NEW YORK RED BULLS v CHICAGO FIRE
GIANTS STADIUM, E. Rutherford, N.Y.
7:30 p.m. ET (MSG; CSN-Chi)
May 13, 2006 (WEEK #7) / MLS Game #37
The New York Red Bulls return to action after a week off to play host to the sixth installment of the Chicago Fire road show. The Red Bulls have yet to win on the 2006 season - but they've lost only once, their fourth draw of the campaign coming two weeks ago when no goals were scored as they visited Chivas USA. The Fire are undefeated in their last four games as they play the sixth match in their nine-game road run to open the campaign while their new Bridgeview Stadium is completed, having followed an opening day loss with a victory and three draws.
REFEREE: Terry Vaughn. SAR (bench): Rob Fereday; JAR (opposite): George Vergara; 4th: Roni Canales
MLS Career: 61 games; FC/gm: 31.1; Y/gm: 3.9; R: 19; pens: 18
MLS 2006: 1 game; FC/gm: 35.0 (avg: 31.5); Y/gm: 6.0 (avg: 3.85); R: 0 (MLS: 7); pens: 0 (MLS: 7)
Games involving Red Bulls: P12 W6 L2 T4; FC/gm: 28.3; Y/gm: 4.5; R: 7; pens: 5
Games involving Fire: P14 W7 L4 T3; FC/gm: 30.9; Y/gm: 4.1; R: 5; pens: 4
INJURY REPORT: NEW YORK RED BULLS - OUT: DF Taylor Graham (abdominal strain); QUESTIONABLE: MF Mike Magee (R ankle sprain); FW Edson Buddle (L hamstring strain) ... CHICAGO FIRE - OUT: DF Jeff Curtin (athletic pubalgia surgery), DF Jim Curtin (R foot fracture), DF Gonzalo Segares (L ankle sprain), MF John Thorrington (L hamstring strain); QUESTIONABLE: GK Matt Pickens (R calf strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: CHI: FW Andy Herron (through May 13)
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (24 meetings): Red Bulls 7 wins (0 shootout), 30 goals ... Fire 13 wins (0 shootout), 40 goals ... 4 draws
AT GIANTS STADIUM: (12 meetings): Red Bulls 4 wins (0 shootout), 18 goals ... Fire 7 wins (0 shootout), 20 goals ... 1 draw
This is the first of four league meetings between the Eastern Conference clubs, the first of two in the Meadowlands. The next two encounters are both set for Bridgeview Stadium - June 25 and Sept. 3 - before they conclude the league season series on Sept. 30 in E. Rutherford.
LAST YEAR (MLS):
4/22: MET 0, CHI 1 (Jaqua 29)
5/14: CHI 0, MET 3 (Guevara 23; Gaven 45, 62)
5/31: MET 2, CHI 1 (Wolyniec 76; Guevara 90 - Marsch 55)
10/5: CHI 2, MET 2 (Armas 90; Stewart 90 - Gaven 21, 25)
A year ago, the MetroStars won two of the four meetings with one draw - the first time since the 1998 campaign (the inaugural season for the Fire), the Metros had won the season series between the clubs.
The teams have met once in the MLS Cup Playoffs, and once in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final, in 2003, a 1-0 Fire victory.
Coaches record: Mo Johnston vs. CHI: P1 W0 L0 D1 ... Dave Sarachan v NY: P12 W5 L3 D4
NEW YORK RED BULLS
The New York Red Bulls return to league action following a week off, still winless on their campaign after playing to a scoreless draw at Chivas USA in their last match on April 29. The Red Bulls have four points from their five matches this season, having lost just once, two points behind fifth-place Chicago Fire and nine out of first place.
LAST MATCH
Chances were few and far between as Chivas USA and the Red Bulls played to a drab scoreless draw, leaving Chivas USA with a three-game winless streak after opening their season with a victory, and the Red Bulls still searching for a first victory to go with their new name.
The two best chances came in quick succession at the end of an end-to-end movement midway through the second half. Chris Henderson found himself alone in front of goal just after the restart, but Chivas 'keeper Brad Guzan kicked out his low shot.
Chivas quickly countered and raced to the other end, Ante Razov beating a pair of New York defenders in front of goal, but his shot was well held by Tony Meola. The veteran 'keeper was later called upon to deflect a full-blooded blast from Chivas fullback Lawson Vaughn, but a Red Bulls defender was on hand to clear the rebound.
Red Bulls head coach Mo Johnston made two changes to the team that lost 4-1 to D.C. United the weekend before at Giants Stadium. Jeff Parke and Seth Stammler both returned to the starting lineup after a week's absence, coming in for the injured Mike Magee and Jean-Philippe Peguero, who was away for personal reasons.
Here's Johnston's team (4-1-3-2): Tony Meola - Marvell Wynne, Carlos Mendes, Jeff Parke, Taylor Graham - Danny O'Rourke - Seth Stammler, Amado Guevara, Chris Henderson - Edson Buddle (Mike Magee 42), Youri Djorkaeff. [Substitutes Not Used: Peter Canero, Jordan Cila, Jon Conway, Steve Jolley, Mark Lisi, Joe Vide]
"Coming in here and getting a point was disappointing because we wanted three points but I'll take a point on the road," said Johnston. "It was disappointing (because) of some of the chances that we didn't take and (Chivas) probably feels the same way."
TEAM NEWS
Meola, once again, was a big reason the Red Bulls came away with a point. "This game was lost without him," said Red Bulls defender Marvell Wynne. "Tony is amazing on the back making saves or just talking to the defense getting us organized and situated."
