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NEW YORK RED BULLS v COLUMBUS CREW
GIANTS STADIUM, E. Rutherford, N.J.
7:30 p.m. ET (MSG; ONN)
Sept. 16, 2006 (WEEK 25) / MLS Game #163
Two teams currently on the outside looking in at the MLS Cup Playoffs face off in a must-win game if either wants to reach the postseason. The New York Red Bulls are currently four points behind fourth-place Kansas City for the last playoff spot - but they have two games in hand over the team closest to them in the Eastern Conference table. The Columbus Crew sit a further three points behind the Red Bulls - a loss on Saturday would leave them seven points in back of the Wizards with just four games remaining for both.
REFEREE: Baldomero Toledo. SAR (bench): Bill Dittmar; JAR (opposite): Jorge de la Bandera; 4th: Andrew Chapin
MLS Career: 29 games; FC/gm: 27.2; Y/gm: 3.6; R: 5; pens: 6
MLS 2006: 10 games; FC/gm: 25.1 (avg: 28.8); Y/gm: 3.2 (avg: 3.68); R: 0 (MLS: 31); pens: 2 (MLS: 34)
Games involving Red Bulls: P6 W0 L1 T5; FC/gm: 31.5; Y/gm: 3.7; R: 1; pens: 1
Games involving Crew: P5 W3 L2 T0; FC/gm: 26.4; Y/gm: 4.0; R: 1; pens: 2
INJURY REPORT: NEW YORK RED BULLS - OUT: DF Todd Dunivant (L quadriceps strain); MF Mark Lisi (R adductor strain); DF Shawn Kuykendall (L knee surgery); QUESTIONABLE: FW Mike Magee (R knee sprain); PROBABLE: MF Peter Canero (L knee contusion); FW Elie Ikangu (L hamstring strain); MF Youri Djorkaeff (back spasms) ... COLUMBUS CREW - OUT: GK Jonny Walker (lower back), DF Jed Zayner (L knee ACL); DF Frankie Hejduk (R knee ACL); GK Jon Busch (R knee ACL); MF Danny Szetela (R knee); DOUBTFUL: MF Jacob Thomas (L calf strain); QUESTIONABLE: MF Sebastian Rozental (L groin strain); PROBABLE: MF Duncan Oughton (R quadriceps strain)
SUSPENDED: NY: Amado Guevara (through Sept. 17)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: NY: Amado Guevara, Mike Magee, Carlos Mendes, Jeff Parke ... CLB: Ritchie Kotschau; Rusty Pierce
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: NY: Todd Dunivant, Seth Stammler ... CLB: Eddie Gaven, Chris Leitch Brandon Moss, Joseph Ngwenya, Jose Retiz
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (39 meetings): Red Bulls 17 wins (0 shootout), 54 goals ... Crew 18 wins (0 shootout), 50 goals ... 4 draws
AT GIANTS STADIUM: (19 meetings): Red Bulls 8 wins (0 shootout), 22 goals ... Crew 8 wins (0 shootout), 21 goals ... 3 draws
This is the fourth and final league meeting between the clubs this season, the second of two set for E. Rutherford.
A year ago, the MetroStars won three of the four meetings between the two clubs, winning both at Giants Stadium and splitting the two at Crew Stadium.
Columbus last won in New Jersey on April 12, 2003, a span of six games (though three have been played to draws). The Crew haven't won the season series since 2001, when they won both meetings played that season (two were canceled). But they split the series in 2002 and 2004.
Coaches record: Bruce Arena v CLB: P13 W8 L5 D0 ... Sigi Schmid vs. NY: P17 W6 L8 D3
2006 (MLS)
6/28: NY 0, CLB 0
7/19: CLB 0, NY 2 (Henderson 50; Laventure 90)
8/19: CLB 1, NY 0 (Ngwenya 82)
The teams played to a scoreless draw in their first meeting, at Giants Stadium, before the teams split the two meetings in Columbus exactly a month apart.
In the first meeting this season, Richie Williams saw a familiar result in his first game in charge of the New York Red Bulls, as his team and the Crew played to a scoreless draw at Giants Stadium. Williams was making his debut as interim head coach for the Red Bulls after Mo Johnston was dismissed the day before.
