When asked if the New York Red Bulls' 0-0 draw with D.C. United at Giants Stadium on Wednesday night was a 'good' or 'bad' tie, the team had mixed feelings.
"I think it's a good one, because I think our guys played a pretty good game," said head coach Bruce Arena. "[They had] good concentration, good movement as a team, created some chances - maybe a little unlucky not to get that one call for a handball, but it was a pretty good effort on our part."
"For the most part, we should be content with our attitude and the way we approached it and the way we just didn't give them respect, but on the other hand, I think at home, we always want to win," said goalkeeper Tony Meola.
Indeed, in Arena's first game in charge of the Red Bulls, the team looked composed and had a number of chances to win the game. Replays showed a blatant handball in the box on Bryan Namoff with less than 15 minutes left that could have resulted in a penalty kick. Edson Buddle also was close with a blistering header that almost found the target minutes later.
However, United almost stole the points as well. Though the Red Bulls out-shot United 18-10, the visitors could have scored at the death if it wasn't for a Carlos Mendes clearance after he blocked a Jamil Walker shot bound of the back of the net.
"Bad tie," Mendes said. "We played well tonight but we were at home. I think we played well enough to win. We had some chances; they really didn't have much except for that play in the end, so we're a little disappointed with the fact that we should've gotten the three points."
New York is now in a three-way tie with Kansas City and Chicago for third place in the Eastern Conference, but the Red Bulls have two games in hand over the Wizards. The squad hopes to earn the three points, instead of one, against the struggling Columbus Crew on Saturday in their next match.
"We just have to go in there focused," Mendes said. "They're obviously at the bottom of the table right now, but that doesn't mean anything so I think if we go in there and play the way we played tonight, we'll come out with three points. We'll be ready."
Meola returns to MLS action
Red Bulls goalkeeper Tony Meola made his first MLS start since July 8 (at FC Dallas) on Wednesday night, beating out Jon Conway. Meola made two saves in the 0-0 draw against D.C. United, earning his MLS all-time leading 61st career shutout. The Red Bulls also became the first team this season to shut out United (22 total matches).
"[Besides] the Barcelona game, there hasn't been a lot to do," Meola said. "Our defense has been great."
Meola continued to lavish praise on his defense, especially their neutralization of forwards Jaime Moreno and Alecko Eskandarian for most of the night.
"We denied them getting the ball and that was done by pressing their defenders and staying up on their backside and really doing a good job of being active when we didn't have the ball," Meola said.
Though he hasn't featured in an MLS match for several weeks due to a bacterial infection in his right foot and ankle as well as Conway's strong play, Meola featured in a 2-1 U.S. Open Cup fourth round win over the Wilmington Hammerheads and in the opening 45 minutes of a 4-1 loss to FC Barcelona last Saturday.
The scoreline of that game is deceiving, however, as Meola came up with six spectacular saves to preserve a 1-1 tie with the UEFA Champions League winner going into halftime. Red Bull New York sporting director and head coach Bruce Arena indicated earlier this week that he felt that Meola had a "slight edge" over Conway but will use the upcoming games to further evaluate both goalkeepers.
"I don't' put the names on the board," Meola said. "I come everyday and if the coach has confidence [in you], he's going to call your name."
Conway is undefeated in 2006 with a 4-0-2 record and started in each game of the Red Bulls' four-game MLS unbeaten run prior to Wednesday night.
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