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MLS New York Red Bulls

New York Red Bulls Weekly Update

May 18, 2009 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
New York Red Bulls News Release


BULLS FACE UNITED IN OPEN CUP ACTION: The New York Red Bulls look to advance to the Round of 16 in the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup when they take on D.C. United at RFK Stadium Wednesday at 7:00 PM ET. The winner of the game will play a to-be-determined opponent in late June.

New York advanced to the final stage of MLS qualifying after defeating the San Jose Earthquakes, 2-1, at Buck Shaw Stadium on April 29. The Red Bulls received goals from Mike Petke and John Wolyniec, who found the back of the net in the second half after Pablo Campos tied the game for the Earthquakes. They will be facing a D.C. United side that gone unbeaten in its last seven games in all competitions (3-0-4), including a 2-0 April 22 home win over FC Dallas in its first U.S. Open Cup qualifying match. On that night, United received goals from Fred and Brandon Barklage on either side of halftime.

In regular season play, United has enjoyed a strong start to its campaign, as it is currently tied in first place in the Eastern Conference with a 3-1-6 (15 pts.) record and is coming off a come-from-behind 2-2 tie against Chivas USA at The Home Depot Center. Maykel Galindo and Eduardo Lillingston gave Chivas the lead going into halftime, but goals by Luciano Emilio and Santino Quaranta in the 77th and 85th minutes, respectively, helped United earn a point.

The Red Bulls and United have already faced off once this season - a 3-2 D.C. win on April 26 at Giants Stadium. D.C. went ahead in the 21st minute with a Rodney Wallace goal, but Juan Pablo Angel and Dane Richards tied it up in the second half. The Red Bulls looked like they were going to get the three until Emilio and Chris Pontius struck for the visitors in the 90th and 91st minutes to give D.C. their second win of the season.

The 2007 MLS Most Valuable Player Emilio is having another standout season with five goals, while Jaime Moreno and Pontius have three goals and two assists each. Quaranta leads United with five assists.

The Red Bulls are 17-28-6 all-time against United and went 1-1-1 against their Eastern Conference foe in 2008. After D.C. took the opening game of the series at RFK Stadium, 4-1, on June 14, the Red Bulls responded with a 4-1 victory of their own at Giants Stadium on Aug. 10 - the largest margin of victory for a Red Bulls team ever against a D.C. squad. In the third match, the two teams played to a 0-0 tie at RFK Stadium on Aug. 30.

Moreno, who became the first player in MLS history to reach the 100-goal, 100-assist plateau, has enjoyed success against New York, scoring 23 goals and 18 assists in 38 games. Ben Olsen has tallied 11 goals and eight assists in 30 games versus New York. Angel has scored five goals in five matches against United.

New York and United have met twice previously in U.S. Open Cup play. In the first meeting, New York defeated D.C., 3-2, in the 2003 semifinals, played at Yurcak Field on the Rutgers University campus. Wolyniec provided the game-winner in the 88th minute to send New York to the finals. In 2006, United posted a 3-1 win over the Red Bulls in a quarterfinal match up at RFK Stadium.

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is an annual national competition that is open to all amateur and professional soccer teams that are affiliated with U.S. Soccer. It is the oldest tournament in the U.S., beginning in 1914 when Brooklyn Field Club took home the very first title. MLS teams were first included in the tournament in the inaugural 1996 season.

The Red Bulls and United will also play on June 4 at RFK Stadium in regular season action.

FIRE COMES INTO TOWN FOR MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND: The Red Bulls will continue a four-game homestand when they host the Eastern Conference co-leader Chicago Fire at Giants Stadium on Sunday at 3:00 PM ET (TV: MSG; Radio: WADO 1280 AM).

