BULLS LOOK TO BUILD ON WIN:
The New York Red Bulls look to earn their first two-game winning streak of the season when they host the Houston Dynamo in the second game of a four-game homestand Saturday at Giants Stadium at 7:30 PM ET (TV: MSG; Radio: WQBU 92.7 FM).
New York is coming off a dominating 4-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes last Friday and moved to 2-5-2 (8 pts.). They will be hosting a Dynamo team that is on a roll after earned its third-straight win with a 1-0 victory over FC Dallas on Saturday at Robertson Stadium. Forward Kei Kamara scored the game's only goal in the 58th minute off a Stuart Holden feed. The three points propelled Houston to a tie for third place in the Western Conference with a 3-2-2 (11 pts.) record.
Prior to their three-game win streak, the Dynamo tied the Red Bulls, 0-0, at Robertson Stadium on April 11 in the first meeting between the two teams. In that match, which featured 28 fouls, six cautions and two ejections, the Red Bulls had to make their first substitution just eight minutes in when goalkeeper Danny Cepero collided head-to-head with Kamara and Cepero was substituted by goalkeeper Alec Dufty. It was the first time the two teams faced off since the Red Bulls defeated the Dynamo, 4-1, in a two-leg aggregate goal series in last year's Western Conference Semifinals. The Red Bulls and Dynamo tied the first leg at one on Saturday, Nov. 1 at Giants Stadium when a Juan Pablo Angel goal was cancelled out by Kamara. With the two-game series tied going into the second leg, the winner of the Nov. 9 match at Robertson Stadium would determine who would advance one step closer to the MLS Cup.
The Red Bulls earned a 3-0 win in their away leg, with goals from Dane Richards, Angel and John Wolyniec. The Dynamo peppered the Red Bulls' net but Cepero made five saves for his first career shutout.
The Red Bulls and Dynamo faced off twice in the regular season in 2008. After starting out the season with a 4-4-5 record, the two-time defending MLS Cup champion Dynamo lost only one of their final 17 matches, going 9-1-7. However, Houston's only loss in that span came against New York - a 3-0 Red Bulls win at Giants Stadium on Aug. 24. New York capped a three-game winning streak that afternoon with goals from Juan Pablo Angel, Dane Richards and Mike Magee. The Dynamo won the first encounter of the season against a depleted Red Bulls squad at Robertson Stadium on May 31, 1-0, behind a Brian Ching strike in the 68th minute.
All-time, the Red Bulls are 2-2-3 in regular season action (3-2-3 in all competitions) against the Dynamo and hold a 2-0-1 record at Giants Stadium. Ching leads the Dynamo with three goals while goalkeeper Pat Onstad has a 0.71 goals against average and has not conceded a goal in the past 403 minutes - a MLS season high.
RED BULLS TOPPLE QUAKES, 4-1: Red Bulls midfielder Jorge Rojas scored the first two goals of the match in the seventh and 13th minutes to power the Red Bulls to a 4-1 win over the visiting San Jose Earthquakes at Giants Stadium. The win snapped the Red Bulls' (2-5-2, 8 pts) three-game losing streak and marked the 11th time that the franchise won its first home match after a west coast swing (5-0-6). The Red Bulls improved to 2-1-1 at home and are amid a four-game homestand in the month of May.
Rojas opened the scoring just seven minutes in when his free kick curled in and bounced in the box before zipping in the back of the net past San Jose goalkeeper Joe Cannon. Rojas scored again just six minutes later when he finished a play at the back post after Carlos Johnson's long throw was flicked on by Macoumba Kandji and Rojas rushed to finish it from close range. Juan Pablo Angel made it 3-0 in the 22nd minute when he took another Kandji cross across the box and knocked it in. Kandji then scored his own goal, as he dispossessed Kelly Gray in San Jose's half and got through on goal, before firing it into the low right corner for a 4-0 Red Bulls lead in the 40th minute.
San Jose scored its lone goal moments before halftime when the ball bounced out to Earthquakes Ramiro Corrales, who headed it to Ryan Johnson and the forward put the ball past Red Bulls keeper Danny Cepero.
2009 MLS STANDINGS:
Click here to view the MLS standings.
LAST WEEK:
Red Bulls 4, San Jose Earthquakes 1 on May 8 at Giants Stadium
THIS WEEK:
Red Bulls vs. Houston Dynamo on May 16 at 7:30 PM ET at Giants Stadium (TV: MSG; Radio: WQBU 92.7)
NEXT WEEK:
Red Bulls vs. Chicago Fire on May 24 at 3:00 PM ET at Giants Stadium (TV: MSG, TeleFutura; Radio: WADO 1280 AM)
RED BULLS TO CHOP IT UP IN IRON CHEF COMPETITION: The New York Red Bulls will trade in their soccer jerseys for aprons and take part in the second annual Red Bulls "Iron Chef" Cook-Off at ESPN Zone on Tuesday, May 12 at 12:30 p.m. in Times Square.
