THE WEEKLY: Following bye week, Red Bulls begin playoff push with 11 games remaining

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RED BULLS ENTER BYE WEEK IN FOURTH PLACE IN THE EASTERN CONFERENCE

The New York Red Bulls have a break from MLS regular-season action this week as the team enters a bye week. On Sunday, the Red Bulls fell 1-0 on the road to the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park as 2013 league MVP Mike Magee scored the lone goal. Despite the loss, the Red Bulls remained in fourth place and in a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference entering Week 23.


Following the break from league action this weekend, the Red Bulls return to action on August 23 when they host the Montreal Impact at Red Bull Arena at 7:00 PM. Next Saturday’s match will be the second and final meeting between the two teams this season.


MLS Eastern Conference Standings
Club | Record | Points

  • Sporting Kansas City 11-6-6 39
  • D.C. United 11-7-4 37
  • Toronto FC 9-7-5 32
  • New York Red Bulls 6-7-10 28
  • Philadelphia Union 6-8-9 27
  • Columbus Crew 6-8-9 27
  • New England Revolution 8-12-2 26
  • Chicago Fire 4-5-13 25
  • Houston Dynamo 6-12-4 22
  • Montreal Impact 3-14-5 14


RED BULLS FALL 1-0 AT TOYOTA PARK

Despite making an initial stop on a Mike Magee penalty kick late in the first half on Sunday, Luis Robles could not stop the rebound chance as the New York Red Bulls lost to Chicago 1-0. Robles denied Magee’s attempt but the rebound fell right to the Fire’s leading scorer who finished the chance.


CONCACAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER

The Red Bulls open play in the 2014 CONCACAF Champions League on August 26 when they host C.D. FAS of the Salvadorian Premier Division at Red Bull Arena. Along with C.D. FAS, the Red Bulls have drawn with the Montreal Impact of MLS in Group 3 of the Champions League. Get all the information in regards to Champions League action here.


NEW YORK STARS IN ALL-STAR GAME

MLS Golden Boot leader and New York Red Bulls forward Bradley Wright-Phillips recorded a spectacular 51st minute goal for the MLS All Stars, as the All Stars defeated 2013-14 German Bundesliga champion FC Bayern Munich 2-1 Wednesday, August 6 at Providence Park.


After coming on at halftime, Wright-Phillips was able to reach a long ball flicked on by Chivas USA forward Erick Torres and ripped it with his left foot into the top right corner of the net. Wright-Phillips has enjoyed a tremendous season for the Red Bulls, recording a league-best 18 goals in 21 appearances. He is just one goal shy of the club’s single season regular season record set by Juan Pablo Angel back in 2007.


Making his fourth All Star appearance, forward Thierry Henry captained the All-Stars and played 47 minutes before being substituted out of the match to a standing ovation. New York midfielder Tim Cahill also was in the starting lineup and played the entire first half.


Bradley Wright-Phillips scored the game-winning goal against New England on August 2 at Red Bull Arena in a 2-1 win. The goal was Wright-Phillips’ league-leading 18th of the season and his sixth goal in his last eight MLS regular-season appearances.


MLS GOLDEN BOOT RACE

  1. Bradley Wright-Phillips (New York Red Bulls) 18
  2. Dom Dwyer (Sporting Kansas City) 14
  3. Erick Torres (Chivas USA) 14
  4. Robbie Kean (LA Galaxy) 12
  5. Jermain Defoe (Toronto FC) 11


The Englishman, who currently leads the MLS Golden Boot race, is one goal away from tying New York’s single-season goal scoring record currently held by Juan Pablo Angel who scored 19 goals in 2007. Kenny Cooper scored 18 goals as well in 2012 for New York. Wright-Phillips has 12 regular-season games remaining to break Angel’s single-season record.


LEADERS IN GOALS, ASSISTS AND SAVES

Entering Week 23 of the MLS regular season, three Red Bulls players lead the league in goals, assists and saves. Bradley Wright-Phillips leads the Golden Boot race with 18 goals, four ahead of Kansas City’s Dom Dwyer and Chivas USA’s Erick Torres. Thierry Henry’s four assists in his last six games has him first in assists with 10. Luis Robles (82 saves) is seven ahead of Donovan Ricketts (75 saves) for the league lead.