For a second consecutive game, an explosive run by Jozy Altidore set up a goal for the New York Red Bulls. This time, though, it was Mike Magee converting the winning penalty kick in the 79th minute to send the Red Bulls on their way to a 2-0 victory Sunday afternoon against the San Jose Earthquakes at Giants Stadium.
John Wolyniec freed Altidore toward goal, but the 18-year-old forward was tripped by Ryan Cochrane inside the box. Referee Michael Kennedy immediately pointed to the spot and Magee stepped up to take the kick.
Magee put the powerfully struck penalty kick over Joe Cannon's right shoulder for his first goal since July 22, 2006, when he scored the winner against Kansas City at the Meadowlands.
Usually it's Juan Pablo Angel taking the penalty kicks for the Red Bulls, but the Colombian forward was not in the lineup, suffering from a nerve-related lower back injury. Altidore and Wolyniec started up front for the Red Bulls' fourth different forward combination of the early season, while Magee came on for Sinisa Ubiparipovic at the half.
Wolyniec also set up Altidore in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time, putting his shot in off the near post for his second goal of the year as the Red Bulls improve to 2-1-1, while the Earthquakes fall to 1-3-0.
Rookie Luke Sassano returned to the starting lineup as Chris Leitch replaced Carlos Mendes in the back for the only other change for the Red Bulls from the team that played the New England Revolution to a 1-1 draw last weekend. Mike Magee came on for Sinisa Ubiparipovic at the half for Juan Carlos Osorio's first change.
Frank Yallop went with the same starting XI for the third consecutive game, but brought on former Red Bulls midfielder Joe Vide for Gavin Glinton at the half.
The Red Bulls had the best scoring chances in the scoreless first half. Sassano's first-time volley from the edge of the six-yard box off a corner kick by Claudio Reyna sailed over the crossbar in the sixth minute.
Reyna, who had a spirited first half, nearly scored his first MLS goal in the 38th minute, when he was freed to goal on a give-and-go with Wolyniec. Reyna's low shot beat Cannon, but Nick Garcia cleared the ball off the line to keep the Red Bulls off the scoreboard.
Three minutes later, Jeff Parke beat Cannon to a Dave van den Bergh corner, but headed the ball onto the top netting. And in the 43rd minute, Wolyniec's tricky rolling shot along the turf forced Cannon to dive to his left to make a save.
On a free kick following a yellow card to Ramiro Corrales, Reyna found Parke, but Cannon saved his glancing header in the 62nd minute.
Yallop brought on another former Red Bulls player in the 67th minute when Peguero Jean Phillipe replaced Ned Grabavoy.
Danleigh Borman came on for van den Bergh in the 72nd minute for Osorio's second substitution, while Carlos Mendes replaced Kevin Goldthwaite, who left the match with a strained back, for the Red Bulls final change in the 75th minute.
Wolyniec nearly added an insurance goal in the 90th minute, beating Cannon to a ball from Seth Stammler, but his header was also cleared off the line by Garcia.
Both teams return to action in the midweek, with the Quakes remaining on the road to face Real Salt Lake in a U.S. Open Cup qualifier Wednesday and the Red Bulls crossing the border to meet Toronto FC on MLS Primetime Thursday.
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
