MLS New York Red Bulls

New York Red Bulls Match Notes: New York vs. LA Galaxy

Published on April 21, 2015 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
New York Red Bulls News Release


BULLETINS

*After opening the season with three of the first four matches on the road, the Red Bulls returned home last Friday night with a resounding 2-0 win over San Jose at Red Bull Arena. The homestand continues on Sunday, when New York hosts the LA Galaxy at 5 p.m. in a nationally-televised contest. Adrian Healey, Taylor Twellman and Monica Gonzalez have the call on ESPN2.

*Fans can listen to the New York Red Bulls Internet Radio Network broadcasts Sunday via NewYorkRedBulls.com. Ed Cohen and Steve Jolley have the English broadcast while Ernesto Motta and Alejandro Gimenez will call the action on the Spanish broadcast.

*With the win the Red Bulls move to 3-0-2 and remain the only undefeated team in Major League Soccer.

*Head coach Jesse Marsch has New York off to one of the best starts in club history. The 11 points earned is tied for the second-best start through five games, only the 2010 Red Bulls got off better, with a 4-1-0 record. The five-game unbeaten streak also ties the longest such run to start a season in franchise history. The team also started the year 3-0-2 in 2007.

*New York is 2-0-0 at home this season with a pair of 2-0 wins. In the most recent outing, Sacha Kljestan scored his first goal as a Red Bull, and Mike Grella his second. Luis Robles has collected both clean sheets at RBA.

*The New York Red Bulls are one of 20 teams that comprise the top-flight professional soccer league in the United States - Major League Soccer. On the field, the team is led by head coach Jesse Marsch, former MLS player and coach of the Montreal Impact, 2014 Golden Boot Winner Bradley Wright-Phillips and New York veterans Dax McCarty and Luis Robles.

*New York is one of 10 charter clubs of Major League Soccer as the league is in its 20th season. Major League Soccer is coming off a record-setting season in 2014, as the league witnessed all-time highs in television viewership, in-stadium attendance, consumer products, digital audience and social media engagement.

*Last season, the Red Bulls reached the MLS Eastern Conference Championship, just short of reaching the second MLS Cup in club history. New York has qualified for the playoffs for five straight seasons and 11 of the past 12 years.

*New York is 18-16-6 all-time against LA, including a 12-7-2 home record. In the last five regular season meetings, the Red Bulls are 3-1-1. Last season, New York fell 4-1 in a late September game at the StubHub Center in California. New York won the last two in Harrison, and haven't lost to the Galaxy at home in the regular season since 2010.

New York Red Bulls shine light on spinal cord injury research with Wings For Life Night

In support of spinal cord injury research, the New York Red Bulls are honored to celebrate Wings for Life Night on Sunday, April 26 vs. the L.A. Galaxy.

Former Rutgers football player Eric LeGrand, who was paralyzed in an October 2010 college football game and has been at the forefront of raising awareness and funds for spinal cord injury research, will be honored for his efforts as part of the game's festivities.

In partnership with Team LeGrand and the Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, the team is encouraging fans to use the promo code RBWFL when purchasing tickets to this game, with $3 from every purchase going directly to the Wings for Life Foundation.

BEST HOME RECORD IN MLS

New York owns the best home record since the start of the 2012 season in Major League Soccer. The Red Bulls are 34-7-12 at Red Bull Arena since 2012. New York is 2-0-0 at Red Bull Arena in 2015, and has outscored opponents 4-0.

MLS Best Home Record Since 2012

RecordPoints

1. New York Red Bulls 34-7-12 114

1. LA Galaxy 35-9-9 114

2. Real Salt Lake 33-9-11 110

2. Seattle Sounders 34-10-2 110

TOP OF THE TABLE

With the 3-0-2 start to the season, the unbeaten Red Bulls continued their ascent to the top of the Eastern Conference standings this week. The Red Bulls currently sit in first, tied on points with New England and D.C. United, but ahead on goal differential at +5, which is also best in the league.

New York has also played less games than most of their competition, and their 2.2 points per game is the highest in the league.

MARSCH'S FIVE-GAME START

Jesse Marsch has the second-best record for a coach in team history after his first five games.

Marsch is 3-0-2 with the Red Bulls through his first five games as head coach.

Only Hans Backe had a better five-game start to his coaching career in team history in 2010 (4-1-0).

