BULLS LOOK TO BOUNCE BACK IN CALIFORNIA:
The New York Red Bulls look to get back on track this week when they travel to California Monday for two away games this week. On Wednesday, the Red Bulls kick off their 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign against the San Jose Earthquakes in a play-in game at Buck Shaw Stadium at 10:30 PM ET. Three days later, New York heads south to battle the Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center at 10:30 PM ET (TV: MSG; Radio: WADO 1280 AM).
After coming off a tough 3-2 loss to D.C. United, the Red Bulls will take on an Earthquakes side that dropped a 2-0 decision to Seattle Sounders FC at Qwest Field Saturday night. Steve Zakuani put the Sounders ahead in the 42nd minute and Brad Evans doubled their lead five minutes after the break. San Jose comes into Wednesday's match with a 1-3-2 record (5 pts.) and it is currently in a tie for fifth place in the Western Conference. Arturo Alvarez and Ryan Johnson both have two goals apiece to lead the Earthquakes while former Red Bull defender Chris Leitch, who was acquired by San Jose on March 2, 2009 for allocation money and an international slot, has a team-high three assists.
New York won last year's season series against San Jose, earning a 1-0-1 record. On April 26, the Red Bulls got goals from Mike Magee and Jozy Altidore, as they pulled out a 2-0 win at Giants Stadium. In the return game at Buck Shaw Stadium on July 27, the two teams played to a 1-1 tie after an Eric Denton own goal and a Darren Huckerby tally. The Red Bulls are 7-13-6 all-time against the Earthquakes, but have never faced them in U.S. Open Cup action.
The winner of Wednesday's game will take on D.C. United at a location and a date to be determined for the right to play in the U.S. Open Cup's main bracket. Last year, the Red Bulls qualified for the U.S. Open Cup's main bracket but fell to United Soccer League Second Division side, Crystal Palace Baltimore, 2-0, in Annapolis, MD on July 1. New York's best finish in the Open Cup was in 2003, when it made it all the way to the final before losing to the Chicago Fire, 1-0, on Oct. 15 at Giants Stadium.
Fans will be able to follow all of the action from Wednesday's game on the team's official blog, www.redbullsreader.com.
RED BULLS TANGLE WITH GALAXY: The Red Bulls return to MLS Regular Season action when they battle the Los Angeles Galaxy Saturday. Currently in seventh place in the Western Conference with a 0-1-4 (4 pts.) record, Los Angeles, led by former Red Bulls Sporting Director and head coach Bruce Arena, has earned four-straight ties. Last Saturday, the Galaxy drew 1-1 with the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park. After a scoreless first half, Colin Clark put the hosts ahead in the 60th minute. However, U.S. international Landon Donovan leveled the game eight minutes from full time.
Donovan leads the Galaxy in both goals and assists with three, while Jamaican goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts has been impressive since joining Los Angeles, posting a 0.67 goals against average and one shutout in three games. The Red Bulls won the 2008 season series against the Galaxy with a 1-0-1 record. On May 10, 2008, the Red Bulls earned a 2-1 win over the Galaxy at The Home Depot Center. New York midfielder Danleigh Borman put the Red Bulls up in the first half and Los Angeles forward Alan Gordon equalized in the second half. However, moments after Gordon scored, Juan Pablo Angel put home a feed from Dane Richards to give the Red Bulls the full three points. On July 19, the Red Bulls earned a 2-2 draw at Giants Stadium in front of a season-high 46,754 fans. Goals from Dave van den Bergh and Juan Pablo Angel gave the Red Bulls a 2-1 lead after Carlos Ruiz scored the opening goal. However, a Donovan strike in second half stoppage time helped Los Angeles earn a point.
All-time, the Red Bulls are 14-12-5 against their Western Conference rival and are unbeaten in 13 out of their last 14 in regular season action (8-1-5). The only loss during that time span was a 1-0 defeat at The Home Depot Center on July 4, 2006. The Red Bulls are unbeaten in their last four against the Galaxy (2-0-2).
TEAM HOSTS VIEWING PARTY AT NEVADA SMITH'S: The Red Bulls will be hosting an Official Viewing Party on Saturday night for the Red Bulls-Galaxy match at 10:30 PM ET at Nevada Smith's, located on 74 Third Ave. between 11th and 12th sts. in New York City. Fans are welcome to stop on by as there will be drink specials and giveaways during the match.
RED BULLS SUCCUMB TO D.C. RALLY: After coming back from a one-goal deficit, the New York Red Bulls (1-4-2, 5 pts.) conceded two late goals, dropping a 3-2 decision to D.C. United (2-1-3, 9 pts.) at Giants Stadium on Sunday afternoon. United forwards Luciano Emilio and Chris Pontius scored in the 90th and 91st minutes to give the visitors the full three points. Juan Pablo Angel and Dane Richards scored in the second half after Rodney Wallace put United ahead in the 21st minute.
The Red Bulls had the first opportunity of the match just one minute in when an Angel free kick was punched away by goalkeeper Louis Crayton. Twelve minutes later, Richards got free on the right wing and hit a low cross into the six-yard box that a marked Dominic Oduro almost reached.
