NEW YORK RED BULLS vs CHIVAS USA
RED BULL ARENA, Harrison, N.J.
May 23, 2012 (WEEK 12, MLS Game #108)
7 p.m. ET (Univision Deportes; MSG+)
The New York Red Bulls put their longest winning streak in nine years on the line when they entertain Chivas USA on Wednesday evening at Red Bull Arena. The Red Bulls stretched their winning run to five games last weekend, a 2-1 win on the road against the Montréal Impact. Chivas are coming off their first home win of the season and first win against the LA Galaxy in five seasons, a 1-0 victory Saturday evening at The Home Depot Center.
REFEREE: Armando Villarreal. SAR (bench): Joe Fletcher; JAR (opposite): Greg Barkey; 4th: Mark Geiger
MLS Career: First game.
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INJURY REPORT:
- NEW YORK RED BULLS -- OUT: DF Stephen Keel (back strain); MF Teemu Tainio (R knee sprain); FW Jose Angulo (R knee sprain); DOUBTFUL: DF Jan Gunnar Solli (L quadriceps injury); PROBABLE: FW Thierry Henry (R hamstring strain); DF Wilman Conde (L groin strain) …
- CHIVAS USA – OUT: MF Marvin Iraheta (L knee ACL); QUESTIONABLE: MF Ben Zemanski (R knee MCL sprain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: CHV: Juan Agudelo (USA)
SUSPENDED: NY: Victor Palsson (through May 23)
WARNINGS:
- SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: NY: Dax McCarty
- SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: NY: Dane Richards … CHV: Oswaldo Minda
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (14 meetings): Red Bulls 4 wins, 16 goals … Chivas USA 5 wins, 21 goals … Ties 5
AT NEW YORK (7 meetings): Red Bulls 3 wins, 12 goals … Chivas USA 3 wins, 14 goals … Ties 1
LAST YEAR (MLS)
5/15: NY 2, CHV 3 (Henry 21; De Rosario 35 – Braun 6, 31, 56)
7/16: CHV 0, NY 0
• This is the only league meeting between the clubs this season.
• Chivas USA have won on two of their last three trips to face New York.
• Coaches record: Hans Backe vs. CHV: P4 W1 L2 T1 … Robin Fraser vs. NY: P2 W1 L0 T1
NEW YORK RED BULLS
The New York Red Bulls extended their winning streak to five games, overcoming an early deficit for a 2-1 win against the Montréal Impact on Saturday evening at Olympic Stadium. The Red Bulls are in first place in the Eastern Conference, with 25 points from 12 games.
WATCH: MTL 1, NY 2
LAST MATCH
• The Impact opened the scoring in the 21st minute after Red Bulls defender Markus Holgersson was adjudged to have handled a header by Bernardo Corradi. The Italian striker duly converted the penalty to the right of Red Bulls goalkeeper Ryan Meara.
• Eight minutes before halftime, however, Impact left back Tyson Wahl was also called for a handball in the box, leaving Kenny Cooper to score from the spot for his 10th goal of the season.
• The Red Bulls scored the winner in the 67th minute. Left back Roy Miller started a counterattack and crossed a ball into the box which was deflected by Montreal goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts. The ball bounced straight to Dane Richards, who blasted home from the heart of the area.
• Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe made three changes to the team that came back for a 3-2 win against Philadelphia Union at PPL Park. Heath Pearce came into the back four for Tyler Ruthven, and Victor Palsson and Connor Lade started in midfield in place of Rafa Marquez and Mehdi Ballouchy.
• NEW YORK RED BULLS (4-1-4-1): Ryan Meara - Brandon Barklage, Heath Pearce, Markus Holgersson, Roy Miller - Dax McCarty – Dane Richards, Victor Palsson (sent off 58), Joel Lindpere, Connor Lade - Kenny Cooper (Jhonny Arteaga 90).
TEAM NEWS
• The Red Bulls matched their club record with their fifth consecutive win, set three times previously, last from April 26-May 24, 2003.
• “It was a brilliant performance. It’s five in a row now, with a quite inexperienced team. You can’t demand anything else,” said Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe. “It’s almost shocking to pick up wins like that. But the way they work, the way they get their shape quick, defending against set plays, defending in open play, the build-up, that’s the key to winning in this league.”
• Heath Pearce, picked up the day before the match in a trade with Chivas USA, moved right into central defense and partnered Markus Holgersson.
• “Almost every game, the roster has got down at the last minute. Some good players are coming back for the Wednesday game and we need to add something to our attacking game,” Backe said. “This can’t go on forever, with good defending and looking for breaks and counters. It’s phenomenal for the future, we know now that these guys are ready for the MLS.”
• Kenny Cooper scored his third goal in as many games – all without Thierry Henry in the lineup – and regained the team lead with 10 goals, one behind MLS Golden Boot leader Chris Wondolowski of San Jose.