Chicago is the League's only unbeaten team, boasting a 3-0-6 (15 pts.) record and coming off a 2-0 win over Toronto FC last Saturday. After a scoreless first half, the Fire took the lead for good in the 59th minute when Chris Rolfe put home a Cuauhtemoc Blanco feed. Brian McBride doubled the visitors' lead nine minutes from full time with his team and League-leading sixth goal of the season.

The Fire looks to extend their MLS-best 2-0-3 road record against the Red Bulls and win the season series over their Eastern Conference foe. The two teams squared off on April 5 at a rainy Toyota Park and Chicago earned a 1-0 decision. Marco Pappa's 33rd minute strike from outside of the penalty box was the lone goal in the game. The Red Bulls played a man up for 76 minutes after John Thorrington was issued a red card for a tackle on Macoumba Kandji, but they could not find the back of the net.

Last season as the second seed in the Eastern Conference, the Fire made it to the Eastern Conference Final, before falling to the eventual MLS Cup Final winner, the Columbus Crew, 2-1. Chicago enjoyed success against New York in 2008, going a perfect 3-0-0. The Fire earned a 5-1 win at Giants Stadium on May 25 and 1-0 and 5-2 victories at Toyota Park on Sept. 6 and Oct. 23, respectively. Rolfe, who tallied a hat trick in the Oct. 23 victory, has scored five goals and two assists in nine games against New York while Fire Designated Player Blanco recorded two goals and five assists in four games. Red Bulls forward Juan Pablo Angel is tied for the club record for goals scored against the Fire with five goals in seven games.

This is the last of two meetings between the two rivals this season. All-time, the Red Bulls are 10-19-6 versus the Fire and 7-8-2 at home. The Red Bulls' head coach Juan Carlos Osorio was previously with the Fire during the second half of the 2007 season, going 6-3-6 and leading Chicago to the Eastern Conference Final.

LATE SURGE GIVES RED BULLS A TIE: Red Bulls forward John Wolyniec scored in the 88th minute took a pass from Dane Richards in the penalty box and turned on the ball and fired it past Dynamo goalkeeper Pat Onstad to lift New York into a 1-1 draw against visiting Houston at Giants Stadium. The Red Bulls went down a man in the 35th minute when midfielder Jorge Rojas was shown a straight red card for hitting Dynamo midfielder Brian Mullan. It was the fourth red card given the Red Bulls this season in just 10 games played.

Houston broke through with the first goal of the match in the 78th minute when Chris Wondolowski hustled in the box and slid in to one-time a Corey Ashe cross. Wondolowski's was the 7,000th goal in MLS history. The Red Bulls now have a 2-2-4 regular season record against the Dynamo and are an unbeaten 2-0-2 at Giants Stadium.

RED BULLS CELEBRATE FLEET WEEK ON USS INTREPID: On Thursday, May 21, 2009, at 2 p.m., Sailors, Marines and Coast Guardsmen from U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard ships will square off against the New York Red Bulls on the flight deck of the former USS Intrepid in 6 v 6 matches. Servicemen and servicewomen will be in town for Fleet Week New York, May 20 - 27, 2009. Hosting a special event at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum the New York Red Bulls will celebrate Fleet Week by playing against the U.S. Navy soccer team from the USS Roosevelt stationed in Manhattan for Fleet Week 2009. The New York Red Bulls will also be offering game tickets to the troops. Joining the Red Bulls First Team will be the Red Bulls Street Team, which will demonstrate freestyle soccer and juggle on the flight deck.

"We are honored to play soccer with our servicemen and servicewomen at the historic former USS Intrepid," said Erik Stover, Red Bull New York's Managing Director. "Fleet Week New York and Memorial Day Weekend are important events and this event gives us a chance to thank those who protect and serve our country."

"Fleet Week is our area's premier celebration of the men and women who defend our county every day, and by playing on the flight deck of the Intrepid, the Red Bulls are providing a great experience and yet another wonderful opportunity to say thank you to our servicemen and servicewomen," said Susan Marenoff, Executive Director of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. "We thank them for all they are doing for our troops."