The "Iron Chef"-style competition will pit 19 Red Bulls players and coaches against each other in a culinary showdown featuring healthy cooking tips and recipes along with some friendly competition. The players will have 30 minutes to create an entrée, which will then be judged by a panel of experts and media members. Judging criteria will include taste, presentation and creativity.
Players and coaches scheduled to compete in the event include: Danleigh Borman, Andrew Boyens, Albert Celedes, Danny Cepero, Carlos Johnson, Jeremy Hall, Macoumba Kandji, Matthew Mbuta, Carlos Mendes, Dominic Oduro, Alfredo Pacheco, Mike Petke, Juan Pietravallo, Jorge Rojas, Luke Sassano, Khano Smith, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, John Wolyniec, Nick Zimmerman, Assistant Coach Richie Williams and Head Coach Juan Carlos Osorio.
The event will be free and open to the public, which can view the competition in its entirety from the Screening Room bar.
FIRST FOUR SETS RECORD: The New York Red Bulls' four goals scored in the opening 45 minutes of their 4-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes last Friday set a club record for most goals scored in the first half. The previous record was three, which was accomplished 11 times - most recently in a 5-4 loss to the Colorado Rapids on Sept. 27, 2008 at Giants Stadium.
The most goals a New York team has scored in a half are six, set on Aug. 26, 2006 in a 6-0 win over Real Salt Lake at Giants Stadium. Every goal was scored in the second half.
MAC ATTACK: Red Bulls forward Macoumba Kandji had a standout performance in the Red Bulls' 4-1 win over San Jose last Friday, having a hand in all four of the Red Bulls' goals. In the 7th minute, Kandji was fouled by Nick Garcia and this led to Jorge Rojas' free kick strike moments after. Six minutes later, Kandji was the provider, flicking on a Carlos Johnson throw-in to Rojas, who put it into the back of the net.
In the 22nd minute, Kandji provided the cross and added his second assist of the night for Juan Pablo Angel, who knocked in the team's third goal. Finally, the Senegalese forward tallied a goal of his own in the 40th minute, dispossessing defender Kelly Gray before one-timing his shot past goalkeeper Joe Cannon. Signed last year on Sept. 15 from the Atlanta Silverbacks of the United Soccer League's First Division, Kandji has two goals and three assists this season.
HOORAY JORGE: After playing in 18 regular season games for New York, midfielder Jorge Rojas scored his first MLS goal last Friday in his 19th match with a free kick in the seventh minute to give the Red Bulls the lead in a 4-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes Friday. Rojas doubled the Red Bulls' lead six minutes later when he headed in a Macoumba Kandji flick on. The Venezuela National Team captain, who joined the Red Bulls on July 17, 2008, has also tallied an assist this season from New York. He did score a goal as a Red Bull in a friendly against FC Barcelona on Aug. 6, 2008 at Giants Stadium.
RED BULLS HOST SIXTH-ANNUAL ACS TOURNAMENT SATURDAY: Red Bull New York will be teaming up with the American Cancer Society to co-host an overnight soccer tournament after the Red Bulls' Saturday match against the Houston Dynamo at Giants Stadium at 7:30 PM. The sixth-annual Red Bull New York Soccer Tournament to benefit the American Cancer Society kicks-off immediately following the Red Bulls-Dynamo match and will conclude with a trophy presentation the following morning. Last year's tournament helped raise over $30,000 in an effort to benefit cancer research.
"We are proud to continue our partnership with ACS in raising money for cancer research," said Red Bulls Managing Director Erik Stover. "The overnight soccer tournament has always been a popular event and we are pleased to host it for such a valuable cause."
"Regardless of the downturn in the economy, we need to remain steadfast in the fight against cancer. The Red Bulls continue to step up to the challenge and we truly cherish the partnership between our fine organizations. We wish them the very best and continued success," said Frank P. Mascia, Executive Vice President for ACS.
All games are 20 minutes in length and will be played on short-sided fields in Giants Stadium and in the Giants Stadium Bubble. The first round will be a group stage round robin format with each team guaranteed to play in three games. This is followed by a single elimination tournament to determine the champion.
For more information, please call the Red Bulls at 1.877.RBSOCCER.
FIRST HELPINGS: Red Bulls newcomers Carlos Johnson and Albert Celades tallied their first-career assists in the Red Bulls' 4-1 win over the Earthquakes on Friday night. Johnson provided the throw-in that Macoumba Kandji flicked on for a Jorge Rojas goal in the 13th minute and nine minutes later Celades lobbed the ball to Kandji, who cross it in for a Juan Pablo Angel goal.
