RED BULLS FACE REVS, FC DALLAS THIS WEEK:
The New York Red Bulls (4-4-3, 15 pts.) will have two games this week, first taking on Eastern Conference rival, the New England Revolution (8-3-2, 26 pts.) on Wednesday night at 7:30 PM at Gillette Stadium (TV: MSG Plus, Radio: WADO) before hosting FC Dallas (4-5-4, 16 pts.) at Giants Stadium on Saturday night at 7:30 PM (TV: Fox Soccer Channel, Radio: WADO).
New England has the best record in MLS and is on fire at the moment, currently 5-0-1 in their last six and matching the longest unbeaten run in MLS this season. Last Thursday, the Revolution defeated defending MLS Cup champion, the Houston Dynamo, 2-0, at Robertson Stadium. Steve Ralston put the visitors in front in the 8th minute before Kheli Dube added to the lead 10 minutes before halftime. Goalkeeper Matt Reis continued his strong start to the season, earning his league-leading fifth shutout of the year and saving a Stuart Holden penalty kick in the second half.
Prior to Thursday's match with Houston, a career night from Reis on June 6 included a career-high 10 saves, which helped New England to a 2-1 win and their fifth straight win over FC Dallas.
Dube leads the Revolution in goals (4), while Ralston leads the club in assists (3). Ralston and Adam Cristman have each found the back of the net three times this season.
This is the second of three games between the Red Bulls and Revs. The two teams played to a 1-1 draw on April 19 at Giants Stadium. Jozy Altidore put the hosts up in the first half with a 30th minute goal before a Jeff Larentowicz 56th minute free kick helped New England earn the tie.
New York has not produced a result at New England since a 1-1 draw on May 22, 2004. Jeff Parke and Chris Leitch started that match, and Mike Magee and John Wolyniec appeared as substitutes. New York has not posted a win at New England since a 2-0 win on June 29, 2002. That win was part of New York's best stretch of matches vs. the Revolution (8-1-1).
FC Dallas then comes into town for their second of two matches against the Red Bulls this season. The Hoops earned a 1-0 win against the Chicago Fire on Sunday at Pizza Hut Park. Forward Kenny Cooper scored his seventh goal of the season in the 17th minute and goalkeeper Dario Sala earned his fourth shutout, handing the Fire their first road loss of the year.
FC Dallas also handed the Red Bulls their first loss of 2008, a 2-0 decision, on April 12, at Pizza Hut Park. Arturo Alvarez put the hosts up in the first minute with a header past goalkeeper Jon Conway and Cooper doubled FC Dallas' advantage with a goal of his own in the second half.
SOME QUICK RED BULLS-REVOLUTION FACTS: The New York-New England rivalry dates back to the inaugural MLS season. The Red Bulls are 16-23-8 all-time against their Eastern Conference rival. New York has only faced D.C. United more times in the team's history (48). The Red Bulls are 4-15-3 on the road against the Revolution.
Here are some other quick facts:
-- Last season, the Revolution had won the previous five meetings between the sides before the teams played to a 1-1 draw at Giants Stadium on Sept. 22.
-- The last New York win at Gillette Stadium came on June 29, 2002 and the Revolution currently boast a six-game winning streak at Foxboro. The teams have met in the MLS Cup playoffs in three of the past five MLS seasons, with New England winning all three matches.
-- New England midfielder Shalrie Joseph recorded his first career two-goal game against New York on Sept. 17, 2005, and also added an assist in that game.
-- Current season-leader in assists Steve Ralston's assist on Taylor Twellman's goal on May 21, 2005 against the MetroStars at Giants Stadium gave Ralston 36 career assists, a Revolution record.
HE'S BACK: This will be the first regular season match for Juan Carlos Osorio at Gillette Stadium, but not his first appearance. He led the Chicago Fire to the Eastern Conference finals last season, dropping a 1-0 decision to the New England Revolution on November 8.
