Second-half substitute Mike Magee converted a second half penalty kick and Jozy Altidore notched another in stoppage time as the New York Red Bulls beat the San Jose Earthquakes 2-0 at Giants Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
With just more than 10 minutes to play, Magee started the sequence that led to the first goal by sending a brilliant diagonal pass through the heart of the San Jose defense to a streaking Altidore. As the teenager entered the penalty area, Earthquakes defender Ryan Cochrane tripped Altidore and sent him sprawling to the turf. Referee Michael Kennedy didn't hesitate in pointing to the spot and Magee stepped up and buried his shot high to Joe Cannon's right.
The insurance tally came off a long throw-in to John Wolyniec in the box deep into added time. With his back to goal, Wolyniec smartly dropped the ball down for Altidore to drive first-time past Cannon, off the post and in.
The first half was a disjointed affair, as both sides struggled to maintain possession early on. As the opening stanza progressed, the home team began to carve out most of the opportunities. The Red Bulls had the first chance of the match when midfielder Luke Sassano fired over the bar from just inside the 18-yard box in the eighth minute.
Sassano had another chance to put the Red Bulls ahead at the half-hour mark. Dave van den Bergh won the home team a corner and the ball fell to the rookie after Claudio Reyna's service pinballed around the box. Sassano tried to volley the ball first-time, but San Jose defender Jason Hernandez managed to deflect the ball wide of Cannon's goal.
Seven minutes before halftime, Reyna came closer. Cannon got a glove to Reyna's shot after the captain had made a powerful run from the left side of the area, and the rebound looked goalbound until Nick Garcia raced back to clear off the line. Moments later, New York again went close, but defender Jeff Parke headed over the top from point-blank range.
San Jose's best chance of the first half came 16 minutes in. Forward Gavin Glinton fought his way behind Red Bulls left back Kevin Goldthwaite and tried to pick out an unmarked Ronnie O'Brien at the top of the box with an angled back pass, but Parke's diving header sent the ball harmlessly out of danger.
The Earthquakes seemed to content to disrupt New York's attack in the midfield, repeatedly committing fouls 40 and 50 yards from goal. Referee Kennedy eventually tired of the tactics, giving Hernandez a yellow card for persistent infringement shortly before the break.
Knowing New York would press forward looking for the win in the second half, San Jose took on an even more defensive posture in the final frame, as coach Frank Yallop sent former Red Bulls destroyer Joe Vide in for Glinton. Meanwhile, the Bulls replaced their defensive midfielder, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, with the more attack-minded Magee.
New York did get a pair of half-chances right after the restart, one off a van den Bergh free kick and again from a corner, but missed the target in the end both times.
Ten minutes later, in the 57th minute, Wolyniec looked to be in alone but had his close-range shot blocked before Cannon gobbled up Magee's effort on the rebound.
Later, after Ramiro Corrales had picked up a caution for fouling Altidore in midfield, Parke had a free header off Reyna's ensuing free kick. This time, he sent his shot right at Cannon.
With 23 minutes left, Yallop brought on former Red Bulls forward Peguero Jean Philippe, whom San Jose had acquired Thursday on loan from Danish club Brondby. Peguero provided energy in his brief appearance, but was unable to create anything of substance against his old team.
Instead, it was the Red Bulls that created the decisive play in the 79th minute. Magee's penalty was his first goal since July 22, 2006, when he scored the winner against Kansas City at the Meadowlands.
San Jose had a chance to equalize seconds after the kickoff, but Red Bulls 'keeper Jon Conway managed to tip the Kei Kamara effort -- the best of the day from the Quakes -- around the post to keep his team in front.
Garcia also kept his team within a goal in the final minute of the 90 regulation, when he cleared a second ball off the line on the day, this time a header from Wolyniec.
New York was without star striker Juan Pablo Angel. Their 2007 leading scorer missed his second consecutive game with a strained left hamstring. Winger Dane Richards and forward Oscar Echeverrry also sat out for the home side with knee injuries.
With the loss, the Earthquakes fall to 1-3-0 on the year. They return to the Bay Area next weekend when they make their debut at Buck Shaw Stadium on the campus of Santa Clara University, taking on FC Dallas. The team played its first home game of 2008 on April 12 at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, a 1-0 victory against Chicago. First, however, will be a U.S. Open Cup play-in match, Wednesday at Real Salt Lake.
Doug McIntyre is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