While the Red Bulls created more chances than they had in any game during the season, it was the Crew who came closest to breaking the deadlock, Joseph Ngwenya's skimming angled shot in the 64th minute beating Red Bulls 'keeper Tony Meola but hitting the base of the left-hand post.
On July 19 at Crew Stadium, while the Crew had the better of the play in the first half, it was the Red Bulls that opened the scoring five minutes after the restart. Edson Buddle slid an inch-perfect diagonal ball for Chris Henderson to run onto in the left side of the Columbus penalty area, and despite an acute angle, the MLS original knocked the ball between 'keeper Noah Palmer and the post for his 50th career goal.
Then just before the regulation 90 minutes ticked over, a long clearance was headed on by Jean-Philippe Peguero, and rookie Jerrod Laventure latched onto it. Some 30 yards from goal, he volleyed an audacious chip over a backpedaling Palmer for his first professional goal.
Jon Conway recorded a clean sheet for the second consecutive week, the first time since 2003 New York had recorded shutouts in back-to-back games and the Crew saw their club-record winless streak reach nine games.
LAST MEETING
Although both coaches had made their names in coaching rival programs in college soccer, Bruce Arena and Sigi Schmid had never faced each other as professional coaches until the Aug. 19 meeting.
It looked as if the match would dwindle to a scoreless draw until eight minutes from time, when Chris Leitch launched a long ball down the right flank. Joseph Ngwenya ran onto it and carried to nearly the Red Bulls penalty area before cutting inside defender Carlos Mendes. He then shot between Mendes' legs, leaving Tony Meola flat-footed as the ball slipped inside the near post to give Columbus a first victory since June 3.
Here's Schmid's team (4-2-3-1): Bill Gaudette - Chris Leitch (Ritchie Kotschau 93+), Marcos Gonzalez, Ezra Hendrickson, Rusty Pierce - Duncan Oughton (Eric Vasquez 85), Jose Retiz - Eddie Gaven, Sebastian Rozental, Joseph Ngwenya - Jason Garey. [Substitutes Not Used: Ryan Coiner, Ned Grabavoy, Andy Gruenebaum, Brandon Moss, Ricardo Virtuoso]
Here's Arena's team (4-4-2): Tony Meola - Marvell Wynne (Danny O'Rourke 62), Carlos Mendes, Jeff Parke (Steve Jolley 78), Todd Dunivant - Seth Stammler, Dema Kovalenko, Amado Guevara, Chris Henderson - Youri Djorkaeff, Edson Buddle (John Wolyniec 80). [Substitutes Not Used: Jordan Cila, Jon Conway, Taylor Graham, Joe Vide]
NEW YORK RED BULLS
The New York Red Bulls lost for the second consecutive week and saw their winless run extend to three games as their bid for a place in the MLS Cup Playoffs grew a little more distant, dropping a 1-0 decision to the New England Revolution last Saturday at Gillette Stadium. The Red Bulls have 29 points from 26 matches, still four points behind the fourth-place Kansas City Wizards and three points ahead of the last-place Crew.
LAST MATCH
Pat Noonan wasn't on the field long in his return to the Revolution lineup, but he made it count. The defending Eastern Conference champion had won just once over the past two months, while the visiting Red Bulls also had just one victory in their last six games.
Noonan had played just six league games since mid-May, missing the last two with another injury, and hadn't scored a goal on the campaign after hitting for 29 in his first three MLS seasons. But in the eighth minute, Steve Ralston put a slide-rule through ball between a pair of Red Bulls defenders, and Noonan ran onto it before curling a shot with the outside of his boot past Jon Conway inside his right post.
The goal continued a torrid run of form for Noonan against the New York club. In 14 career regular season games, Noonan has scored 11 times. Add in playoff meetings and the tally grows to 14 goals in 18 appearances. But after coming back into the team after being sidelined with a hamstring injury, his return lasted only 18 minutes as he was withdrawn with an injury to his right hip flexor.
