RED BULLS FACE MLS CUP CHAMPION COLORADO WEDNESDAY: The Red Bulls look to move back to the top of the Eastern Conference with a midweek showdown against the defending MLS Cup Champions Colorado Rapids coming to town Wednesday night at Red Bull Arena at 8:00 PM ET (TV: MSG Plus; Radio: WADO 1280 AM).
New York is coming off a 2-2 tie against the Houston Dynamo at Robertson Stadium Saturday night. The Red Bulls looked as if they were going to lose their second-straight match, but Mehdi Ballouchy’s 91st minute equalizer earned the Red Bulls a point against their Eastern Conference rival. The Red Bulls are in the midst of playing three matches in the span of eight days.
The second game in this stretch of the schedule comes on Wednesday, with the Rapids making their only trip to Red Bull Arena. Colorado is also facing a busy schedule, coming off a 0-0 tie at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park against Toronto FC Sunday night. Currently in sixth place in the Western Conference with a 4-3-4 record and 16 points, the Rapids won their first-ever MLS Cup last year after they defeated FC Dallas, 2-1, in the final at BMO Field last November. Midfielder Jamie Smith leads the club with three goals. The Rapids are unbeaten in their last five, though they only earned one win in this span – a 2-1 victory over the Dynamo on May 4.
New York went 1-0-1 against its Western Conference foe in 2010. The Red Bulls went to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on July 4 and earned a 1-1 tie with Juan Pablo Angel finding the back of the net for the visitors. On Sept. 11, New York tallied a 3-1 win at Red Bull Arena behind goals from Thierry Henry, Tim Ream, and Dane Richards. Rapids forward Omar Cummings scored both goals for Colorado in the teams’ matches last year. All-time, New York is 14-15-4 versus its Rocky Mountain foe and 8-7-1 at home with a plus eight goal differential.
NEW YORK TRAVELS TO TAKE ON VANCOUVER SATURDAY:
After the Rapids game, the Red Bulls have a short turnaround, as they will travel cross-country and across the border to battle MLS expansion side, Vancouver Whitecaps FC, at Empire Field on Saturday at 5:30 PM ET in the first-ever match between the two teams (Please note the kickoff changed last week to 5:30 PM from 7:00 PM – TV: MSG; Radio: WADO 1280 AM).
Vancouver’s last MLS match was a 1-0 loss to the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium May 14. Despite outshooting the Revolution, 11-8, Whitecaps FC was unable to overcome a Shalrie Joseph penalty kick conversion in the 49th minute. Whitecaps FC is currently in the midst of the two-leg final of the Nutrilite Canadian Championship against Toronto FC. On Wednesday, May 18, Vancouver’s Eric Hassli’s second half strike was cancelled out by a 73rd minute goal from Maicon Santos as the teams played to a 1-1 tie. Both sides will face each other at BMO Field in Toronto this Wednesday night. Vancouver has eight points off 1-5-5 record. Camilo and Hassli each have three goals apiece in MLS play while midfielder Davide Chiumiento leads Whitecaps FC with five assists.
LAST WEEK:
Red Bulls 2, Houston Dynamo 2 at Robertson Stadium on Saturday, May 21.
THIS WEEK:
Red Bulls vs. Colorado Rapids at Red Bull Arena on Wednesday, May 25 at 8:00 PM ET (TV: MSG Plus; Radio: WADO 1280 AM).
Red Bulls at Vancouver Whitecaps FC at Empire Field on Saturday, May 28 at 5:30 PM ET (TV: MSG; Radio: WADO 1280 AM). Please note new kickoff time.
NEXT WEEK:
Red Bulls vs. Columbus Crew at Red Bull Arena on Saturday, June 4 at 7:30 PM ET (TV: MSG; Radio: WQBU 92.7 FM).
RED BULLS EARN 2-2 TIE AT HOUSTON:
New York midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy’s second half stoppage time equalizer helped give the Red Bulls a road point, as they drew 2-2 with the Houston Dynamo at Robertson Stadium in front of 25,314 spectators. Red Bulls midfielder Dane Richards recorded the fastest goal in club history 39 seconds into the encounter, but New York fell behind after a Brad Davis penalty conversion and Koke strike eight minutes from full time. However, Ballouchy, a second half substitute, rose above his defender and nodded in a Joel Lindpere corner kick to spoil the hosts’ bid for three points.