Added Johnston: "Tony has been tremendous all season. He's a great ambassador for this club and every time he puts on the jersey he works hard and he comes up with very important saves."
Meola said that despite not having a victory on the campaign, the Red Bulls survived the early part of the season in good shape. They now have a chance to move up in the table with six of their next eight matches at Giants Stadium.
"The point comes at a time when we need a win but we've not been down on the road yet so it's a good result." "There are obviously a couple of things we think we can correct but all in all you have to be happy when you come out of an away game with no goals against because it gives you a chance to win."
Unlike Chivas, the Red Bulls were pleased with the timing of the bye week after the difficult start to the season. "The bye week comes at a good time for us," said Tony Meola. "We'll have the opportunity to refresh our minds and I think we'll come back refreshed."
But Johnston didn't take a vacation during the off week, spending considerable time looking for new players. "I've done my homework and we'll be prepared for that," said Johnston to the New York Daily News, who added he was on the phone with 20 agents worldwide.
"I'm targeting two or three players," he said. "We have the money. We're going to make this team better. As I've told you, there is no championship that has ever been won in May. ... This team needs a little bit of time to get used to each other. But yes, there is going to be more blood coming through the doors very shortly."
CHICAGO FIRE
The Chicago Fire extended their unbeaten run to four matches in the fifth game of their nine-game road trip to begin 2006, playing to a 1-1 draw with the Kansas City Wizards last Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium. The Fire are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with six points from five matches, one behind joint third-place New England Revolution and Columbus Crew and seven out of first place.
LAST MATCH
The Wizards came back to claim a draw in the meeting of the Midwestern rivals - where both sides missed penalty kicks.
Chad Barrett put the Fire ahead after 18 minutes on a goal the Wizards felt had a hint of offside, racing in behind the Kansas City back four to latch onto a through ball from Chris Rolfe before knocking it home after going in alone on Bo Oshoniyi.
The Wizards missed a glorious chance to pull level in the first half, but Eddie Johnson saw his penalty saved by the Fire's Zach Thornton after Davy Arnaud was tripped up in the Chicago penalty area.
But Johnson made amends just after the start of the second half, swooping in to score on the rebound after Thornton was unable to hold an Arnaud shot following a nice one-two in the box.
Yet the Fire themselves wasted a terrific opportunity, when Justin Mapp was hauled down from behind in the box by Jack Jewsbury. But Oshoniyi saved Ivan Guerrero's try from the spot.
Fire head coach Dave Sarachan didn't make any changes to the team that won 2-1 against the New England Revolution the weekend before at Gillette Stadium.
Here's Sarachan's team (4-4-2): Zach Thornton - Logan Pause, C.J. Brown, Jim Curtin, Ivan Guerrero - Thiago, Chris Armas, Diego Gutierrez, Justin Mapp (Calen Carr 87) - Chris Rolfe (Nate Jaqua 62), Chad Barrett (Tony Sanneh 71). [Substitutes Not Used: Matt Pickens, Brian Plotkin, Dasan Robinson, Jack Stewart]
"Considering we didn't have our best soccer night compared to the weeks prior, we had a few stretches earlier in the game where we were pretty good and compact and we scored a good goal," Sarachan said. "On the night, you would say that we were fortunate to come away with a point but sometimes games will go that way, but we will take it and move on."
TEAM NEWS
Sarachan pointed to his team's lack of ability to hold onto the ball as a problem against the Wizards, but they still managed to come away with a point.
"That was the problem and I can't tell you why it was the problem. I think clearly that Kansas City being at home put more pressure on us but I think that our ability to pass and to pass out of pressure and keep the ball was a challenge for us tonight and you credit their pressure a little bit, but clearly tonight wasn't an easy night for us in that department."
Zach Thornton was the man of the match of the Fire, not only because he stopped the Johnson penalty. "Zach was very sharp, he was seeing things early, he was active," said Fire coach Dave Sarachan. "Obviously the penalty kick (save) I thought was great. In terms of him waiting it out, he kept us in the game quite frankly."
Said Thornton: "I think we're making strides in the right direction,. We wanted to come in tonight and prove that we could play with one of the best teams in the league."
Chris Rolfe once again got onto the scoresheet, adding his first assist of the season to go with three goals this season.
"As we've gotten to know Chris, he's proven that he's not a one-hit wonder, not just flash with no substance,'' Sarachan said to the Chicago Sun-Times. "He's a true clinical finisher. His percentage of getting shots on goal is almost 100 percent. There aren't many players I've seen as clinical as he is in terms of clean and accurate striking, movement, agility."
In addition, Sarachan now has options about whom to partner Rolfe with in attack. While Chad Barrett - the goalscorer against Kansas City - has been the starter, Andy Herron will return from suspension after Saturday's game and Nate Jaqua is also available after coming back from a shoulder injury.
For the second consecutive week, Chris Armas played the full match in a central midfield role. But unfortunately, the ACL injury he suffered late last year appears to have dashed his chances to play in the World Cup; in 2002, he suffered a torn ACL just days before the U.S. team was set to head off for Korea.
"He's done a remarkable job to get back on the field and play 90 minutes this past weekend," U.S. manager Bruce Arena said last week. "But I think, realistically, we see that Chris needs more time."
Armas was named as an alternate to the USA's final 23-man roster. It must finalized with FIFA on May 15.
"It hurts right now, not getting named to the team. It's disappointing. But I'm realistic with it, and I think it was a fair decision," said Armas. "I think every player has certain goals and that's one of them. I want to go to a World Cup with all my heart. I think I'll always wonder, you know? If I'm being honest. But I know it wouldn't be for a lack of ability as a player. It'd be for some other reason. I'd know why it didn't happen."
