A 16th-minute goal by defender Kevin Goldthwaite was all the New York Red Bulls needed to register a 1-0 victory against FC Dallas Saturday night at Giants Stadium, ruining Schellas Hyndman's debut as FCD head coach.
The Red Bulls didn't score more than one goal in a game for the seventh consecutive game, but New York recorded its second straight clean sheet at home after defeating Chivas USA 1-0 on June 5.
Despite the new coach, FC Dallas' season-long road woes continued. The Hoops came into the game off a 1-0 win at Pizza Hut Park against the Chicago Fire, but have won just once on the road this year. FC Dallas is now 1-4-2 away from Pizza Hut Park and lost for the third time in the last four games.
The Red Bulls, playing their third game in a span of eight days, won for the second time in seven games and improved to 4-1-2 at the Meadowlands. New York moved into a fourth-place tie with the idle Chicago Fire.
The Red Bulls pressed Dario Sala into action almost immediately as the FC Dallas goalkeeper dived to his left to push aside Sinisa Ubiparipovic's side volley from 16 yards out. Dane Richards ran onto Hunter Freeman's throw and sent a cross into the box, where Ubiparipovic's attempt was parried away for the game's first corner kick.
Receiving the ball from Hunter Freeman, Ubiparipovic forced Sala into another diving stop, this time to the 'keeper's right for the game's second corner kick in the 16th minute. Ubiparipovic sent the corner deep toward the far post, where Kevin Goldthwaite crashed in, beat Blake Wagner to the ball and headed his second goal of the year into the net.
Goldthwaite's night was short lived though. He gingerly walked off the field in the 24th minute, replaced by Jeff Parke. Goldthwaite was diagnosed with a pair of strained hamstrings.
Ubiparipovic, who had an active first half, blasted the ball wide of the far post in the 44th minute from the left of the 18-yard box, capping one of the better first halves the Red Bulls have played.
In his Major League Soccer debut, Hyndman, the longtime Southern Methodist University coach who was named Hoops coach Tuesday, was without Drew Moor, who was called into Bob Bradley's squad for a U.S. national team qualifier at Barbados Sunday. Aaron Pitchkolan earned the start, while Bobby Rhine replaced Arturo Alvarez as Hyndman opted for a 4-4-2 formation, which included a diamond formation in the midfield.
Coming off a hard-fought 1-1 draw at Gillette Stadium Wednesday night, the shorthanded Red Bulls fielded the same starting XI in consecutive games for the first time this season. Out of the lineup were designated players Juan Pablo Angel (hamstring) and Claudio Reyna (herniated disc).
Osorio made his second change of the game in the 62nd minute, bringing on John Wolyniec for Oscar Echeverry. Two minutes later, Abe Thompson came on for Dominic Oduro for Hyndman's first substitution.
Jon Conway wasn't asked to do much, but he made a game-saving stop in the 68th minute, diving to rob Andre Rocha, who got behind the New York defense in the 68th minute and unleashed a shot from 16 yards out.
In the 73rd minute, the Hoops made their second change with Alvarez coming on for Rhine. Six minutes later, Osorio made his final change, bringing on Luke Sassano for Mike Magee. The Hoops final substitution came in the 82nd minute, with Dax McCarty replacing Rocha.
The Red Bulls return to the field Wednesday in the first of unusual back-to-back games against Chivas teams. In Phoenix, the Red Bulls meet famed Mexican side Chivas de Guadalajara in an international friendly before facing Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center next Saturday in the first of three consecutive league road games.
FC Dallas plays at Houston Dynamo Thursday night before meeting Chivas de Guadalajara next Sunday.
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
