RED BULLS TAKE ON CHIVAS DE GUADALAJARA TUESDAY: The Red Bulls will look to stay unbeaten during their 2011 preseason when they take on Mexican powerhouse Chivas de Guadalajara at Omnilife Stadium on Tuesday, February 15 at 9:00 PM ET. The match will be shown on tape delay on Telemundo at 11:30 PM ET. In addition, the club will host an exclusive pre-game show featuring Red Bulls commentators Steve Cangialosi and Shep Messing on www.newyorkredbulls.com that will post on Tuesday prior to the match.
New York last faced Chivas de Guadalajara in a friendly on June 25, 2008 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Phoenix, AZ, a 1-0 Red Bulls’ victory.
Chivas is one of the three Mexican clubs that plays in the Mexican city of Guadalajara and competes in the Primera Division de Mexico, Mexico’s premier soccer league. Chivas, who are currently managed by Jose Luis Real, is one of the most successful clubs in Mexican history, having won 11 First Division titles, seven Campeon de Campeones titles and two Copa Mexico titles. The club is one of only two Mexican teams, longtime rival Club America being the other that has never been relegated to the second-tier division.
Chivas Guadalajara is owned by Mexican Jorge Vergara, who also owns C.D. Chivas USA of Major League Soccer, which he founded in 2004. Chivas Guadalajara has players who were selected to the Mexican National Team for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, goalkeeper Luis Michel and defender Jonny Magallon. Currently, Chivas de Guadalajara sits in fourth place in Group 1 of the Mexican Clausura, with one victory and one draw in six matches.
NEW YORK BESTS ATLANTE RESERVE SIDE, 3-1: Forwards Thierry Henry and Corey Hertzog and midfielder Matt Kassel opened their respective scoring accounts, as the New York Red Bulls earned a 3-1 win over a side consisting of Atlante’s Reserves and Under-20 players Saturday afternoon. The victory lifted the Red Bulls’ preseason record to 2-0-0, as they were coming off a penalty kick shootout win over the Atlante First Team last Wednesday.
New York controlled the first portion of the opening stanza, with Dane Richards forcing the Atlante goalkeeper to make a stop five minutes in after the Jamaican danced through the opposition’s defense. In the 10th minute, the goalkeeper was again called upon when Rafa Marquez’s corner kick swung dangerously towards goal.
The Red Bulls drew first blood in the 30th minute. Forward Juan Agudelo had the ball on the right wing and put in a low cross to Henry, who took a touch before sliding his shot off the left post and into the back of the net.
Atlante’s best chance of the half came in the 18th minute, as Andres Toloza raced through and blasted a left footed shot over the bar.
In the second half, the Red Bulls searched for their second goal. Forward Conor Chinn dispossessed an Atlante defender in the 51st minute and found John Rooney, who put his attempt just past the left post. Later, Chinn had a good opportunity to score himself, taking an Austin da Luz feed and blasting it high.
Kassel scored the eventual game-winner 10 minutes from full time. After a poor clearance by the Atlante goalkeeper, who was well outside of his area, Kassel one-timed an attempt from the right wing from 35-yards out into the back of the net.
Atlante pulled one back in the 83rd minute. Joaquin Vigil raced through the center of New York’s defense and slotted it past goalkeeper Alex Horwath.
However, the Red Bulls quickly retook their two-goal advantage two minutes later. Hertzog gained possession on the left wing and floated a ball into the box that went around the goalkeeper and tucked into the goal.
RED BULLS DEFEAT ATLANTE FIRST TEAM IN PKS: The New York Red Bulls earned their first win in their 2011 preseason with a victory over Mexican side, Atlante FC, at Andres Quintana Roo. After the game ended in a scoreless draw, the teams went a penalty kick shootout. Atlante had a chance to win but goalkeeper Moises Munoz’s spot kick was saved by Red Bulls goalkeeper Greg Sutton. Austin da Luz ended up converting the game-winning penalty kick as Atlante’s Sonny Guadarrama hit his shot off the left post in the sixth round.
The Red Bulls, returning after a 2010 which saw them win the Eastern Conference regular season title, had the first scoring chance of the match three minutes in, as midfielder Dane Richards skipped past two defenders to the endline and found Juan Agudelo, whose close range shot missed the target. In the 15th minute, Atlante threatened New York’s net when Reimond Manco’s 20-yard blast was stopped by Sutton. Richards again menaced the Atlante defense soon after, gathering a Tony Tchani through ball, cutting to his left foot and pulling an attempt just past the right post.
The Red Bulls changed all of their field players at halftime while Atlante made six substitutions and had the first scoring opportunity eight minutes in. Mario Ortiz took the ball on the right side and sent a low cross that Guadarrama re-directed on-target, but Sutton sprawled out to keep the game scoreless.
Sutton made two huge saves with eight minutes left in the match. First, he stuffed forward Giancarlo Maldonado at the top of the box. The ball floated and Maldonado’s ensuing bicycle kick was kicked away by the Canadian goalkeeper. Moments later, Maldonado created enough space for himself to slide a shot that trickled past the left post. Fellow substitute Luis Angel Landin was able to get past Sutton in the 88th minute but was denied by the right post.