LAST WEEK: Red Bulls 1 at D.C. United 4 on June 14 at RFK Stadium
THIS WEEK:
Red Bulls at New England Revolution on June 18 at 7:30 PM ET at Gillette Stadium (TV: MSG; Radio: WADO, WQBU)
Red Bulls vs. FC Dallas on June 21 at 7:30 PM ET at Giants Stadium (TV: FSC; Radio: WADO, WQBU)
NEXT WEEK:
Red Bulls vs. Chivas de Guadalajara on June 25 at 11:00 PM ET at the University of Phoenix Stadium (TV: TeleFutura)
Red Bulls at Chivas USA on June 28 at The Home Depot Center at 10:30 PM ET (TV: MSG, HDNet; Radio: WADO)
HOSPITAL OF SPECIAL SURGERY INJURY REPORT:
Juan Pablo Angel - QUESTIONABLE - Lower Back Injury
Michael Palacio - OUT - Left Knee Injury (Season-Ending Injury List)
Claudio Reyna - QUESTIONABLE - Herniated Disc
VAN THE MAN: Red Bulls midfielder Dave van den Bergh scored his third goal of the season against D.C. United in the 54th minute, taking the ball on the right side of the penalty box before placing a shot around goalkeeper Zach Wells and into the far corner. Van den Bergh is the team's leader in goals.
Recently, van den Bergh, now in his second season with New York after being acquired on Jan. 11, 2007 from the Kansas City Wizards for a 2007 third round Supplemental Pick, had a new addition to his family. His wife Alexie gave birth to Max Daniel van den Bergh on June 3, 2008 at 1:18 AM, weighing 8 lbs., 10 oz. The couple also has a son named Ryan.
MEGALOUDIS SCORES IN WC QUALIFIER: Red Bulls forward Chris Megaloudis scored his first international goal for Puerto Rico last Saturday in the team's 2-2 draw against Honduras in the second leg of a World Cup Qualifier in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Megaloudis, who started and earned his sixth cap for Puerto Rico, tied the game at one apiece with a goal from point-blank range. Despite the result, Honduras went through to the CONCACAF Group Stages.
On Wednesday, June 4 in San Pedro Sula, Honduras, Megaloudis played 80 minutes in Puerto Rico's 4-0 loss against Honduras in the first leg.
Megaloudis has not played in a first team game for the Red Bulls, but has featured in three MLS Reserve Games. The former Westchester Flame and Long Island Rough Rider (PDL) was signed on April 4, 2008.
RED BULLS TO TAKE ON CHIVAS GUADALAJARA: Red Bull New York and Soccer United Marketing (SUM) announced that the New York Red Bulls will face Mexico's most popular side, Club Deportivo de Guadalajara, known as Chivas, in a friendly on Wednesday, June 25. The game will be played at the University of Phoenix Stadium, located in Glendale, AZ. Game time is slated for 11:00 PM ET. The match in Phoenix will be operated and promoted by Rezin Sports Marketing.
Mexico's most successful club of all time with 11 Mexican league titles, Chivas recently wrapped up a successful 2008 Torneo Clausura in which the Guadalajara club finished first in the standings, with a 9-2-6 regular season record, before falling to semifinalists Monterrey in the first round of the playoffs in mid May. The most popular club in Mexico, which fields only Mexican players, is home to some of Mexico's national team stars such as Ramón Morales, Alberto Medina, Johnny Magallón and Luis Ernesto Michel. The club will begin preparing for the 2008 Apertura season with the June match in Phoenix, its pre-season tour through Germany and its SuperLiga participation beginning July 12.
Tickets for the Red Bulls-Chivas de Guadalajara match are currently on sale, and begin as low $25 dollars. Ticket prices are $25, $35, $45 and $55, and can be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling (480) 784-4444 and online at ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available at usual tienda locations in the Phoenix area and at the University of Phoenix Stadium box office in person or via phone at (480) 784-4444. The hours for the stadium box office are 10 AM to 6 PM Monday through Friday and Saturdays 10 AM to 2:30 PM. For additional information please call (623) 433-7100 or log on to www.universityofphoenixstadium.com.