Hosted nearly every year since 1984, Fleet Week New York is the City's celebration of the sea services. This annual event also provides an opportunity for the citizens of New York City and the surrounding Tri-State area to meet and show support for the men and women of the armed forces.

In honor of the men and women serving our country, the Red Bulls are also promoting its Tickets for Troops program. On Sunday, May 24, the Red Bulls host events at Giants Stadium to recognize members of the military in a variety of on-field ceremonies throughout the day. Your company can play a part in this program by donating tickets to servicemen and servicewomen and their families. Over 1,300 tickets have already been donated for the match. Each Tickets for Troops package will help send 30 people (troops and their families) to the match. Please visit www.newyorkredbulls.com or call 1.877.RBSOCCER.

JOHN ON THE SPOT: After coming into Saturday's game against the Houston Dynamo as a substitute, forward John Wolyniec scored the game-tying goal in the 88th minute, chesting down a high Dane Richards pass, taking a touch and firing past goalkeeper Pat Onstad. The goal was Wolyniec's first in regular season action and his first since a 1-0 July 22, 2007 win over D.C. United. It was also nominated as one of this week's MLS Goals of the Week, which is voted on by logging onto www.mlsnet.com.

Wolyniec is fifth all-time in club history in goals with 25 and is three games shy of tying Tony Meola (125) for fourth in games played.

GOALS

PLAYER GP GOALS

Giovanni Savarese 85 41

Clint Mathis 93 39

Juan Pablo Angel 57 36

Amado Guevara 103 32

John Wolyniec 122 25

GAMES PLAYED

PLAYER GP

Mike Petke 138

Jeff Parke 132

Mike Magee 130

Tony Meola 125

John Wolyniec 122

Steve Jolley 120

Tab Ramos 112

Amado Guevara 103

Chris Leitch 101

Carlos Mendes 101

Seth Stammler 101

HOME SWEET HOME: The Red Bulls return to the Meadowlands for most of the month of May looking to earn points and move up the standings. This season, New York has a 2-1-2 record at Giants Stadium and a plus-4 goal differential (10-6). In each of the past two seasons, the Red Bulls have earned a 9-3-3 record at home.

ROJAS SUSPENDED, JOHNSON OUT: Red Bulls midfielder Jorge Rojas earned a one-game suspension and will miss the Red Bulls' match against the Chicago Fire after he earned a red card in the 35th minute, when his arm hit midfielder Brian Mullan. Rojas is available for selection, however, for the Red Bulls' U.S. Open Cup match against D.C. United Wednesday.

Red Bulls defender Carlos Johnson had to be replaced in the 26th minute by Jeremy Hall after Johnson's foot was stepped on by Stuart Holden. Johnson's foot was broken on the play and he is out indefinitely.

SEEING RED: The Red Bulls are now 25-33-8 when they receive a red card after last Saturday's match. They have received four red cards this season and have gone 1-1-2 in those matches.

NO WAY PAST CONWAY: Red Bulls goalkeeper Jon Conway has been one of the team's steadiest performers over recent years and he continued his good start to the season by making seven saves in a 1-1 tie against Houston last Saturday. Conway has the lowest goals against average all time in club history (1.28) and is third in wins (57), games played (59) and saves (230).

GOALKEEPER GAA

Jon Conway 1.28

Tim Howard 1.46

Tony Meola 1.64

Mike Ammann 1.89

Minimum: 4,000 minutes played

NOT GUN SHY: Red Bulls forward Juan Pablo Angel has been moving up the club's annals in shots and shots on goal. Angel is currently third in each category, with 200 shots and 107 shots on goal. He is trailing Clint Mathis (276, 125) and Amado Guevara (260, 121). Angel started this week tied for third in MLS in shots (27) with Toronto FC's Chad Barrett and Real Salt Lake's Yura Movsisyan and shots on goal (13) with Barrett and the Chicago Fire's Brian McBride. FC Dallas' Kenny Cooper leads both categories (34, 19).

