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NEW YORK RED BULLS v NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
GIANTS STADIUM, E. Rutherford, N.Y.
7:30 p.m. ET (MSG; WB-56)
April 8, 2006 (WEEK #2) MLS Game #8
The New York Red Bulls make their 2006 home debut with what is sure to be a star-studded opening night at The Meadowlands, evoking memories of years gone by as they entertain last year's MLS Cup Finalist and bitter rival New England Revolution. Both teams came away with positive results from their season openers - the Red Bulls claiming a point in a visit to D.C. United, while the Revolution defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy 1-0 in a rematch of MLS Cup 2005.
REFEREE: Baldomero Toledo. SAR (bench): Rick Eddy; JAR (opposite): C.J. Morgante; 4th: Jorge Gonzalez
MLS Career: 19 games; FC/gm: 28.3; Y/gm: 3.7; R: 5; pens: 4
Games involving Red Bulls: P4 W0 L1 T3; FC/gm: 31.8; Y/gm: 3.3; R: 1; pens: 1
Games involving Revolution: P5 W1 L0 T4; FC/gm: 31.2; Y/gm: 4.2; R: 2; pens: 1
INJURY REPORT: NEW YORK RED BULLS - QUESTIONABLE: MF Mark Lisi (R groin strain) ... NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION - OUT: MF Khano Smith (L knee surgery); MF Jani Galik (R hamstring strain); QUESTIONABLE: DF Michael Parkhurst (R thigh strain); PROBABLE: GK Matt Reis (R hamstring strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (39 meetings): Red Bulls 16 wins (2 shootout), 75 goals ... Revolution 18 wins (3 shootout), 73 goals ... 5 draws
AT GIANTS STADIUM: (20 meetings): Red Bulls 12 wins (0 shootout), 50 goals ... Revolution 6 wins (2 shootout), 34 goals ... 2 draws
This is the first of four meetings this season between the two I-95 rivals, the first of two at the Meadowlands. They will meet for the first time in Foxborough on July 1, then meet twice in 11 days near the end of the season, Sept. 9 in Massachusetts and Sept. 20 in East Rutherford.
LAST YEAR (MLS):
5/21 MET 2, NE 2 (Gaven 16; Wolyniec 83 - Twellman 6, 89)
6/25 NE 4, MET 2 (Cancela 1; Heaps 72; Ralston 86; Noonan 90 - Djorkaeff 67; Galvan Rey 68)
9/17 MET 5, NE 4 (Magee 7, 76; Djorkaeff 51, 86; Guevara 59 - Joseph 29, 61; Dempsey71; Twellman 74)
9/24: NE 1, MET 0 (Riley 85)
A year ago, the Revolution won two of the four league meetings - winning both matches at Gillette Stadium - with the then-MetroStars claiming one win at home with one draw.
The teams then met in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, the Metros claiming a 1-0 victory at home (Guevara 34) in the first leg, but the Revolution coming back with three late goals for a 3-1 victory in Foxborough (Cancela 68; Noonan 73; Smith 83 - Djorkaeff 59) to claim the series 3-2 on aggregate. It was the second time in three years the Revolution eliminated the MetroStars.
New York has won just two of the last 13 league meetings between the clubs - last year's win and a 3-2 win in the final meeting in 2004 - dating back to July 20, 2002. That was the final encounter in a stretch that saw nine victories for the Gotham club in 11 meetings, with just one New England victory in the span starting with the 2000 campaign.
Coaches record: Mo Johnston vs. NE: first meeting ... Steve Nicol v NY: P16 W8 L4 D4NEW YORK RED BULLS
The New York Red Bulls began the new chapter in club history with a 2-2 draw with D.C. United last Sunday afternoon at RFK Stadium. The Red Bulls and United are tied for third place in the Eastern Conference, each with one point from their first match.
LAST MATCH
The Red Bulls played the first game under their new ownership and came away with a point, as D.C. United stormed back from a two-goal halftime deficit to claim the draw.
The new-look Red Bulls had a two-goal lead after just 18 minutes. Youri Djorkaeff once again exhibited his free kick mastery, whipping a right-footed curling, dipping shot over the United wall from almost 30 yards out (15). Then New York was gifted a second, D.C. 'keeper Troy Perkins spilling a cross from the right corner right at the feet of Edson Buddle, who had the simplest of tasks to open his Red Bulls account.
But Alecko Eskandarian made his 2005 debut, coming on to start the second half, and turned the game around. He netted his first since winning MVP honors with a two-goal day at MLS Cup 2004, latching onto a pinpoint cross from Josh Gros and blasting a first-time left-footed volley into the roof of the net on 55 minutes.
Then 10 minutes later center back Facundo Erpen snuck forward and drove a long-range shot low and hard from well outside the Red Bulls area to pull United level.
