RED BULLS TOP SOUNDERS TO GO FIRST: Riding a first-half Macoumba Kandji goal and a strong defensive effort, the New York Red Bulls went 2-0-0 in MLS Regular Season play with a 1-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC at Qwest Field Saturday night. The Red Bulls, who are at the top of the Eastern Conference with six points, snapped a MLS-record 27 regular season game road winless streak with the victory and earned their second-straight shutout.
Sounders FC midfielder Brad Evans
tested Bouna Coundoul early with a
low shot, but the goalkeeper went down to catch it. Moments later, Red Bull Joel Lindpere had an attempt from 15
yards out go high.
Despite being under early pressure from the hosts, the Red Bulls went in front in the 21st minute. After New York earned its first corner of the match, Lindpere’s delivery was knocked down in the box by Seattle’s Leo Gonzalez. Kandji was a step ahead of his man and fired it off the underside of the crossbar and into the net.
Sounders FC looked to equalize immediately. Steve Zakuani hit a shot on goal from outside the penalty box and Coundoul pushed it over the bar. Soon after, Zakuani was able to get free in the box but could not get a clear header on frame off a Freddie Ljungberg delivery. Kandji nearly made it 2-0 12 minutes from the break when his shot from a Sinisa Ubiparipovic through ball was parried away by Seattle goalkeeper Kasey Keller.
Keller was again called upon in the 53rd minute. Ubiparipovic found a streaking Kandji, who hit a low cross to Angel. Keller went full extension to block Angel’s one-time effort at the near post. Fifteen minutes later, Zakuani was able to get space in the box and fired a right-footed shot that Coundoul tipped away. Tyrone Marshall moments after was left unmarked at the back post but couldn’t nod a Ljungberg free kick on target.
Dane Richards had a great chance to put the game away the game 10 minutes from full time, knocking a shot from a Danleigh Borman cross wide right.
New York head
coach Hans Backe was not on the
sideline for the match. Backe had stomach pains Saturday morning and was taken
to a local hospital to get checked on before returning to the team hotel.
Though it was not anything serious, after consulting with medical specialists,
it was determined that it would be best for him to rest at the hotel rather
than attend the match. Assistant coach Richie
Williams served as head coach for the match. Backe returned with the team
to the New York
area on Sunday and attended training Monday morning.
RED BULLS WRAP UP SWING AT CHIVAS: The Red Bulls complete a two-game road swing on Saturday, April 10 when they again head to the West Coast to face CD Chivas USA at 4:00 PM ET at The Home Depot Center (TV: MSG; TeleFutura; Radio: WADO 1280 AM).
Chivas USA, under new head coach Martin Vasquez, is winless in its first two matches, most recently dropping a 2-0 decision at the hands of the Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center Thursday night. EdsonBuddle opened the scoring seven minutes in off a Sean Franklin cross before Buddle put the game away three minutes from full time with his second goal of the match. The Goats come into Saturday’s match 0-2-0. They dropped their first game, 1-0, to the Colorado Rapids on March 26.
New York is 3-3-4 all-time against Chivas USA and went 0-1-1 against its Western Conference rival in 2009. On Aug. 15, 2009, the Goats earned a 2-0 win over the Red Bulls at Giants Stadium with Maykel Galindo putting the visitors in front in the 14th minute before Eduardo Lillingston finishing the scoring in second half stoppage time. On Sept. 26, the Red Bulls tallied a point in a 1-1 draw against Chivas USA. After a scoreless first half, U.S. international midfielder Sacha Kljestan scored in the 64th minute. However, 20 minutes later, Red Bulls forward Juan Pablo Angel nodded home a Sinisa Ubiparipovic cross to tie the game. That goal gave his 10th of the season and broke Clint Mathis’ club record of 45 goals scored in all competitions. In addition, defender Mike Petke, the team’s leader in regular season games played (155) and started (149), moved into the top-10 in minutes played that evening.
LAST
WEEK:
Red Bulls 1, Seattle Sounders FC 0 on April 3 at Qwest Field
THIS
WEEK:
Red Bulls at CD Chivas USA on April 10 at The Home Depot Center at 4:00 PM (TV: MSG, TeleFutura; Radio: WADO 1280 AM)
NEXT
WEEK:
Red Bulls vs. FC Dallas on April 17 at Red Bull Arena at 7:30 PM (TV: MSG; Radio: WADO 1280 AM)
RED BULLS TO RING NYSE CLOSING BELL TUESDAY: The New York Red Bulls will visit the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday, April 6 and ring The Closing Bell® at 4:00 PM ET. Among the attendees are Red Bulls Managing Director Erik Stover, head coach Hans Backe, Red Bulls Juan Pablo Angel, Mike Petke and Seth Stammler and assistant coaches Goran Aral and Richie Williams.