Angel has 37 goals in 57 regular season games, which averages out to 0.63 goals per game - tops in club history. Giovanni Savarese had 41 goals in 85 games (0.48 avg.).

RED BULLS, NYPD TO TRAVEL TO COLOMBIA: Under the "Soccer for Kids - Breaking Borders" program, implemented by the New York Red Bulls in conjunction with the New York Police Department Soccer Team, a delegation from both entities will travel to Colombia from May 20-27 and hold soccer clinics and bring underprivileged children from different schools 200 soccer balls and over 1,000 Red Bulls t-shirts and pieces of apparel. Through this delegation of goodwill, the movement's goal is to send a positive message that reflects the way in which the sport of soccer can help individuals achieve a better standard of living, showing that nothing is impossible with the joint efforts of both countries.

This trip will take place in the cities of Pereira, Manizales, Armenia and Santa Rosa. In Manizales, the delegation will visit the schools, Fe y Alegria, José María Vargas Vila and Santa Clara. The delegation will also have the opportunity to visit the school, Pedro José Rivera, the alma mater of Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio.

"I'm excited about this project which started some time ago with Dino Dominguez, Miguel Cuellar, and other soccer figures in the City of New York," said Ernesto Motta, Senior Director of Communications and Hispanic Affairs for the New York Red Bulls. "It was very successful in Ecuador, a country we had the opportunity to visit last year. Our goal is to continue to visit countries in South and Central America, allowing us to be in contact with children, and hope that this modest donation could be a message that would bring smiles to their faces, and become something very positive in their lives."

"I am very glad that this group can visit the school in which I began my studies," Osorio said. "I have great memories of it. I am very grateful to the NYPD Soccer Team and the Red Bulls for this wonderful initiative to help those that need help the most."

This event also has the backing of the Embassy of the United States of America in Bogota, Colombia. "We are very pleased to work with the NYPD/Red Bulls Soccer clinic for children with limited resources in Colombia. I am certain that this important and valued program will bring much joy to these children," said Mark Wentworth, Public Affairs Officer of the diplomatic representation.

The NYPD Soccer Team will take part in several friendly matches to establish closer ties with their Colombian counterparts, who have received the program with great enthusiasm and are working hard to ensure that this campaign is successful.

"We are very happy to be part of this program with the Red Bulls, to share this new experience and deliver a significant donation," said NYPD said Lt. Ronald Mejia. "We will do everything in our power to ensure that the Colombian children fully enjoy the clinics and the time we spend with them."

"I am very pleased that these New York City police officers, on their own time and with their own resources, are traveling to my home country to bring this donation to these children in need," said Red Bulls captain Juan Pablo Angel, a native of Medellin, Colombia.

MBUTA DOUBLE: Last weekend, Red Bulls midfielders Matthew Mbuta and Nick Zimmerman were loaned out over the weekend to United Soccer League Second Division side, Crystal Palace Baltimore, and both made an impact. Last Friday, Mbuta, who was previously with CPB before he joined the Red Bulls on Sept. 15, 2008, scored the only goal in the 28th minute in Crystal Palace's 1-0 win over the Western Mass Pioneers. Zimmerman played the full 90 minutes of that game.

A day later, Mbuta again scored and played the full 90 minutes, but Crystal Palace fell to the Charlotte Eagles, 2-1. Zimmerman came on as a substitute in the 57th minute.

RED BULLS-DYNAMO POST-GAME: Here was the reaction after the Red Bulls-Dynamo match on May 16:

NEW YORK RED BULLS HEAD COACH JUAN CARLOS OSORIO

On his general response to the game:

"The response is that we're very pleased. Great effort by the guys. We deserved that point. Very difficult game, very physical. I think we competed well for ninety minutes. I'm very pleased for all the guys."