Here's Mo Johnston's team (4-4-1-1): Tony Meola - Marvell Wynne, Taylor Graham, Jeff Parke, Carlos Mendes - Seth Stammler (Peter Canero 81), Amado Guevara, Danny O'Rourke, Chris Henderson - Youri Djorkaeff (Mark Lisi 90) - Edson Buddle. (Substitutes Not Used: Josmer Altidore, Jon Conway, Steve Jolley, Mike Magee, Thiago Martins)
"You're always nervous at 2-0. D.C. United is a good team. They come forward and they come forward well," Johnston said. "When you look at 2-0, they got a goal and it gives them a lift and that's what happens. You start getting nervous people out there. You tell them to just keep the ball and things will work out. I told them at halftime (D.C. United) is going to bring (Alecko) Eskandarian on and you have to be able to deal with him, and he goes out and scores a great goal. Then they hit us with the kitchen sink."
TEAM NEWS
In the first half, Freddy Adu was mainly in a wide left role, putting him head-to-head with No. 1 overall pick Marvell Wynne. Then in the second half, Alecko Eskandarian moved into the wide left role as Adu moved into a central position.
"I felt Freddy didn't want any part of Marvell in the first half," Johnston said. "It was an easier time. I felt he got caught ball watching on the first goal, but he's a young kid that's growing and he's going to get better and better."
Red Bulls goalkeeper Tony Meola said the long-distance shot from Facundo Erpen took a deflection on its way to goal.
"It was coming right at me," Meola said to the Newark Star-Ledger. "We let them off the hook. We make the block on that play and the game's over. They always have the ball (possession) here. It seems like every time you come here as a goalkeeper you touch the ball 100 times in this place. But these guys in this place have done this to every team in the league. It's never an easy last 20 minutes. It seems like they've got more forwards to bring on than anyone and you've got to weather the storm for a little while."
On Tuesday, Meola was named as part of the U.S. national team for its friendly April 11 against Jamaica in Cary, N.C. If Meola appears in the match, it will his 100th international appearance.
"Tony Meola has had an outstanding career for the national team with three World Cups to his credit, as well as 11 years in MLS," said U.S. national team manager Bruce Arena. "It's an honor for me and U.S. Soccer to recognize Tony's achievements in our sport by watching him earn his 100th cap for his country. We look forward to a special evening and recognizing Tony for an illustrious career."
"It is always an honor every time you get called into national team camp especially at this stage right before the World Cup," said Meola. "I have cherished each and every opportunity I have had to play for my country and I will certainly cherish this one as well. I am excited that Bruce has the faith in me to call me in and take a look as the team finalizes its preparation for this summer."NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
The New England Revolution again got off to a tremendous start, claiming a road victory in their season opener with a 1-0 victory against defending MLS champion Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center on Saturday night. The Revolution head the Eastern Conference along with the Kansas City Wizards, the only teams in the division to take maximum points from the opening weekend.
The Revolution gained a small measure of revenge, defeating the Galaxy in a rematch of MLS Cup 2005. It was a night full of emotion in Carson. The Galaxy first remembered Doug Hamilton, the club's president and general manager, who passed away during the preseason. They then received their championship rings from last November's triumph against the Revolution.
But unlike that result, to open the '06 season it was New England who hit for the game's only goal, Clint Dempsey sliding in to head home an Andy Dorman free kick from the left edge of the penalty area in the 33rd minute.
Here's Steve Nicol's team (3-4-3): Matt Reis - Jay Heaps, Daniel Hernandez, James Riley (Kyle Brown 83) - Steve Ralston, Andy Dorman, Shalrie Joseph, Joe Franchino - Clint Dempsey, Taylor Twellman, Pat Noonan (Substitutes Not Used: Jose Cancela, Avery John, Marshall Leonard, Tony Lochhead, Willie Sims, Doug Warren)
''Both teams have some sharpening up to do," Nicol said. ''Both teams gave the ball up quite a bit. We had spells where we passed the ball well. We need to turn that into concentrated amounts of possession, as opposed to spells."
TEAM NEWS
Despite seeing the Galaxy presented with their rings before the match, the Revolution said it really didn't add real incentive to the season-opening match.
"It was a little bit of payback but at the same time they've got the rings and we don't," Clint Dempsey said. "This was just a little battle that we won and hopefully we can add upon it ... but you can't really say that this is as good as a ring."
Daniel Hernandez filled the middle of the back three, with Michael Parkhurst still sidelined - after starting in every league match last year in his rookie campaign.
''It is a little difficult on a big field, with two quick players [Landon Donovan and Herculez Gomez] up front," Hernandez said to The Boston Globe. ''But it helped that we played together in the system in the preseason. As long as we play as a team and fill in gaps, we'll be all right.
"The midfielders and forwards defended well. We defended really well as a team. They had a chance at the beginning of the game, but after that, we shut them down completely, he said. "Championship teams have to win games like this. We are not 100 percent, but we realize we have to be more patient and play as a team sometimes. You can't attack at 100 miles per hour all game. You have to be smart about how you play."
Reis was pleased with the effort of the defense in front of him - and wasn't concerned that the three-pronged attack of U.S. internationals hit for only one goal.
''With the firepower we have, I'm not worried. It's a tough thing to create chances. To get good, quality chances, so many things have to go right. One errant pass, a bad decision, ruins everything," Reis said to The Boston Globe. "We will definitely get more chances but, personally, I am more concerned about keeping it tight in the back. As long as we keep it tight, we will give ourselves a chance. If we are giving the ball away needlessly, it's going to be a long day."