The second place Red Bulls, which improved to 16 points off a 4-2-4 record, took the lead just moments into the Eastern Conference showdown. Midfielder Teemu Tainio launched a long pass in the direction of Luke Rodgers, who controlled it and dished it off to Richards. Richards looked up and fired a 25-yard blast past Tally Hall for his second goal of the season. The Jamaican bested the fastest goal club record held by Dave van den Bergh, as he scored 46 seconds into a 2-0 victory on April 5, 2008 against the Columbus Crew at Giants Stadium.
Houston was able to tie the game 11 minutes later. The ball was played over the top to forward Will Bruin on the left wing. Bruin strode into the box, cut in and was felled by sliding New York defender Rafa Marquez, as referee Juan Guzman called a penalty kick against the Red Bulls. Davis stepped up to the spot and slotted it in to level the score.
The Red Bulls looked to take the advantage later in the interval. Forward Juan Agudelo jumped over his defender and forced Hall to tip over his header off a Lindpere corner kick delivery. Later, Tainio got on the end of a deflected Dwayne De Rosario cross but he could not put his left-footed volley on target. On the other end, Geoff Cameron nearly was alone on goal if it wasn’t for a diving Greg Sutton, making his first start since March 19, as the Canadian slid the ball out of danger.
In the second half, both teams hunted for a game-winner. Rodgers was free in the box four minutes after the intermission and his volley went directly to Hall. Later, Cameron was open in the penalty box when Houston’s Colin Clark swung the ball to him, but Sutton was quickly off his line to make a sprawling stop.
The Dynamo took the lead with eight minutes to play. Davis’ corner kick found Cameron, who skied above his defender and forced Sutton to parry his header. However, Koke was at the doorstep and knocked it into the gaping net.
The hosts looked as if they would take home the three points, but Ballouchy’s heroics in the 91st minute ruined the Dynamo’s hopes. After New York earned a corner kick, Lindpere’s ensuing delivery went to Ballouchy, and he flicked it home for his first goal of the season.
Red Bulls forward Thierry Henry missed Saturday’s game due to swelling in his right knee.
RICHARDS’ DYNAMIC STRIKE FASTEST IN CLUB HISTORY:
Red Bulls midfielder Dane Richards wasted no time in finding the back of the net for New York, one-timing a Luke Rodgers feed from 25-yards-out into the back of the net just 39 seconds into a 2-2 tie against Houston Saturday. Richards’ goal was the fastest in club history, breaking the previous record held by midfielder Dave van den Bergh:
FASTEST GOAL IN CLUB HISTORY
Player; Date/Opponent/Result; Seconds into Match
1. Dane Richards; 5-21-2011/at HOU/2-2 Tie; 39
2. Dave van den Bergh; 4-5-2008/vs. CLB/2-0 Win; 46
3. Jozy Altidore; 5-24-2007/vs. CHI/3-0 Win; 56
BALLOUCHY’S FIRST GOAL PROVES VITAL:
Red Bulls midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy could not have picked a better time to record his first goal of the season, flicking a header into the back of the net to give the Red Bulls a 2-2 tie at Houston Saturday. Ballouchy, who was acquired by New York on Sept. 14, 2010 in exchange for forward Macoumba Kandji, came into the game for Juan Agudelo in the 79th minute. He has made 10 appearances, four of which were starts, and has recorded one assist. The last Red Bull to score a game-tying goal after the 75th minute was Juan Pablo Angel, whose header at Chivas USA on Sept. 26, 2009 gave New York a 1-1 tie.
SUTTON GOES BACK INTO NET:
Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe decided to give goalkeeper Greg Sutton his second start of the year in New York’s 2-2 tie against the Houston Dynamo Saturday night. Sutton, whose other appearance came in the team’s 1-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC at Red Bull Arena March 19 on opening weekend, had missed several weeks after that match due to a concussion suffered in practice. He made three stops against Houston.
BACKE RECORD STILL INTACT:
Under Hans Backe, the Red Bulls have yet to lose a game in which they scored the first goal. The Red Bulls left it late against the Dynamo, but by earning their 2-2 tie at Houston, they kept Backe’s 22-game unbeaten streak intact. In 2010 and 2011 combined, New York has posted a record of 18-0-4 in games where they opened the scoring.
