Weekly Update: Back to work

RED BULLS RETURN TO HOST GALAXY, BECKHAM:
After enjoying their first bye week of the 2009 MLS Regular Season, the New York Red Bulls start a stretch in which they play six of their next seven at home when they take on the Los Angeles Galaxy on Thursday night at 8:00 PM at Giants Stadium (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, FSE; Radio: WQBU 92.7 FM).

New York will be facing a Galaxy squad that is on a three-game winning streak, after Los Angeles defeated Chivas USA, 1-0, on Saturday night at The Home Depot Center in a Honda SuperClasico encounter. Los Angeles forward Edson Buddle tallied the game's only goal in the 31st minute as the Galaxy moved into a tie with the Colorado Rapids for fourth place in the Western Conference with 24 points - three points behind third-place Chivas USA. Thursday's match marks the first game of a three-game road-trip for Los Angeles.

The Galaxy looks to be boosted by the return of Designated Player and former England National Team Captain, David Beckham, who is expected to be available for Thursday's match after the July 15 international transfer date. Prior to returning to Los Angeles, Beckham played on loan at Italian Serie A superpower, AC Milan, since January. After joining MLS during the 2007 season, Beckham played in 25 games last season, tallying five goals and 10 assists. The Galaxy is coached by former Red Bulls Sporting Director and head coach Bruce Arena, who joined the Galaxy in Aug. 2008. United States international Landon Donovan leads the Galaxy in goals scored with six while former Red Bull Mike Magee, who is fourth in club history in all-time regular season games played, has a team-leading five assists. Goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts has posted a stellar 1.00 goals against average since joining the team earlier this season.

This will be the 33rd regular season meeting between the New York Red Bulls and the Los Angeles Galaxy. The Red Bulls have a slight lead in the all-time series, posting a 14-13-5 record. The Red Bulls have had success against the Galaxy at Giants Stadium, with a 10-5-2 all-time record. The Galaxy has not taken all three points at Giants Stadium since a 1-0 win on April 29, 2000. New York is unbeaten against the Galaxy in 13 of its last 15 regular season matches, though Los Angeles earned a 1-0 win over the Red Bulls at The Home Depot Center on May 2 in the first meeting between the teams this season. Donovan converted a penalty kick after Seth Stammler handled the ball in the box in the 39th minute for the game's only goal.

Along with Magee, who played with New York from 2003 before being traded on Jan. 14, 2009 to Los Angeles in exchange for a 2010 MLS SuperDraft second round pick, the Galaxy features former Red Bulls Buddle (2006), Todd Dunivant (2006-07) and Dema Kovalenko (2006-07).

2009 MLS STANDINGS:
Click here to view the MLS standings.

LAST WEEK:
BYE WEEK (Last match: Red Bulls 1, FC Dallas 2 on July 4 at Pizza Hut Park)

THIS WEEK:
Red Bulls vs. Los Angeles Galaxy on July 16 at Giants Stadium at 8:00 PM ET (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, FSE; Radio: WQBU 92.7 FM)

NEXT WEEK:
Red Bulls at Colorado Rapids on July 25 at Dick's Sporting Goods Park at 9:30 PM ET (TV: MSG; Radio: WQBU 92.7 FM)

TICKET DETAILS FOR W CONNECTION MATCH: Red Bull New York announced ticket details for the Red Bulls' 2009 CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round home leg against W Connection of Trinidad & Tobago on Aug. 5 at 8:00 PM ET at Giants Stadium.

Tickets for the home leg are included in 2009 Red Bulls Members' full-season ticket packages. Red Bulls Members can use the "Game A" ticket in their season ticket book for the match. Full Season Plan Holders and Partial Plan Holders will have an exclusive window to purchase add-on tickets from Friday, July 10 at 10:00 AM to Monday, July 13 at 3:00 PM at the discounted rate of $15.

Non-plan holders may purchase a Family Pack, which includes four tickets and four Red Bulls t-shirts, for $64.95. The Family Pack goes on sale through the Red Bulls' office and website, www.newyorkredbulls.com, on Monday, July 13 at 3:00 PM. Individual tickets for the Red Bulls-W Connection game will go on sale through Ticketmaster on Tuesday, July 14 at 11:00 AM and will be priced at $20 each. Groups of 15 or more will be able to buy tickets through the Red Bulls' office for $15 each. For more information, call the Red Bulls at 1.877.RBSOCCER.

Prior to the home leg against W Connection, the Red Bulls travel to Manny Ramjohn Stadium in Marabella, Trinidad and Tobago for the first leg on Thursday, July 30 at 8:00 PM ET. The Red Bulls, who are playing in their first Champions League, were one of 16 teams that were entered into the Preliminary Round in an official draw held in New York City on June 11. The winner of the two-game aggregate goals series will qualify for Group D in the Group Stage, where they face Pumas UNAM (Mexico), Comunicaciones of Guatemala and the winner of the Liberia (Costa Rica) and Real Espana (Honduras) series. New York earned the right to compete in the tournament after making the 2008 MLS Cup Final last year.

