Bornstein - Brent Whitfield (Esteban Arias 68), Sacha Kljestan, Francisco Mendoza (Jason Hernandez 74) - Juan Pablo Garcia - Juan Francisco Palencia, Ante Razov. [Substitutes Not Used: Preston Burpo, Jesse Marsch, Mike Munoz, Estuardo Sanchez]
Here's Mo Johnston's team (4-1-3-2): Tony Meola - Marvell Wynne, Carlos Mendes, Jeff Parke, Taylor Graham - Danny O'Rourke - Seth Stammler, Amado Guevara, Chris Henderson - Edson Buddle (Mike Magee 42), Youri Djorkaeff. [Substitutes Not Used: Peter Canero, Jordan Cila, Jon Conway, Steve Jolley, Mark Lisi, Joe Vide]
Coaches record: Mo Johnston vs. CHV: P2 W1 L0 D1 ... Bob Bradley v NY: P13 W8 L4 D1NEW YORK RED BULLS
The New York Red Bulls remained winless for 2006, but drew for the fifth time in six matches on the campaign, finishing up with a 1-1 stalemate against the Chicago Fire on Saturday evening at Giants Stadium. The Red Bulls are in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with five points from six matches, two behind fifth-place Chicago Fire and now nine behind East leader D.C. United.
LAST MATCH
The Red Bulls had not won on the season, but had lost just once, playing to four draws in their five matches on the campaign. In the midst of their nine-game road trip to begin the campaign, the Fire had played to three draws in five matches.
And so, inevitably, a draw was the likely result, and teams followed suit. The Red Bulls took a first-half lead, Mark Lisi swinging the ball to Seth Stammler on the right flank, and he hooked in a cross to the near post where Jean Philippe Peguero got his head in ahead of Chicago defender C.J. Brown to put New York in the lead after 27 minutes.
But the Fire pulled level from the penalty spot midway through the second half, Diego Gutierrez converting past backup goalkeeper Jon Conway after Nate Jaqua was tripped up in the area by Danny O'Rourke (68). Conway started in goal for the Red Bulls after Tony Meola suffered a calf injury during the prematch warmup.
Red Bulls head coach Mo Johnston made three changes to the team that played to a scoreless draw with Chivas USA two weeks earlier. Marvell Wynne, Taylor Graham and Edson Buddle were all slowed by injury, so Steve Jolley made his first start in his return to New York in a reconstituted back three, Mark Lisi also made a first start in 2006 and Jean Philippe Peguero returned to the first team.
Here's Johnston's team (3-1-4-2): Jon Conway - Jeff Parke, Carlos Mendes, Steve Jolley - Danny O'Rourke - Seth Stammler, Amado Guevara (Marvell Wynne 55), Mark Lisi (Elie Ikangu 84), Chris Henderson (Peter Canero 76) - Youri Djorkaeff, Jean Philippe Peguero. [Substitutes Not Used: Josmer Altidore, Michael Behonick, Jordan Cila, Tony Meola, Joe Vide]TEAM NEWS
The Red Bulls, now winless in six games, set an MLS record with their fifth draw in the opening six games. "The second half I felt we defended collectively as a unit better," Johnston said. "I felt when Marvell [Wynne] went in, he played very well. We could have stolen it in the end, but we came up short again with another tie."
As expected, the talking point after the match was Amado Guevara, who after he was taken off in the 55th minute, went directly to the Red Bulls locker room before returning to sit next to his wife in the stands. On Tuesday, the club announced Guevara would be fined $4,000 and that he will not be in the 18-man gameday squad for the Chivas match.
"Since the first six games, Amado Guevara's been a totally different player," Johnston said after the match. "He's better than what we've seen. He's not produced, the fans were disappointed when he walked off, very disappointed. And I was disappointed. When you have team leaders in that locker room, you have to support your team. There's better players who have been taken off than Amado Guevara."
Johnston said there was no question why he was taken off. "I didn't think he played well at all," said Johnston. "What was lacking? Creativity and work rate (were lacking). There's a lot to Amado Guevara's game that makes him something special, throughout the first six games that hasn't been there."
Jon Conway made the surprise start in goal, replacing Tony Meola, who suffered a strained left calf during pregame warmups. In his first MLS action since Oct. 9, 2004 when he earned a clean sheet for the San Jose Earthquakes, Conway made five saves in a strong outing.
"I played well," Conway said. "Obviously a draw again is sort of disappointing. I thought I played well and we were unfortunate not to get a win tonight."