RED BULLS, NYPD HEAD TO COLOMBIA FOR “FOOTBALL FOR CHILDREN – BREAKING BORDERS”:
The Red Bulls and New York Police Department Soccer Team’s annual “Football For Children – Breaking Borders” program are traveling to the Colombian cities of Medellin and Manizales between May 16 and 24.
With the support of the Consulate of Colombia in New York City, the National Police of Colombia, the United States’ Embassy in Bogotá and the Centro Colombo Americano, the program will run six soccer clinics in both cities, and will distribute donations of clothing and sports equipment to underprivileged children. Included in the donations are soccer balls, shirts, and soccer shorts and shoes.
“We are in the fifth year of our program and we are very surprised how it continues to grow,” Red Bulls Senior Director of Hispanic Communications Ernesto Motta said. “We are proud that Lieutenant Robert Mejia and the NYPD Soccer team continue to be a part of this important project. I want to thank the various organizations and entities that make possible the transport and mobilization of our group in Colombia.”
The National Police of Colombia will provide land and air transportation of members of the program between Medellin and Manizales. Colonel Jorge Gomez of the National Police was instrumental in planning the event, as were the efforts of Centro Colombo Americano. Avianca, which has assisted the group with transportation without any charge since 2009, is again also donating to the cause.
"We are very pleased to continue supporting the work of Red Bulls and the NYPD Soccer Team,” said Director of Avianca Bogotá Jamie Londono. “Being part of this work, and having children receive these gifts gives me great pride, and we are happy to do it.”
Four clinics will be held in Medellin while two will be held in Manizales, the birthplace of Red Bulls striker Juan Agudelo, where the program also visited in 2009. The four clinics in Medellin will be held on four separate fields, all of which are located in areas that have been subject to violence and poverty in the past.
"I am very pleased that this important group is traveling to my hometown of Manizales and putting on these clinics,” Agudelo said. “I think it’s wonderful that we’re able to offer something to the children who don’t have these resources. I hope to be, for them, a good example so they can see that through sports they can find a different path in their lives.”
RED BULL ARENA HOSTS U.S. WNT-MEXICO JUNE 5:
The U.S. Women's National Team will play its Women’s World Cup Send-Off match against Mexico on June 5 at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. The match will kick off at 2 p.m. ET and will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and Univision (
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). The match will mark the final contest for the U.S. women before the team departs for Europe in mid-June for a pre-Women’s World Cup training camp in Austria. The USA opens the 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup against Korea DPR on June 28 (ESPN at 11:45 a.m. ET) at Rudolf Harbig Stadium in Dresden, Germany.
Before the match against Mexico, U.S. Soccer and the U.S. Women’s National Team will honor U.S. legend Kristine Lilly for her historic career. The only woman to play in five FIFA Women’s World Cup tournaments, Lilly retired last January after a 23-year international career with a world-record 352 career caps and 130 goals, second only in world history to Mia Hamm. The match against Mexico marks the first game for any full U.S. National Team at spectacular Red Bull Arena, one of the newest jewels in the growing collection of world-class, soccer-specific stadiums in the United States.
The match also features a unique side note in that it will be the first game between the two countries since the USA was upset by Mexico in the semifinal of the CONCACAF Women’s World Cup Qualifying Tournament in Cancun, Mexico last October. The loss forced the USA to win the third-place match at the tournament then defeat Italy in a home-and-home playoff series for the last of 16 berths at the World Cup.
The U.S. women have played quite a few matches in New Jersey, playing five times at the old Giants Stadium in East Rutherford and twice in the mid-1990s at Rutgers University in Piscataway. The match will also mark a homecoming of sorts for the numerous New Jersey products who have consistently made U.S. rosters this year. Rampone hails from Point Pleasant, N.J., veteran flank midfielder Heather O’Reilly is from East Brunswick. Attacking midfielder Carli Lloyd is from Delran while midfielders Tobin Heath and Yael Averbuch hail from Basking Ridge and Montclair, respectively. In addition, backup goalkeeper Jill Loyden is from Vineland.