STAMMLER TO HOLD CHARITY EVENT: New York Red Bulls midfielder Seth Stammler will be hosting a charity billiards event for his charitable organization, Sporting Chance Foundation, on July 20 at Slate Plus located at 54 West 21st. St. in New York City from 7:00-10:00 PM. Fans will be able to put their pool skills to the test against several Red Bulls players, who will also be in attendance.

Admission, which is 100% tax-deductible, is $20 a person, and guests will receive a receipt directly from Sporting Chance Foundation after the event. All attendees must be at least 21 years of age. Space is limited to the first 200 RSVPs. To purchase tickets, click THIS LINK.

About Sporting Chance Foundation: After Red Bulls midfielder Seth Stammler went on a six-day service trip to the Caribbean nation of Haiti at the end of 2006, he created Sporting Chance Foundation - a 501(c)(3) certified charitable organization designed to provide academic scholarships and clean water wells to the Haitian people. SCF has already provided over 60 scholarships and built a well that provides potable water for thousands of Haitians. For more information on SCF, log onto www.sportingchancefoundation.org.

ANGELIC PACE: Red Bulls forward Juan Pablo Angel, a finalist for the 2007 Major League Soccer Most Valuable Player Award, scored his team-high sixth goal in New York's 2-1 loss to FC Dallas on Saturday, July 4. Angel is now tied for second with Clint Mathis for goals scored in regular season matches. He has a 0.60 goals per game average, which is tops in club history.

GOALS (Regular Season)

GOALS (All Competitions)

RICHARDS/PACHECO PLAY IN GOLD CUP: Red Bulls Alfredo Pacheco and Dane Richards missed New York's 2-1 loss to FC Dallas on July 4, as they were with their respective national teams for the 2009 CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Pacheco played the full 90 minutes in El Salvador's defense during their 2-1 win over Costa Rica on July 3 and a 1-0 loss to Canada on July 7. Meanwhile, Richards did not play in Jamaica's 1-0 loss to Canada on July 3 or their 1-0 defeat to Costa Rica on July 7. However, he came on for Ricardo Fuller with five minutes left in the match in a 1-0 win over Pacheco's El Salvador on July 10 in Miami. Pacheco did not play in the match. El Salvador and Jamaica did not advance to the quarterfinals.

Richards has played in 14 games, starting in 10 of them, and has one goal and one assist for the Red Bulls this season. Richards has 13 appearances with the Jamaican National Team, his first coming in 2002 at the age of 18. He has yet to score a goal for the National Team, but at the end of 2008, Richards played an integral part in helping Jamaica capture the 2008 Digicel Caribbean Cup.

Pacheco joined the Red Bulls on April 15, 2009 and has played and started in 12 games for New York. He was called up to the El Salvador National Team earlier this month for their 2010 World Cup Qualifying matches and has earned 69 caps for his country. Prior to signing with the Red Bulls, Pacheco was with C.D. FAS of the Salvadorian First Division.

WOLYNIEC IN THIRD: Red Bulls forward John Wolyniec is moving up the games played chart for New York. Wolyniec came on as a substitute against FC Dallas on Saturday, July 4 and made his 131st appearance, taking sole possession of third place. He is just one appearance shy of tying Jeff Parke for second. Teammate Mike Petke is the club's all-time leader in games played (144) and starts (138).

GAMES PLAYED

NOT GUN SHY: Red Bulls forward Juan Pablo Angel has been moving up the club's annals in shots and shots on goal. Angel is currently third in each category, with 228 shots and 120 shots on goal. He is trailing Clint Mathis (276, 125) and Amado Guevara (260, 121). Angel is in first in MLS in shots with 58 and is tied for second in shots on goal (26) behind FC Dallas' Kenny Cooper (29).

ARE YOU FOLLOWING?: The New York Red Bulls have added several new multimedia initiatives across the team's web portals, including the team's official website: NewYorkRedBulls.com.

Adding to the club's existing list of web content, including Red Bulls Wrap, a weekly podcast, Red Bulls Insider, a bi-weekly video program taking a behind-the-scenes look at the Red Bulls, the Red Bulls Facebook page, and RedBullsReader.com, the official blog of the club, are two new podcast offerings as well as two Twitter options.

This season the team has launched two new podcasts. Red Bulls Al Aire, a Spanish language offering hosted by the radio voices of the club, Ernesto Motta and Robert Sierra, posts new episodes every Wednesday. Every Thursday, a new offering is online from Petke's Podcasts, hosted by New York and MLS veteran Mike Petke, provides the players' view on the club, from the defender's unique, and often hilarious, point of view. All three podcasts are available through iTunes.

WE'RE ON TWITTER: The Red Bulls and Mike Petke have also joined Twitter.com, offering thoughts and information from the club 140 characters at a time. Follow the club at www.twitter.com/redbullsreader, and follow Petke at www.twitter.com/petkemike.