Said Meola: "Jon was great. For sure he was MVP of the game for us. I just think we depend a little too much sometimes on making saves. It's a tough spot to be in but if you know him, if you've been around him, he's a professional, he keeps himself prepared and he did what he had to do."
If Meola is unavailable for the Chivas match, Conway said he is ready. "This is my seventh year now. The only person I have to prove anything to is myself," Conway said. "I don't have to prove anything to anybody. It's not like I haven't gotten some experience and haven't been around big games with San Jose."
Defender Steve Jolley made his first start for the Red Bulls since Oct. 13, 2003. Jolley was reacquired from Dallas in March, in exchange for a supplemental draft pick. He ranks fourth all-time with 105 games played for the Red Bulls.CHIVAS USA
Chivas USA returned to the field for just their second match in about a month, and saw their winless streak hit four games after a promising season-opening win, this time a 3-1 loss to the New England Revolution on Saturday evening at Gillette Stadium. Chivas are tied at the foot of the Western Conference table with fellow recent expansion club Real Salt Lake, both with four points (Chivas in two matches fewer), three points behind the third-place tie between Los Angeles Galaxy and Colorado Rapids.
LAST MATCH
The Revolution came into the match after having scored four goals the week before - after beginning their campaign with two goals in their first four games. They were playing host to a Chivas USA side that had played just one match in nearly a month.
But it was the West Coast club that opened the scoring in the match played in a driving rain, Francisco Mendoza taking a pass from Ante Razov, slipping through the heart of the Revolution penalty area and lashing home a low drive (19).
Yet just four minutes later New England drew level with a wonderful goal. Jose Cancela, from the other side of the midfield stripe, hit an inch-perfect pass that skimmed on the wet turf and split the Chivas back four for Andy Dorman to run onto. He rounded Brad Guzan and slipped the ball home to level the match.
Eight minutes after the second-half restart, the Revolution pulled ahead. Jay Heaps ran onto a quickly taken free kick on the right flank and whipped in a good cross, where Shalrie Joseph came steaming in from midfield to powerfully head home.
Then four minutes from the end Taylor Twellman put the finishing touches on the victory, eluding the challenge of Carlos Llamosa and firing home inside the far post from the right corner of the penalty area for his third goal in as many weeks.
Chivas USA boss Bob Bradley made two changes to the team that played to a scoreless draw with the New York Red Bulls at home two weeks previous. Jason Hernandez made his first start of 2006, coming in at right back for Lawson Vaughn, while Jesse Marsch returned to the lineup, replacing Brent Whitfield.
Here's Bradley's team (4-4-2): Brad Guzan - Jason Hernandez, Tim Regan (Drew Helm 80), Carlos Llamosa, Jonathan Bornstein - Juan Pablo Garcia, Jesse Marsch (Brent Whitfield 72), Sacha Kljestan, Francisco Mendoza - Juan Francisco Palencia, Ante Razov. [Substitutes Not Used: Esteban Arias, Preston Burpo, Rodrigo Lopez, Orlando Perez, Lawson Vaughn]
"I felt like the first half was pretty good, and the second half was a tight game," said Marsch. "We're just not scoring enough goals right now, and we're giving up chances too easily, so that's how I feel - the bottom line with that game. But to give up easy goals and easy chances, that kills us."TEAM NEWS
For Chivas USA head coach Bob Bradley, it was more of the same: good effort and play and no points to show for it."Sometimes what you need with the game on the line is to make a big play, and they made a couple. We've got to get more confidence, more guts when games are on the line. Guys need to step up and make some plays. I thought generally we played well, but playing well and winning is not the same."
Chivas hit for the first goal - their first in the first half since the season opener.
"We got what we needed with the early goal," forward Ante Razov said. "We gave up a bad goal to go in tied, but we came in all right. In the second half, I thought we started decently. We just didn't get the second goal."
One bright spot for Bradley's side was the play of Francisco Mendoza. The lithe left winger created constant trouble down the flank and chipped in with a goal from a Razov pass in the 19th minute. "It's good to see him get a goal," Bradley said. "It should help us going forward. He's a young player and he needs to keep progressing."
However, there was less success on the other flank, where Juan Pablo Garcia struggled to get involved in the game. "We had many opportunities to make a final pass to him that would have made a difference, and we never delivered the right one. That is a product of guys making plays when it counts," Bradley said. "When you don't produce those plays I think clearly there is frustration."