In the penalty shootout, the hosts earned a 4-3 lead in the final round with Munoz having the opportunity to give Atlante the victory. However, Sutton guessed correctly, diving to his left to parry away his counterpart’s shot. After da Luz rifled his attempt into the back of the net, Guadarrama stepped up and poked his shot off the left post to give New York the win.
FULL RED BULLS’ 2011 MLS SCHEDULE RELEASED: The Red Bulls released their full 34-match 2011 MLS Regular Season Schedule today. Full Season, 10-Game, and 5-Game Plans are all on sale now. Fans who purchase one of these plans will receive pre-sale access to purchase tickets for the 2011 AT&T MLS All-Star Game, which will be played on July 27 at Red Bull Arena. Individual tickets for the first half of the season and a discounted combo pack that includes the Los Angeles Galaxy match on Aug. 28 go on sale on Feb. 24 at 11:00 AM. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 1.877.RBSOCCER (1.877.727.6223) or TTY/Hearing Impaired line: 973.482.9060 or log onto www.newyorkredbulls.com. For a full schedule, log onto www.newyorkredbulls.com.
After kicking off the season against Seattle Sounders FC at Red Bull Arena at March 19 at 7:30 PM, the Red Bulls will head to Ohio to face the Columbus Crew on March 26 at 4:00 PM in New York’s first road match. On April 9, the Red Bulls will continue their Northeast rivalry against the Philadelphia Union at PPL Park in a contest that will be televised live by ESPN2 at 7:00 PM. A week later, the Red Bulls host the San Jose Earthquakes in a rematch of the teams’ 2010 Eastern Conference Semifinal Series.
New York will travel to Los Angeles to take on former Red Bulls striker Juan Pablo Angel and fellow Designated Players David Beckham and Landon Donovan on May 7 in another match that will be televised by ESPN2. Later that month on May 25, the Red Bulls play host to MLS Cup winner, the Colorado Rapids, at Red Bull Arena. In June, the Red Bulls will embark on a four-game road trip, facing expansion side the Portland Timbers (June 19), Seattle (June 23), Chicago Fire (June 26) and San Jose (July 2).
On Aug. 28, the Red Bulls will welcome the Galaxy to Harrison in the second match between the two teams with the match kicking off at 7:00 PM. New MLS club, the Vancouver Whitecaps, and fellow expansion side Portland take their first trips to Red Bull Arena on Sept. 10 and 24, respectively. New York wraps up its schedule with a return tilt against Philadelphia at Red Bull Arena on Oct. 20 in a match televised by ESPN2.
A full broadcast schedule, as well as finalized kickoff times, will be released at a later date.
RED BULLS TO PLAY ATLAS DE GUADALAJARA IN PHOENIX: Red Bull New York announced that the Red Bulls will face Mexico's Club Atlas de Guadalajara in a friendly on Tuesday, March 8 in a game called Red Bull Reto del Sol, or “Challenge of the Sun.” The game will be played at the University of Phoenix Stadium, located in Glendale, AZ. Doors open 6:30 p.m. local time and game time is slated for 8:00 p.m. More information is available at www.redbullusa.com/retodelsol .
The Red Bull Reto del Sol match is especially notable as it will bring Designated Player and Mexican National Team standout Rafa Márquez up against the club where he first got his professional start. He made his debut with Atlas in 1996, appearing in 77 matches over three years for the club before leaving in 1999. Márquez spent the last seven seasons with storied Catalan side, FC Barcelona, and was part of the 2008-09 squad that won an unprecedented six championships. He has appeared in 10 regular-season games and both postseason matches for the Red Bulls, and this year will mark his first full season with the club.
Tickets for the Red Bulls Reto del Sol match are on sale now and begin as low $15 dollars. Ticket can be purchased through Ticketmaster by calling (800) 745-3000 and online at ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available at usual tienda locations in the Phoenix area and at the University of Phoenix Stadium box office in person or via phone at (602) 379-0102. For additional information please log on to www.universityofphoenixstadium.com .
Atlas is one of the three top-flight Mexican clubs that play in the city of Guadalajara. The club was founded in 1916 and plays its home matches at Estadio Jalisco. They have won one top-flight league title in their history, which was back in 1950-51, but have won several other domestic crowns, including three second division titles, the most recent in 1978-79. Additionally, the club has been crowned Copa México champions four times, and took home Mexico's Campeón de Campeones competition four times. The squad is currently managed by former Mexican International Benjamin Galindo.
RED BULLS 2011 PRESEASON TRAVEL SCHEDULE:
(Times/Dates Subject to Change)
Feb. 15: Red Bulls vs. Chivas de Guadalajara at Omnilife Stadium (TV: TELEMUNDO)
Feb. 16: Return to NY/NJ area
Feb. 21: Depart for Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Feb. 23: Red Bulls First Team/Reserves vs. Chicago Fire First Team/Reserves
Feb. 26: Red Bulls vs. Miami FC
Feb. 27: Return to NY/NJ area
March 3: Travel to Phoenix, AZ
March 4: Red Bulls First Team vs. Sporting Kansas City First Team
March 5: Red Bulls Reserves vs. Sporting Kansas City Reserves
March 7: Red Bulls vs. FC Dallas
March 11: Team Returns to NY/NJ area.
March 19: Red Bulls vs. Seattle Sounders FC at Red Bull Arena at 7:30 PM (MLS Season Kickoff)