On the team's discipline:

"I don't know the circumstances. I think today, I told my team what I thought coming into this game. Unfortunately, we were too quick to react a couple times."

On John Wolyniec's substitution:

"I will say that it was a difficult decision to be in. Because obviously he competes directly against Juan (Pablo Angel). We all know what he's capable of but having said that, I did say it's a journey for him. I was extremely happy for him because he worked very hard. Now that's a problem for me, how can I put them together and all the guys that deserve to be on the team and be fair to everyone on the team. And he almost scored a second goal. Having said that, we train every day, we drill everybody. We have 11 starters, he played in semifinals and final last season and hopefully, he will keep scoring goals and he will force himself into the starting lineup."

NEW YORK RED BULLS FORWARD JOHN WOLYNIEC

On his game tying goal:

"He [Head Coach Juan Carlos Osorio] is making an offensive substitution late in the game. There's not much time. Obviously, we fought pretty hard and deserved at least a point out of that game and I'm just looking for whatever chance I can get. He [Dane Richards] was totally facing away from me, I was just hoping he could put it back in and I was going to head it on, but I was a little far from the goal and it was the wrong angle, so I just put it down and kept it as close as possible and just hit it."

On the physicality of the match:

"They are always physical. That is something they bring to every game. That is one of the reasons why they are successful every year because they play physical, competitive soccer for 90 minutes. For us to go in there down a man (and tie) is a good sign for us. You want to keep 11 on the field, but it shows a lot of character so hopefully we can build on that."

On his missed game-winning shot attempt:

"I was in the right spot; the ball came at me a little hard and I did pretty well to keep it in front of me, but I couldn't quite get my balance in time to hit the ball. I think I put it on frame, but I think it deflected off the defender in front of me. I'll look at that one on tape and see if I could have done better. It was definitely a good chance and I kind of want that one back."

NEW YORK RED BULLS MIDFIELDER JORGE ROJAS

On what happened before receiving a red card in the 35th minute:

"I received the ball and I felt something on my back. He was really strong on my back and when I started falling, my arm opened and unfortunately hit his face. But, I was falling. It was not my intention at all to make any aggression. I'm not that kind of player, I hold my feelings in. I feel bad for that right now; to leave the team with 10 men in such a complicated game."

MLS FUTBOLITO TO KICK OFF IN NY: Thousands of soccer players of all ages and from all walks of life will lace up their cleats this summer to participate in the seventh edition of "MLS Futbolito", Major League Soccer's official 4-v-4 tournament and one of the nation's most successful grassroots soccer initiatives. The 13-event national tour, presented by Panasonic, begins with a New York Red Bulls hosted event in New York City on Saturday, June 6 and follows a week later in Miami with a nationally televised event on Univision, including a celebrity game, on Sunday, June 14, before continuing to the other markets.

MLS Futbolito, the largest touring Hispanic event hosted by a U.S. professional sports league, is a series of all-day events targeting the League's growing multicultural fan base and hosted by the local MLS team. Univision, a league broadcast partner, and their popular sports show, "Republica Deportiva" (Sports Republic), Univision's ground-breaking sports lifestyle program on Spanish-language television in the U.S., will broadcast its third consecutive live annual show from the Miami MLS Futbolito event to officially kick off the 2009 grassroots series.

"MLS Futbolito truly represents and supports MLS' overarching goal to connect the soccer community with our league and our clubs," said Marco Liceaga, Major League Soccer's Director of Marketing. "Celebrating its seventh year, MLS Futbolito has evolved to become a staple in each of the respective markets and a must-attend event for the entire family."

Among the highlights, for the first time in the tour's history, the New England Revolution will offer New England-area fans the unique opportunity to participate in MLS Futbolito on the actual pitch at Gillette Stadium. It will take place just prior to the Revolution's first group round match in the 2009 edition of SuperLiga.

