NEW YORK RED BULLS vs. LOS ANGELES GALAXY
GIANTS STADIUM, E. Rutherford, N.J.
July 19, 2008 | 6:30 p.m. ET (FSC/FSE)
WEEK # 17 | GAME # 113
A huge crowd is expected at Giants Stadium for a rematch of one of the most pulsating matches from a year ago, when the New York Red Bulls and Los Angeles Galaxy combined for nine goals in front of one of the largest attendances in Major League Soccer history. Both teams come into the game needing a win to kickoff their second half - the Red Bulls haven't won in three games, with back-to-back losses, while the Galaxy are winless in four. The teams are meeting for the second time this season, the Red Bulls claiming a 2-1 victory at The Home Depot Center in mid-May.
REFEREE: Baldomero Toledo. SAR (bench): Rob Fereday; JAR (opposite): Bill Dittmar; 4th: Lee Suckle
MLS Career: 55 games; FC/gm: 27.2; Y/gm: 3.9; R: 22; pens: 20
INJURY REPORT: NEW YORK RED BULLS - NONE REPORTED ... LOS ANGELES GALAXY - OUT: GK Charles Alamo (R knee); DF Sean Franklin (R knee); GK Vito Higgins (R foot); GK Josh Wicks (L knee); DF Abel Xavier (L knee); DOUBTFUL: DF Ante Jazic (back spasm); MF Bryan Jordan (R hamstring); MF Brandon McDonald (L foot); QUESTIONABLE: DF Joe Franchino (L hamstring); PROBABLE: MF Peter Vagenas (R quad)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: NY: Kevin Goldthwaite ... LA: Greg Vanney
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: NY: Seth Stammler; Sinisa Ubiparipovic ... LA: Alan Gordon, Brandon McDonald, Alvaro Pires
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (30 meetings): Red Bulls 14 wins (1 shootout), 46 goals ... Galaxy 12 wins (1 shootout), 45 goals ... Ties 4
AT NEW YORK (16 meetings): Red Bulls 10 wins (1 shootout), 28 goals ...Galaxy 5 wins (1 shootout), 21 goals ... Ties 1
• This is the second of two meetings between the teams this year, the lone encounter this season at Giants Stadium.
• The Red Bulls won the season series a season ago, winning the remarkable 5-4 game on Aug. 18 at Giants Stadium before 66,237 fans, then playing to a draw in the penultimate weekend of the season in Carson with both goals coming less than a minute apart.
• The teams also met last year in a U.S. Open Cup play-in match, the Galaxy claiming a 3-1 victory in extra time. The Red Bulls' goal was scored by Juan Pablo Angel in his debut for the club.
• The Red Bulls' victory at The Home Depot Center was the first by a road team in the series since June 23, 2004, a 3-0 victory by the New York club at The Home Depot Center. Since the 2000 campaign, when the visiting team won both meetings, the road team has won just twice (17 matches).
• Coaches record: Juan Carlos Osorio vs. LA: P2 W2 L0 D0 ... Ruud Gullit vs NY: P1 W0 L1 D0
LAST MEETING (MLS):
5/10: LA 1, NY 2 (Gordon 77 - Borman 21; Angel 78)
• The Red Bulls went to southern California and came back with a 2-1 win against the Galaxy on May 10.
• The visitors took the lead in the 21st minute when Jozy Altidore took a flick-on, turned and fired powerfully on goal. Galaxy 'keeper Steve Cronin was able to parry the initial effort, but Danleigh Borman followed up outside the left post and knocked home the rebound for his first professional goal.
• The Galaxy finally broke through after the break, getting the leveller in the 77th minute. Mike Randolph took a pass on the left and sent in a low ball to Alan Gordon in the heart of the area, who turned and drilled a shot inside Jon Conway's left-hand post for his third goal on the year.
• But the Red Bulls hit for the winner almost immediately from the restart. Dane Richards went haring forward from the left, slipping the ball to Juan Pablo Angel as he cut across his path. Angel rounded Cronin in the Galaxy area and drove a rising shot high into the goal for his first goal on the season and the eventual match-winner.
• Here's Gullit's team (4-4-2): Steve Cronin - Chris Klein, Sean Franklin, Troy Roberts, Greg Vanney - David Beckham, Joe Franchino (Bryan Jordan 83), Brandon McDonald, Mike Randolph - Landon Donovan, Alan Gordon. Substitutes Not Used: Michael Gavin, Israel Sesay, Josh Tudela, Julian Valentin, Josh Wicks, Abel Xavier
• Here's Osorio's team (4-3-1-2): Jon Conway - Hunter Freeman, Jeff Parke, Kevin Goldthwaite, Dave van den Bergh - Dane Richards (John Wolyniec 82), Luke Sassano, Danleigh Borman (Carlos Mendes 58) - Mike Magee (Chris Leitch 90) - Jozy Altidore, Juan Pablo Angel. Substitutes Not Used: John Gilkerson, Chris Megaloudis, Zach Thornton, Sinisa Ubiparipovic
NEW YORK RED BULLS
The New York Red Bulls fell back into a tie for sixth place in the Eastern Conference, the Kansas City Wizards holding on for a 2-1 victory last Thursday evening at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The Red Bulls have 20 points from 16 matches, even with the Wizards, a point behind Toronto FC and two behind D.C. United.