Who:
Juan Pablo Angel – New York Red Bulls Forward
Hans Backe – New York Red Bulls Head Coach
Mike Petke – New York Red Bulls Defender
Seth Stammler – New York Red Bulls Midfielder
Erik Stover – New York Red Bulls Managing Director
Goran Aral – New York Red Bulls Assistant Coach
Richie Williams – New York Red Bulls Assistant Coach
What:
The New York Red Bulls will visit the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday, April
6th and ring the Closing Bell.
When:
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Webcast:
A live webcast of The Closing Bell (beginning at 3:59 p.m.) will be available
on the homepage of nyse.com.
ROAD RAGE: With their 1-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC on Saturday, April 3, the Red Bulls snapped an MLS-record 27 regular season game winless streak. The team's last road win was on May 10, 2008 - a 2-1 triumph over the Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center. During the winless streak away from home, the Red Bulls went 0-20-7. It was the team’s first opening road win of the season since it defeated the Colorado Rapids, 3-1, on April 30, 2005 and it was the Red Bulls’ first-ever win over Sounders FC after going 0-1-1 against Seattle last season.
Prior to the win against the Sounders, the Red Bulls’ last halftime lead on the road was on June 18, 2008 – a 1-1 tie against the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium, where a Seth Stammler goal put the visitors ahead, before Steve Ralston leveled the score in the second half. New York’s last lead on the road was Oct. 9, 2008 at Rio Tinto Stadium versus Real Salt Lake. Midfielder Dave van den Bergh gave New York the lead in the first half and Jamison Olave tied the game later in the interval. Real Salt Lake previously held this dubious record, going 19 regular season games without a win on the road from April 2, 2005 to April 26, 2006.
BIG MAC: Red Bulls forward Macoumba Kandji opened his account for the season, volleying a left footed shot off the underside of the crossbar and into the net in the 21st minute to give the Red Bulls a 1-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC on April 3. Kandji is coming off a 2009 campaign which saw him record four goals and five games in 28 games played.
KILLER D: Behind a stout defensive effort, the Red Bulls earned a 1-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC on April 3 and recorded their second-straight shutout. Red Bulls goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul made five stops on the night while the back four of Jeremy Hall, Mike Petke, Tim Ream and Roy Miller kept the Sounders at bay.
The Red Bulls, who went 7-0-3 in preseason, conceded just four goals in those 10 matches. The last time New York opened the season with two consecutive clean sheets was in 2007 – a 0-0 tie at Columbus and a 3-0 win over FC Dallas. It was in 2004 when New York last started the year with two-straight wins (the club also accomplished this in 1999).
DEBUTANTS: Several Red Bulls made debuts in the team’s 1-0 win over the Chicago Fire on March 27. Midfielder Joel Lindpere and defender Roy MIller started and played their first MLS games, while rookie Tony Tchani made his professional debut, coming on in the 90th minute for Macoumba Kandji. Fellow rookie Tim Ream also earned the start in his first match, playing the full 90 minutes in central defense and helping the team earn a shutout. On April 3, Conor Chinn came on as a second half stoppage time substitute to make his first MLS appearance.
In addition, Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe and Fire head coach Carlos de los Cobos met in a battle of two first-time MLS coaches. The last time two first-timers occurred was on April 3, 2004 when D.C. United’s Peter Nowak faced San Jose Earthquakes’ Dominic Kinnear. United won that match, 2-1.
RED BULLS SIGN WILLIAMS TO EXTENSION: Red Bull New York announced on March 30 that it signed assistant coach Richie Williams to a contract extension. Per club policy, specific terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“Richie has done a tremendous job during his time here and we are thrilled that he continues to be a very important member of our coaching staff,” said Red Bull New York General Manager and Sporting Director Erik Soler. “He is one of the top up-and-coming coaches in this country and we look forward to his contributions as we aim to reach the playoffs.”
Williams is in his fifth year with the Red Bulls as an assistant coach. He was an assistant under Mo Johnston during the beginning of the 2006 season before Johnston was relieved of his head coaching duties on June 27. Williams served as the club’s interim head coach for eight regular season games from June 27 through Aug. 12. During his tenure as interim head coach, Williams’ squad went 4-3-2 in all competitions and he helped lead the Red Bulls on a three-game winning streak in July 2006.