In 2009, Major League Soccer will recognize Hispanic community leaders across the United States. The new initiative, Distinguished Hispanics, will be run in conjunction with MLS Futbolito and initially will be hosted in nine markets by the local MLS team to identify 10 winners. In each market, three candidates will be chosen by the local MLS team and will be presented to the MLS Latin American Advisory Board for review and selection. Winners will be decided on their merits within the local soccer community. The winner in each market will receive a commemorative plate and a financial contribution to support one of their community initiatives. Further program details are below.

In 2008, MLS Futbolito experienced great growth, with an average of 1,000 players in each city. Events in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York and Phoenix were sold out, setting new high marks for single-day team registration in each city. Since its inaugural year of 2003, there has been a 40% percent increase in total player participation in MLS Futbolito.

Soccer legends and TV personalities who have assisted and participated in MLS Futbolito in the past include former World Cup legends Marco Etcheverry, Teofilo Cubillas, George Weah, Carlos Valderrama, Mauricio Cienfuegos and Noticiero Univision's lead anchor Jorge Ramos.

In addition to MLS Futbolito presenting sponsor Panasonic, associate level partners include adidas, Glidden, Makita, Pepsi, The Home Depot VISA, Volkswagen and Xbox 360.

For further information about MLS Futbolito, visit the event's revamped official site: www.MLSFutbolito.com.

ARE YOU FOLLOWING?: The New York Red Bulls have added several new multimedia initiatives across the team's web portals, including the team's official website: NewYorkRedBulls.com.

Adding to the club's existing list of web content, including Red Bulls Wrap, a weekly podcast, Red Bulls Insider, a bi-weekly video program taking a behind-the-scenes look at the Red Bulls, the Red Bulls Facebook page, and RedBullsReader.com, the official blog of the club, are two new podcast offerings as well as two Twitter options.

This season the team has launched a new podcast. Red Bulls Al Aire, a Spanish language offering hosted by the radio voices of the club, Ernesto Motta and Robert Sierra, posts new episodes every Wednesday.

WE'RE ON TWITTER: The Red Bulls and Mike Petke have also joined Twitter.com, offering thoughts and information from the club 140 characters at a time. Follow the club at www.twitter.com/redbullsreader and follow Petke at www.twitter.com/petkemike.

RED BULLS U-18s, 16s EARN MIXED RESULTS AGAINST U.S.: The New York Red Bulls Under-16 team played a U.S. U-17 Men's National squad to a 1-1 draw at Lubetkin Stadium on the campus of New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, New Jersey.

The Red Bulls U-16s opened the scoring in the 28th minute when Oscar Gonzalez took a shot from the just inside the left side of the box that was mishandled by US U-17 MNT goalkeeper Spencer Richey and forward Samuel Adjei swooped in and cleaned up the play with a shot past Richey.

The U.S. leveled the score 14 minutes into the second half when Hassan (Soony) Saad broke free on the left side and fired a shot past Red Bulls goalkeeper Keith Cardona in the 54th minute.

In the second of two Red Bulls Academy matches with the U.S. Men's National Team, the U.S. U-17 first team defeated the Red Bulls U-18 squad by a score of 3-1.

The U.S. opened the scoring just four minutes in when Sebastian Lletget curled a corner kick to the near post and Jared Watts beat Red Bulls goalkeeper Sheldon Parkinson to the ball and headed it home to put the visitors up 1-0. It was the only score of the first half.

The U.S. MNT increased their lead to 2-0 in the 67th minute when Jack McInerney put it past Parkinson. It looked like the match would end at 2-0. But, Red Bulls forward Walter Hines cut the U.S. lead in half with just two minutes remaining until full time, scoring from in close. The Red Bulls continued to press for the equalizer, but U.S. midfielder Andrew Craven, who entered the match in the 76th minute, scored in the final minute of play to seal the game for the U.S. side.

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Major League Soccer Stories from May 18, 2009


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