LAST MATCH
• The Wizards had won just once in the last eight games and were coming off a U.S. Open quarterfinal loss just two days before. The Red Bulls had won just once in their last five games, last falling 4-0 to the Colorado Rapids.
• The Wizards got the start they were looking for on their home ground. Claudio Lopez whipped in a corner kick from the left and Jimmy Conrad once again rose up to nod home for his career-best fourth goal on the campaign.
• Kansas City doubled the lead just two minutes after the break. A defense-splitting through ball from Kurt Morsink found Davy Arnaud haring forward on the right, and he flicked the ball around Red Bulls 'keeper Jon Conway as he raced off the line, the first time since April 5 the Wizards had hit for more than a single goal in a league match.
• The Red Bulls pulled a goal back 19 minutes from the end. Dane Richards flighted in a cross from the right and Juan Pablo Angel, making his first start since June 5, headed home his third goal on the campaign. The Red Bulls hit the post and saw Kevin Hartman make a stellar save to deny their bid for a late leveler.
• Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio made three changes to the team that lost 4-0 to the Colorado Rapids on July 4 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. Chris Leitch, Mike Magee and Luke Sassano came in as Hunter Freeman, Andrew Boyens and Sinisa Ubiparipovic went out - and Juan Pablo Angel made his return to the lineup, in place of Dane Richards.
• Here's Osorio's team (4-3-1-2): Jon Conway - Chris Leitch, Kevin Goldthwaite, Jeff Parke, Dave van den Bergh - Luke Sassano (Sinisa Ubiparipovic 46), Carlos Mendes (Dane Richards 68), Seth Stammler - Mike Magee - Juan Pablo Angel, Oscar Echeverry (John Wolyniec 81). Substitutes Not Used: Danleigh Borman, Andrew Boyens, Hunter Freeman, Zach Thornton
TEAM NEWS
• It was just the second time since May 25 Angel had managed to play 45 minutes, first hampered by hamstring difficulties that were caused by a nerve impingement in his back.
• "I felt better today. It was good to get 90 minutes under my belt. I'm just trying to build up my fitness. I felt better today than I have anytime this year," Angel said. Said Osorio: "I think it's good to see Juan is scoring. For the first time in the whole season Juan looked like himself today. Hopefully that's a very positive sign also. With him in good form plus the new players we'll be in good form."
• A troubling sign for the Red Bulls, though, was the way Kansas City took the lead. Five of the 24 goals the Red Bulls have allowed this season have come from deadball services.
• "Obviously the first goal was off a set piece," said midfielder Seth Stammler. "That's something we talked about before the game. You hate to get burned on something you were well aware of and had been cautioned right before the game."
• The game ended a 26-day stretch where the Red Bulls played eight matches, losing four and drawing two. There was finally a nine-day gap before the Galaxy came to town.
• "I was just saying to the guys that it doesn't seem we're getting any breaks now," Osorio said. "At the moment, we don't get any breaks from the game itself. Hopefully, we'll get all those legs when we need them the most. I think it will turn around at some point."
• Saturday's game will be first for at least two new additions to the Red Bulls team. Venezuelan international Jorge Rojas could start in a central midfield role, while Argentinean midfielder Juan Pietravallo will also be available.
• Rojas is primarily a left-sided midfielder who can also play in the attacking role in a three-man midfield or can be a defensive midfielder in a 4-4-2. The 31-year-old has played for numerous South American clubs, including Atletico National and America de Cali in Colombia and Caracas FC and Union Atletico Maracaibo in his native Venezuela.
• Pietravallo is a 26-year-old defensive midfielder who started his career at Velez Sarsfield and has played for nine clubs in eight years. Most recently he played for Veria FC in the Greek Super League.
• Another is Mexican defender Diego Jimenez, a youth international who last played for Tecos in the Mexican Primera Division. A left-footed defender, Jimenez can play on the flank or in the center in a four-man defensive formation or he can be a marker or a sweeper in a three-man backline. Because his wife is from the USA, Jimenez does not need to wait on a green card.
