HARRISON, NJ (Monday, January 23, 2012) - The New York Red Bulls announced today that the Red Bulls will face Pumas UNAM in a friendly match on Thursday, Feb. 23 in a game called Red Bull Reto del Sol, or “Challenge of the Sun.” This will be a follow up to last year’s Red Bull Reto del Sol match, which pitted the Red Bulls vs. Club Atlas de Guadalajara. The 2012 game will be played at Chase Field, in downtown Phoenix, with doors opening at 6:00 p.m. local time and kick-off slated for 8:00 p.m. More information is available at www.redbullusa.com/retodelsol.
Red Bull Reto del Sol will once again bring professional soccer to the Valley of the Sun, with some of the top players in the United States and Mexico participating, including Rafa Márquez, Thierry Henry, Juan Agudelo, Martin Bravo, Efraín Velarde and Darío Veróne. The Red Bulls, who finished the 2011 season by advancing to the Western Conference Semifinals, will go up against Primera División Team Pumas UNAM. Pumas, widely regarded as one of the most popular clubs in Mexico, are champions of the 2011 Clausura tournament, having won their seventh championship against Monarcas Morelia.
“We are looking forward to returning to the Phoenix area to face Pumas, an elite Mexican side that will provide us with a big test,” said Red Bulls General Manager and Sporting Director Erik Soler. “We had a good match against Atlas in 2011 playing in front of a great crowd and we look forward to competing in a similar atmosphere at this year's Red Bull Reto del Sol.”
In 2011, Red Bull Reto del Sol took place in Glendale, AZ, pitting the Red Bulls vs. Atlas, and drew more than 23,000 spectators. After a scoreless first half, the Red Bulls went down 0-1 when Atlas player Edgar Pacheco put up a ball that was inadvertently deflected into the net by New York defender Tim Ream. However, former Atlas star and current Red Bull Márquez converted a penalty kick in the 89th minute, earning New York a 1-1 draw.
Tickets for Red Bull Reto del Sol are now on sale, starting at $20 and 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 Chase Field box office in person or via phone at 480-339-5000. For additional information please log on to www.azchasefield.com.
The Red Bulls, who won the 2010 Eastern Conference regular season title, open the regular season with a two-game road trip starting on Sunday, March 11 against FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park at 3:00 PM in a match to be televised live by NBC Sports Network – the first MLS game broadcasted by the League’s new national partner, NBC. New York’s home opener at Red Bull Arena will take place Sunday, March 25 against the Colorado Rapids at 4:00 PM ET and will be televised nationally on ESPN. For more information, log on to www.newyorkredbulls.com.