“Richie has been an invaluable resource for the club since I joined the club in January,” said Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe. “His ability to assess players both at the MLS and college level has been vital to our early success this season.”
Last season, Williams also took charge as interim head coach for the second time after Juan Carlos Osorio resigned on Aug. 21. At the reins for the rest of the year, Williams compiled a 3-3-2 record. This season marks Williams’ seventh year with the New York organization, having played for the club as a midfielder in 2001 and 2003.
Williams, a Middletown, NJ native, played eight years in Major League Soccer, spending six of those seasons in the nation’s capital playing for D.C. United (1996-2000, 2002) and two with New York (2001, 2003). He was a member of D.C. United’s MLS Cup championship teams in 1996, 1997 and 1999. In addition to his club play, Williams earned 17 caps with the U.S. National Team, and had stints with the Under-23 and Under-20 National Teams. At the University of Virginia he was a part of two NCAA National Championship teams in 1989 and 1991 while playing for coach Bruce Arena. Williams spent the 2004 and 2005 seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater.
RED BULL ACADEMY HOLDING TRYOUTS: The New York Red Bulls Academy is now accepting applications for the 2010 tryouts which will be held in May/June.
The Red Bulls Academy will be looking for the top players in the Tri State area in the following birth years:
· 1997
· 1996
· 1995/1994
· 1993/1992
The New York Red Bulls are the only club in the Tri-State area affiliated with an MLS team. Throughout the year select players will also be invited to train with the professional team. Juan Agudelo and Giorgi Chirgadze have recently graduated straight from the Red Bulls Academy and signed professional contracts with the Red Bulls first team.
The Academy is a no cost program. Each player is fully funded by the Red Bulls. This includes:
· All coaching fees
· Practice and game day gear
· Travel (air fares, buses, etc.)
· Accommodations
· Food
· International Trips
· Season Ticket at Red Bull Arena
The Red Bull Academy currently has three players in the prestigious US U-17 MNT Residency Program in Bradenton, FL. Goalkeeper Keith Cardona and Agudelo recently graduated Residency after the 2009 U-17 FIFA World Cup in Nigeria. In addition, 14 other members of the Academy have made up the U.S. U-14, U-15 and U-18 National Teams during 2009/2010.
To register for a tryout or for more information on the Red Bulls Academy visit www.redbullsacademy.com/academy.
WHAT THEY SAID: Here was the post-match reaction after New York’s 1-0 win over Seattle Sounders FC on April 3:
Richie Williams - Assistant Coach
(On the status of Head Coach Hans Backe…) “He is doing fine; he needed some rest and will be back with us next week.”
(On coming out with a win in tough environment…) “You have to give our guys credit; this is tough place to play with great stadium and fans. They have a good team and come and get a good result, everybody from front to back played hard and deserved 1-0 win.”
(On embracing the challenge of getting a road victory…) “Nobody wants to (go winless in 27 road games) and we wanted to put an end to it and it be a different year. We battled and play intelligent and wanted to win. It was an excellent overall team effort.”
Mike Petke - Defender
(On having a different outcome this game than last year’s match…) “Everything was different, from the form we played to the physical nature of the match. We deserved to win this match, they are a great team. They are a very good team and very good at home and this is a big accomplishment for us.”
(On the team playing more crisp and precise…) “As opposed to last year, we don’t have four guys playing defense and four guys playing midfield. It is 11 guys playing defense and 11 guys playing offense and that is the biggest difference and why were able to get a win tonight.”
Macoumba Kandji - Forward
(On the league starting to take them for seriously…) “Of course, when we played Chicago at home and they are a very good team. We got that one goal and we defended really well tonight. If we get a shutout and the way we defended meant we had a good chance at winning the game tonight.”
(On scoring the goal in tonight’s match…) “The goal is just like we practiced; I started at the goalkeeper and backed away. Whatever comes out is mine and I just hit it with my left foot and then it went in.”
SOLO FUTBOL AIRS SUNDAY: Red Bulls WADO 1280 AM and 92.7 FM announcers Ernesto Motta and Robert Sierra host their weekly call-in radio show, Solo Futbol, on Sunday night from 8-11 PM on WADO 1280 AM. Motta, Sierra and their panel of experts and guests analyze the Beautiful Game and the New York Red Bulls, as they start for their upcoming MLS season.