The Red Bulls then saw their hopes go down in flames nine minutes from the end when Amado Guevara was sent off with two cautions in very short order, first for dissent after a foul in midfield, then when appeared to grab referee Brian Hall as he continued to dispute the call.
Red Bulls head coach Bruce Arena made three changes to the team that lost 2-1 to the Chicago Fire the Sunday before at Toyota Park. Jon Conway came in between the posts for Tony Meola, his first start since a four-match run July 14-29. Danny O'Rourke returned from suspension and Edson Buddle also came back into the team, coming in for Chris Henderson and Todd Dunivant as Arena's reshuffled his lines.
Here's Arena's team (4-1-3-2): Jon Conway - Marvell Wynne, Carlos Mendes (Taylor Graham 93+), Jeff Parke, Seth Stammler - Danny O'Rourke (Josmer Altidore 81) - Joe Vide (Chris Henderson 62), Amado Guevara, Dema Kovalenko - Edson Buddle, John Wolyniec. [Substitutes Not Used: Blake Camp, Jordan Cila, Todd Dunivant, Tony Meola]
"Falling behind early today, we made it real difficult on ourselves. We have a young team, but all three of these games, we were in position to get points. Every game we've been in - K.C. was 2-2, in position to get three points there - the next game was a harder game to win given we fell back by two goals, and then today falling behind early and trying to come back."
TEAM NEWS
Arena was forced into a lineup decision before kickoff when left back Todd Dunivant suffered a strain of his left quadriceps. He had already planned to drop Jeff Parke in central defense, but then Dunivant's absence caused a reshuffle in the back. Dunivant is out for Saturday's game.
"We had to make a last-minute adjustment when (Todd) Dunivant was pulled out. That made it a bit difficult on ourselves, but we have no excuses," Arena said. "We didn't play well enough to get a win. We made it real difficult on ourselves, we had moments where we played well and other moments where it was really sloppy. We have our next two games at home. We're going to have an opportunity to play at home now, hope to get three points there."
The Red Bulls now have four of their final six games at home, beginning with the next two - a rematch with the Revolution next Wednesday following the Crew match.
"We put our backs to the wall," midfielder Dema Kovalenko said. "We have two games at home we have to win. It will be interesting to see what we're made of. Now we have to look to Columbus. It's a must-win. Now, there's no other way. We have to win and if we don't win then we're going to stay home."
For Jon Conway, it was his first action since starting four consecutive league matches in July - when he allowed just one goal over 360 minutes, recording three consecutive shutouts. The loss to the Revolution was the first with Conway in goal since coming to the Red Bulls; he had seen the team go 4-0-2 when he started between the posts this season.
"I thought our goalkeeper had an excellent night," Arena said. "Jon made a bunch of big saves when we were pressing, trying to get a goal."
Still, Arena said he has not made a decision for Saturday. "Both goalies have played well and it made sense to give (Conway) an opportunity (Saturday)," Arena said to the Newark Star-Ledger. "It's no discredit to Tony. We discussed being able to use Jon at some point this season and that was a good opportunity for him. Sometimes a home game is a bit of a cop-out in making a goalkeeper change. When you put him in on the road, it's much more challenging and it gives him an opportunity to show where he's at and how he positions himself to compete for the starting position."
COLUMBUS CREW
The Columbus Crew weren't able to build on their victory of the week before, unable to capitalize on a man advantage as the Chicago Fire extended their long unbeaten run with a 2-1 victory at Toyota Park last Sunday evening. The Crew still sit in sixth place in the Eastern Conference with 26 points from 27 matches, three points behind the New York Red Bulls in fifth place and now seven behind the Kansas City Wizards in the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
LAST MATCH
The Fire hadn't lost in five games in league competition and eight games in all competitions, while the Crew had followed a 13-game winless streak stretching over two months with a pair of wins in three contests.
The Fire took control of the match with two goals over the final five-plus minutes of the first half. Justin Mapp made a strong run down the right flank and hooked in a low cross that Nate Jaqua side-footed home off the base of the post for his team-leading seventh goal of the campaign (40).
Then two minutes into first-half stoppage time, Chris Armas whipped in a short corner that C.J. Brown headed home from inside the penalty spot. For Brown, it was his first goal since his first season in 1998, a streak of 201 games without a goal.