For Celades, it was his first MLS start, as he played 64 minutes in the win. The former Real Madrid and Barcelona player joined the Red Bulls on March 11, 2009, after training with the club during preseason. Celades made his MLS debut on April 11 but missed three matches due to a left hamstring strain. He returned on May 2 against Los Angeles as a substitute. Celades, who was a part of the Real Madrid side that earned the prestigious UEFA Champions League in 2002, is the second player in New York franchise history to have won the Champions League. The other player was Italian midfielder Roberto Donadoni, who did it three times with Italian Serie A giant, AC Milan.
Johnson was signed by the Red Bulls on March 19, 2009, after playing for Norwegian second division side, Bryne FK.
STAMM HITS CENTURY: With his start against San Jose on Friday, Red Bulls midfielder Seth Stammler has now made 100 appearances in MLS and for the Red Bulls. He is the 11th player in club history to hit the mark.
Stammler made his return to the field at Houston on April 11, starting and playing 64 minutes before being substituted for Albert Celades. It was Stammler's first regular season match back since undergoing right knee surgery on Oct. 31, 2008 to repair a torn lateral meniscus in his right knee. He had played with the torn meniscus since late August. In 2008, Stammler started and played in 26 games, recording one goal and four assists. Stammler is the Red Bulls' longest continuously tenured player, having been with the team since he was drafted in the second round (18th overall) in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft.
MR. EL SALVADOR: Red Bull New York announced last Friday that the coach of the El Salavdor National Team, Carlos De los Cobos, accepted the "Espiga Dorada" award on behalf of Red Bulls defender Alfredo Pacheco. The award recognizes Pacheco as the best Salvadorian player of the 2008 season. Thirty-two athletes were also given the award in their respective sports. The Circulo de Informadores Deportivos (CID), the media association in El Salvador, selected Pacheco for the award.
"I'm proud to receive this award on behalf of the only player from the national team to play outside of El Salvador," said Cobos.
"I want to thank God for allowing me to do what I love and to everyone else who made this award possible," Pacheco said. "This will give me more motivation and responsibility to represent my country in a positive way in MLS and play well on the field."
HOME SWEET HOME: The Red Bulls return to the Meadowlands for most of the month of May looking to earn points and move up the standings. This season, New York has a 2-1-1 record at Giants Stadium and a plus-4 goal differential (9-5). In each of the past two seasons, the Red Bulls have earned a 9-3-3 record at home.
DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT IT: The Red Bulls did not receive any yellow or red cards in their 4-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes on Friday. It marks the first time New York has not received a caution or ejection since July 10, 2008 - a 2-1 loss to the Kansas City Wizards at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
RED BULLS, NYPD TO TRAVEL TO COLOMBIA: Under the "Soccer for Kids - Breaking Borders" program, implemented by the New York Red Bulls in conjunction with the New York Police Department Soccer Team, a delegation from both entities will travel to Colombia from May 20-27 and hold soccer clinics and bring underprivileged children from different schools 200 soccer balls and over 1,000 Red Bulls t-shirts and pieces of apparel. Through this delegation of goodwill, the movement's goal is to send a positive message that reflects the way in which the sport of soccer can help individuals achieve a better standard of living, showing that nothing is impossible with the joint efforts of both countries.
This trip will take place in the cities of Pereira, Manizales, Armenia and Santa Rosa. In Manizales, the delegation will visit the schools, Fe y Alegria, José María Vargas Vila and Santa Clara. The delegation will also have the opportunity to visit the school, Pedro José Rivera, the alma mater of Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio.
"I'm excited about this project which started some time ago with Dino Dominguez, Miguel Cuellar, and other soccer figures in the City of New York," said Ernesto Motta, Senior Director of Communications and Hispanic Affairs for the New York Red Bulls. "It was very successful in Ecuador, a country we had the opportunity to visit last year. Our goal is to continue to visit countries in South and Central America, allowing us to be in contact with children, and hope that this modest donation could be a message that would bring smiles to their faces, and become something very positive in their lives."
"I am very glad that this group can visit the school in which I began my studies," Osorio said. "I have great memories of it. I am very grateful to the NYPD Soccer Team and the Red Bulls for this wonderful initiative to help those that need help the most."
This event also has the backing of the Embassy of the United States of America in Bogota, Colombia. "We are very pleased to work with the NYPD/Red Bulls Soccer clinic for children with limited resources in Colombia. I am certain that this important and valued program will bring much joy to these children," said Mark Wentworth, Public Affairs Officer of the diplomatic representation.
The NYPD Soccer Team will take part in several friendly matches to establish closer ties with their Colombian counterparts, who have received the program with great enthusiasm and are working hard to ensure that this campaign is successful.
"We are very happy to be part of this program with the Red Bulls, to share this new experience and deliver a significant donation," said NYPD said Lt. Ronald Mejia. "We will do everything in our power to ensure that the Colombian children fully enjoy the clinics and the time we spend with them."
"I am very pleased that these New York City police officers, on their own time and with their own resources, are traveling to my home country to bring this donation to these children in need," said Red Bulls captain Juan Pablo Angel, a native of Medellin, Colombia.
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.