• Finally, the Red Bulls are negotiating with Venezuelan club Deportivo Italta on a loan of Venezuelan defender Gabriel Cichero. Cichero, a left-footed defender who can play central defender or left fullback, has been training with the club.
• On Wednesday, former U.S. national team captain Claudio Reyna announced his retirement. Reyna, whose professional career spanned 14 years, made the move to MLS on a free transfer from Manchester City in January 2007. The midfielder was the Red Bulls' first designated player, but injuries limited the 35-year-old to just 27 games over the span of two seasons, including just six this year.
LOS ANGELES GALAXY
The Los Angeles Galaxy saw their winless streak reach four games, though coming back for a 1-1 draw in the second SuperClasico of the season against Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center. The Galaxy and Chivas are now tied for second place in the Western Conference, with 22 points from 16 matches, a point in arrears of Real Salt Lake.
LAST MATCH
• The in-stadium rivals were meeting for the first time ever with first place on the line. The Galaxy came into the game off back-to-back losses, while Chivas USA were on a three-game unbeaten run, playing their fifth consecutive game in Carson.
• Chivas took control of an intense match after just 15 minutes. Sacha Kljestan raced forward to the edge of the area before laying off a pass to Ante Razov. Razov then curled a majestic, first-time strike into the upper left corner for his third consecutive game with a goal.
• But the Galaxy fought back and pulled level in the 72nd minute. Peter Vagenas spotted Edson Buddle making a run into the area, and hit a perfectly weighted through ball. Buddle sprinted into the area, and from a sharp angle on the right, shot between Brad Guzan's legs to level the game with his 11th goal in the last nine games to pull into a tie for the MLS Golden Boot.
• Galaxy head coach Ruud Gullit made five changes to the team that lost 2-1 to the New England Revolution. Troy Roberts and Greg Vanney came in for the injured central defense pair of Sean Franklin and Abel Xavier, Ely Allen and Peter Vagenas came into the midfield for Alvaro Pires and Joe Franchino, and Landon Donovan returned to the first XI in place of Alan Gordon.
• Here's Gullit's team (4-4-2): Steve Cronin - Chris Klein, Troy Roberts, Greg Vanney, Ante Jazic (Joe Franchino 35/Carlos Ruiz 58) - Ely Allen, David Beckham, Peter Vagenas (Alvaro Pires 84), Mike Randolph - Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan. Substitutes Not Used: Alan Gordon, Vito Higgins, Josh Tudela, Julian Valentin
TEAM NEWS
• Heading into the Chivas match, Gullit had to make some sudden changes to his team, as both Sean Franklin and Abel Xavier went down with injuries.
• "On Thursday we had a full squad. We had a tactical game and players who were maybe not playing much and then other players were getting injured so therefore we had to improvise," Gullit said. "I think the players that played did really good, especially Vanney and Roberts. It is tough for them but in the second half I thought they played much better. So compliments to them and how they played the game."
• Then Gullit had to make another change early on, when Ante Jazic suffered a back injury in a heavy collision while challenging for the ball. He was replaced by Joe Franchino, but he had to come off with a hamstring injury.
• "All of a sudden you think is there something going on. All of a sudden people were falling like flies. Despite that I think the team played extremely hard," Gullit said. "I think the second half was much better than the first half. I think we had a chance to win the game. A compliment to the way they worked in this game. It was tough but they took it well. "
• There was a planned change that still occurred - moving David Beckham from a wide midfield role into the center.
• "I just wanted to create more football in the midfield. In part we did do that. He was on the ball more also. Because we had some issues we needed to improvise a little bit. It was also difficult to make the changes and put him on the right side, of course he is more dangerous but if he plays like that too much on the outside it can also be dangerous for us because Klein is sometimes too much on his own against two men," Gullit said. "... David is incredible. He works so hard, he was handling the ball and he is such a great example for the team. Everyone is always judging him on his looks and money, but I think if you see him today you see him working hard and being a role model."
• Edson Buddle just continued his amazing goal-scoring form, moving into a tie with Landon Donovan for the MLS Golden Boot with 11 goals, then being selected for his first All-Star Game.
• "What I like about Edson is that he is an example. Like Landon his work rate is unbelievable. He works hard without the ball, chasing people, holding the ball, sharp and scoring goals. I think we are all very proud of him," Gullit said. "I think he is ready to be selected to the national team because I think he is doing really, really well."
• The Galaxy hope to have veteran Argentinean defender Eduardo Dominguez available. Capable of playing in central defense, as well as a left back, Dominguez joins the Galaxy after spending one season with Huracán of Argentina's Primera Division. He was signed on July 8. The 29-year-old central defender has spent his entire professional career playing in South America, with Velez Sarsfield, Olimpo, Racing Club, Independiente and Medellín (Colombia) before moving to Huracán.