PACK YOUR BAGS: This Wednesday's match is the second game of a seven-game span in which the Red Bulls play six of seven on the road, including an exhibition match in Phoenix against Chivas de Guadalajara. The Red Bulls are 1-3-1 away from Giants Stadium this season and 3-1-2 at home.
PARKE, MAGEE MOVE UP: Defender Jeff Parke continued to move up the club's all-time games played and games started list. Parke has now played in a total of 118 matches. He has also started in 113 games and took over third place from defender Steve Jolley with his start against D.C. United. Should Parke appear in both matches this week, he would tie Jolley for third all-time.
Midfielder Mike Magee is fifth-place in the club's all-time annals in games played.
Games Played (All-Time)
1. Mike Petke (134)
2. Tony Meola (125)
3. Steve Jolley (120)
4. Jeff Parke (118)
5. Mike Magee (113)
6. Tab Ramos (112)
7. John Wolyniec (108)
8. Amado Guevara (103)
Games Started (All-Time)
1. Mike Petke (129)
2. Tony Meola (125)
3. Jeff Parke (113)
4. Steve Jolley (112)
5. Tab Ramos (105)
RED BULLS TO PLAY BARCELONA: Red Bull New York and Soccer United Marketing (SUM) announced on Friday, May 30 that 2006 UEFA Champions League Winner FC Barcelona will play the Red Bulls at Giants Stadium on Aug. 6 as part of the club's U.S. Tour. Game time is slated for 7:00 PM ET.
Tickets will be available exclusively for Red Bulls season ticket holders to add-on additional seats (Barcelona tickets are already included in full season ticket plans), as well as for current 8-Game and 4-Game plan holders to purchase their seats, from Monday, June 2 at 10 AM through Tuesday, June 3 at 5 PM. After this exclusive window, group tickets and a special ticket package that includes the FC Barcelona match and the LA Galaxy match on Saturday, July 19 will be available exclusively through the Red Bulls front office and on www.newyorkredbulls.com. For more information please call 1.877.RBSOCCER. 4-ticket packs for the FC Barcelona match will go on sale Friday, June 13, with individual tickets going on sale through TicketMaster on Tuesday, July 1.
This will mark Barcelona's third trip in the last five years to the United States, as the team toured the US in 2003 and 2006. The two sides matched up during the 2006 tour, with Barcelona emerging with a 4-1 win in front of a near-record breaking Giants Stadium crowd of 79,002 on Aug. 12.
Barcelona will be making their first trip to the United States since 2006, when they took part in a three-game summer tour of the United States. FC Barcelona played at the Los Angeles Coliseum (1-1 vs. Chivas de Guadalajara on Aug. 6), at Reliant Stadium in Houston (4-4 vs. Club America on Aug. 9), and the fixture against the Red Bulls. Following the matches this August, the team will return to Spain to continue its preseason ahead of the kick-off to the 2008-09 La Liga season.
TRYOUTS FOR RED BULL ACADEMY TEAMS: The New York Red Bulls Youth Academy is looking for the best soccer players in the tri-state area. Tryouts for the U-14, U-15, U-16 and U-18 youth academy teams will be held in May and June and are by invitation. For more information log onto www.newyorkredbulls.com or send an e-mail to academy.tryouts@newyorkredbulls.com with the following information: name, address, phone numbers, email, date of birth, current club team, position and any soccer honors. Players completing an application will be notified if they have been invited to the tryout along with the location and other pertinent details. For further information, please contact the New York Red Bulls Academy at (201) 583-7025.
RED BULLS VIEWING PARTY: The Red Bulls will be hosting a viewing party for their match against the Revolution at Jack Demsey's, located on 36 West 33rd Street (between Broadway and 5th Avenue) in Manhattan. Fans are encouraged to come as there will be drink specials and giveaways during the match. For more information, contact the Red Bulls at 1.877.RBSOCCER.