• “A lot of guys are contributing,” said Cooper. “There’s obviously a lot of quality in the team, but I think you’re also seeing a lot of fight. … Guys are committed and battling for the cause.”
• After making four consecutive starts at left back from April 22-May 9, Home Grown Player Connor Lade returned to the substitutes’ bench with the return of Roy Miller from injury. But Lade made his first appearance on the left side of midfield vs. Montréal.
• “He’s a hard worker, Connor,” Backe said. “He can play left back or wide left, he will always do a phenomenal job, great attitude. It’s just some small, small details for him to adapt tactically wise probably in possession, but he’s adapting very quick. He surprised me.”
• Backe had said he expected Henry to be able to return for Wednesday’s match vs. Chivas, but wet weather has left some doubt.
• “Unfortunately with the weather, too much water on the pitch, we couldn’t test Thierry,” Backe said Monday. “We’ll do that tomorrow, so I can’t say yes or no.”
• Rafa Marquez, after returning to the lineup in the Philadelphia game for the first time since mid-April, was once again unavailable after suffering an injury to his Achilles tendon.
• “It’s frustrating as always when you have Achilles or ankle injuries with the pain you have,” Backe said. “But it’s definitely not helping with the turf, too.”
CHIVAS USA
Chivas USA won for the first time in five games in style, defeating the LA Galaxy in a SuperClásico for the first time in years, a 1-0 win Saturday evening at The Home Depot Center. Chivas USA are in a tie for sixth place in the Western Conference with 13 points from 11 games.
WATCH: CHV 1, LA 0
LAST MATCH
• The game's only goal came after the 70th minute, when a deflected cross fell perfectly for Jose Erick Correa, whose shot hit the outstretched arm of Galaxy defender David Junior Lopes, resulting in a penalty for Chivas and a straight red card for the defender for denying a goalscoring opportunity.
• Correa’s first spot kick attempt was called back for encroachment, but the Colombian buried his second try for his second goal in two matches.
• Chivas USA head coach Robin Fraser made four changes to the team that saw the San Jose Earthquakes come back for a 1-1 draw at Buck Shaw Stadium. Rauwshan McKenzie and Danny Califf started in central defense in place of John Valencia and the departed Heath Pearce, Oswaldo Minda came back from suspension for Peter Vagenas, and Juan Agudelo started up top in place of Laurent Courtois.
• CHIVAS USA (4-2-3-1): Dan Kennedy - James Riley, Rauwshan McKenzie, Danny Califf, Ante Jazic - Nick LaBrocca (Blair Gavin 90), Oswaldo Minda - Miller Bolanos (Jorge Villafana 60), Alejandro Moreno, Jose Correa - Juan Agudelo (Juan Pablo Angel 76).
TEAM NEWS
• The victory against the Galaxy put an end to a six-game home losing streak dating back to the end of last season – two shy of the longest home losing streak in MLS history – and was the first SuperClásico victory for Chivas USA since 2007.
• “I think I underestimated the level of rivalry between these two teams when I first got here. I was surprised by the nature of comments after our first game last year and it was very evident that there was very little respect for this club,” said Chivas head coach Robin Fraser. The only way to get respect is to go out and earn it, and I thought that they did a good job of that tonight.”
• Making his second start in MLS, José Erick Correa scored his second goal in as many matches.
• “For a kid who’s 19 years old, he’s not afraid of contact, he’s not afraid to go up against big, strong center backs and put his body in harm’s way,” said Fraser. “He’s energetic, he’s enthusiastic and just three weeks into his MLS career, he’s certainly showing well.”
• Acquired from the New York Red Bulls the day before the match, Juan Agudelo started up top as the target striker and played 76 minutes before being replaced by a former teammate – Juan Pablo Ángel.
• “I think Juan had a good debut. He’s a player who wants to be on the ball. He’s a very attack-minded player, he’s got very solid feet,” said Fraser. “You could see there were times when he wanted the ball, he wants to make things happen. I thought his impact was immediate and we’re extremely excited to have him.”
• Agudelo will not be available for the match against his former club after he was called into the U.S. national team.
• Another new acquisition, Danny Califf, started and played the full match in central defense after he was picked up from Philadelphia Union.
• “I think when you bring new players in; having new players creates a sort of excitement. It’s almost people are feeling that maybe the team is a little different than it was last week,” Fraser said. “I think that happens naturally anyway then when you bring in two players of the quality that we brought in, I think that energy and anticipation is immediately rewarded. I think out of that you see more confidence throughout the group and I felt like tonight, we looked like a more confident group than we had in a while.”
• Chivas USA recorded a third shutout of the season, their first since April 14. With 12 goals allowed through 11 games, the rojiblancos still have the fifth-best defensive record in MLS.
• “I thought (our defending) was very resolute. I thought they did a very good job of adapting as the night went on,” Fraser said. “I thought as a group, not just the defenders, but the entire team did a good job of reading things that were dangerous. I’m really proud of their defensive performance.”