D.C. United went ahead in the 21st minute. Bryan Namoff played a long ball along the right wing to an on-rushing Santino Quaranta. Quaranta controlled the ball before putting a cross towards the far post that an unmarked Wallace slotted in.
Moments later, Quaranta was able to get in on goal and tried to chip Red Bulls goalkeeper Jon Conway but his attempt went over the crossbar. The Red Bulls looked to tie the game in the 36th minute when Richards freed Oduro in the penalty box and Oduro's low shot was held by Crayton.
Seconds before halftime, United nearly doubled their lead. A low D.C. pass played into the Red Bulls' box was deflected into the air. Conway came out to try and punch it away but could not get to it and the ball fell to Wallace, whose shot on goal was headed off the line by Jeremy Hall.
The Red Bulls made two substitutions at halftime with Macoumba Kandji and Jorge Rojas coming in for Dominic Oduro and Andrew Boyens and both almost made an immediate impact on the scoreboard. Rojas fired a low left-footed shot that trickled past the right post moments into the second half and in the 49th minute, Kandji made a darting run into the box and passed it off to Sinisa Ubiparipovic, whose 10-yard attempt was knocked off the line by Namoff.
United pressed for an equalizer and came close when Wallace took the ball along the end line and cut it back to Luciano Emilio. With Conway off his line, Emilio's shot went wide left. In the 53rd minute, Emilio was through alone on goal. However, Kevin Goldthwaite came back to make a tackle before Emilio was able to get a shot off.
The Red Bulls tied the game in the 68th minute. After the Red Bulls earned a free kick on the right wing and Wallace was issued a yellow card, Rojas stepped up and curled it into the box. Angel rose above his defender at the far post and nodded it past Crayton for his second goal of the season.
New York took its first lead six minutes later. Rojas got free on the wing and hit a ball to Angel, whose header was knocked off the left post by Crayton. Richards battled his way through traffic and slotted it in from close range. It was Richards' first goal of the season.
The Red Bulls almost made it 3-1 shortly after. Rojas strung the ball through Kandji, who touched it past his defender and took a shot that an on-rushing Crayton blocked away. The Red Bulls out-shot D.C., 21-11, and had a 10-5 advantage in shots on goal. Crayton made seven saves.
Down 2-1, D.C. was able to string together two last-gasp goals with just minutes to play. In the 90th minute, Pontius hit a cross field ball to Quaranta, who one timed it into the box. Emilio beat his defender in the six yard box and knocked it past Conway to tie the score.
A minute later, Pontius found the back of the net himself. United defender Marc Burch hit a long ball into the Red Bulls penalty box. Substitute Thabiso Khumalo beat a diving Conway to the ball and slid it to Pontius, who hit it into the empty net.
2009 MLS STANDINGSClick here to view the MLS standings.
LAST WEEK:
Red Bulls 0, Kansas City Wizards 1 on April 23 at CommunityAmerica Ballpark
Red Bulls 2, D.C. United 3 on April 26 at Giants Stadium
THIS WEEK:
Red Bulls at San Jose Earthquakes on April 29 at 10:30 PM ET (U.S. Open Cup Play-In Game) at Buck Shaw Stadium (NO TV, Radio)
Red Bulls at Los Angeles Galaxy on May 2 at 10:30 PM ET at The Home Depot Center (TV: MSG; Radio: WADO 1280 AM)
NEXT WEEK: Red Bulls vs. San Jose Earthquakes on May 8 at 7:30 PM ET at Giants Stadium (TV: MSG; Radio: WQBU 92.7)
ON HIS WINGS: The Red Bulls received a strong performance from forward Juan Pablo Angel in their 3-2 loss to D.C. United Sunday. Angel found the back of the net for the second time this season, nodding in a Jorge Rojas cross in the 68th minute to tie the game at one. Six minutes later, Angel forced United goalkeeper Louis Crayton to make a save with another header before Red Bulls midfielder Dane Richards tapped it in for his first goal of the season.
Angel now has 35 goals in 54 regular season games played for New York, just six goals behind the club record set by Giovanni Savarese (41). April 17, 2009, marked the two-year anniversary of when Angel signed with the Red Bulls as its Designated Player.
SUPER SUBS: With the Red Bulls down, 1-0, at halftime, head coach Juan Carlos Osorio brought Jorge Rojas and Macoumba Kandji into the game and both players made a significant difference. Rojas picked up his first assist of the season, hitting a free kick that resulted in a Juan Pablo Angel goal. Later, Rojas created the pass which resulted in Dane Richards tapping in his first goal of the season.
Kandji, who has one goal and one assist this season, also made an impact, taking three shots - all of which were on goal.
JOHNSON AVAILABLE, HALL RETURNS: Red Bulls defender Carlos Johnson served a one-game suspension for earning a red card on April 23 against Kansas City and will be available for selection for the Red Bulls' Saturday showdown against Los Angeles. Meanwhile, Jeremy Hall made his return to the Starting XI after serving his own one-game suspension after receiving a red card against Real Salt Lake on April 18. He played 84 minutes against United before being replaced by Juan Pietravallo.
CLUB ADDS NEW ONLINE INITIATIVES: 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.
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.