The Fire were left a man down in the 63rd minute when Calen Carr was sent off with a straight red card after his high boot caught the head of Crew defender Rusty Pierce. Then nine minutes later Columbus pulled a goal back when Sebastian Rozental converted from the spot after an attempt by the Chilean from a corner kick was blocked by a handball from Jaqua, but that was as close as they got.
Crew boss Sigi Schmid made one change to the team that defeated the New England Revolution 3-0 the Saturday before at Crew Stadium. Chad Marshall made his first start since Aug. 16, coming into central defense for Ezra Hendrickson.
Here's Schmid's team (4-2-3-1): Bill Gaudette - Chris Leitch (Ryan Coiner 68), Marcos Gonzalez, Chad Marshall, Rusty Pierce -Duncan Oughton, Jose Retiz (Ezra Hendrickson 79) - Eddie Gaven,Sebastian Rozental, Ricardo Virtuoso - Jason Garey (Joseph Ngwenya 60). [Substitutes Not Used: Marc Burch, Ned Grabavoy, Andy Gruenebaum, Ritchie Kotschau]
"Games are always about when a team dominates you need to keep the off the board and when you dominate you need to get on the board. We had a five-minute period at the end of the half where we gave up a couple of goals," said Schmid. "They weren't good goals necessarily, especially on the second one. We gave a corner away when we didn't need to give a corner away. Then, we were very naïve on the way we defended the corner."
TEAM NEWS
The two goals in the final five-plus minutes of the second half completely changed the game - especially after the Crew didn't start with great energy. "I think the game became difficult when we finished the first half down 2-0. That is the major thing to me," said goal-scorer Sebastian Rozental. "We didn't deserve to go down 2-0. It was very difficult to come back after the first half."
"At some point, you've got to make history and you've got to change things," Schmid said. "It's not just a Columbus problem. It's a problem in the mentality of all the players in this league. They don't function as well (when they're losing)."
After the lackluster first half, the Crew came out firing in the second 45 minutes, taking 15 of their total 18 shots in the half. The output was two short of the team high for the season.
"In the second half we threw everything forward. I don't think the crossing was of the right quality. We had some chances. There were a couple of scrambles inside the box. (The Fire) packed it in pretty well and just defended and we couldn't grab the second goal," Schmid said. "I don't think (Crew goalkeeper) Bill (Gaudette) had anything to do in the second half with the exception of distribute it."
The loss assured the Crew will have the fewest wins for a season at home in club history. They have three wins in 14 games thus far (with five draws); the previous low was six wins in 2002 and 2003. After the match in New York, they return home for the final two games of the league season at Crew Stadium, before hitting the road to close out the final two games of the campaign.
"We're down right now, but hopefully we'll talk it over during the week and come out the way we did in the last three games," midfielder Jose Retiz said to The Columbus Dispatch. "Nothing is lost right now. We'll get back on track." Said Schmid: "There are still 15 points out there, but you have to gather maximum points. You can't leave points on the table."
Jason Garey suffered an apparent concussion, forcing him off at the hour mark. "He was wobbling around out there and maybe that's why he didn't take the chances that he could have or should have," Schmid said.
It was a second start for Ricardo Virtuoso in the Crew midfield, and besides overcoming a hamstring injury, Schmid said the Brazilian is also adapting to the MLS style, more physical that he is used to.
"He is dribbling in the right parts of the field and has adjusted to the different tempo of the game," Schmid said to The Columbus Dispatch. "It makes you feel good to know that if you can put him on one wing and put Jacob Thomas on the other, that is going to cause opposing coaches a sleepless night or two." However, Thomas missed a fourth consecutive match with a torn calf muscle.
While there is a sense of rebuilding with the Crew, there is also the acknowledgement that the club does not again want to miss out on the postseason for a second consecutive season after winning the MLS Supporters' Shield just two years ago.
"There are a lot of guys getting a lot of experience and a lot of battle scars and they're thrown in the fire right now," Schmid said. "Hopefully, that bodes well for the future, but right now we're not thinking about that. We're thinking about this season. We need to get points this year."