First Five Games as NY Head Coach

RecordYear

1. Hans Backe 4-1-0 2010

2. Jesse Marsch 3-0-2 2015

3. Bob Bradley 3-1-1 2003

SAM STAYS HOT

Red Bulls winger Lloyd Sam picked up his first assist of the year, and second MLS Team of the Week award in the 2-0 win over San Jose. Just minutes after the Red Bulls took a 1-0 lead, Sam picked out former Leeds teammate Mike Grella at the back post to double the home team's advantage in the 36th minute.

Sam now has three goals and one assist through five games, and is just two off his MLS career high of five tallies in 2013. The Englishman netted his third goal of the season two weeks ago in D.C., tying the game in the 90th minute by putting home the rebound of a Sacha Kljestan free kick that couldn't be smothered by D.C. goalkeeper Bill Hamid. Sam also scored on opening day in Kansas City, and then again in the Red Bulls home opener against D.C. United to put the home side up 2-0. He was held off the score sheet in Columbus, but did earn the penalty kick that Bradley Wright-Phillips buried in the Red Bulls' 2-1 win.

RED BULLS TOP POWER RANKINGS

The Red Bulls remain atop the major power rankings for the second-straight week after another 2-0 win at home. ESPN FC, MLSsoccer.com and Sports Illustrated's Planet Futbol blog all have the Red Bulls in the number one spot for the second week in a row. This week's opponent, LA Galaxy, are ranked fifth by ESPN and SI, and fourth by MLSsoccer.com.

MAKING AN IMPACT

In the club's biggest player acquisition of the offseason, Red Bulls sporting director Ali Curtis and head coach Jesse Marsch shipped stalwart midfielder Eric Alexander and promising Cameroonian youth Ambroise Oyongo, along with an international roster spot and allocation money, to Montreal in return for the top allocation spot, used to acquire U.S. international Sacha Kljestan, and Brazilian midfielder Felipe.

The two were targets for Marsch, who played alongside Kljestan for five seasons at Chivas USA, and coached Felipe during the midfielder's most successful MLS campaign in 2012.

The pair immediately solidified the central midfield along with Dax McCarty, and are showing tangible signs of what they can contribute to New York this season.

Kljestan was drafted by Chivas USA in 2006, the same year Marsch, already an 11-year veteran, joined the team. The two were midfield partners for four seasons before Marsch retired and began his coaching career. Marsch was an assistant under Bob Bradley with the U.S. National Team in 2009 and 2010, the same time Kljestan was making regular appearances in National Team camps.

Kljestan got his first goal as a Red Bull last week against San Jose, finishing off a ball at the back post for what would prove to be the game-winner in the 29th minute. In the previous match in D.C. he drew the foul that earned an 89th minute free kick. The California native then delivered a dipping ball in on goal, which caused issues for Bill Hamid and left a rebound for Lloyd Sam to finish, tying the game 2-2 and stealing a road point at RFK.

Felipe made 30 starts for Marsch as a rookie in 2012, scoring four goals and a career-high 10 assists. He put up similar numbers over the last two seasons (12G, 24A total) and has already contributed two assists through four games.

Felipe first assisted on Lloyd Sam's opening day goal at Sporting Kansas City. The Brazilian also delivered the corner kick across the six yard box for Damien Perrinelle's 68th minute goal in D.C. Felipe has also caused two turnovers that led directly to Red Bulls goals this season, including Kljestan's game-winner against San Jose.

MIAZGA MAKES U.S. U-20 ROSTER FOR APRIL CAMP

Coming off of a strong showing at the U-20 CONCACAF Championships with the US U-20 squad, center back Matt Miazga has been put forth by his new coach as a part of the Red Bulls future.

Miazga signed with the Red Bulls as a Homegrown player in May of 2013, turning down offers to play in college. He played seven games, including six starts, in 2014.

Since replacing Ronald Zubar in the final stages of the opening-day game in Kansas City, Miazga has become a regular on the back line for a team that has only allowed four goals through five games and recorded two shutouts at home.

This week Miazga was named to the April camp for the U.S. U-20s as the side continues to prepare for the upcoming U-20 FIFA World Cup in New Zealand. Miazga will join the team in Austria for a midweek game against fellow World Cup-side Qatar (coincidentally, at Red Bull Arena in Salzburg). The 19-year-old is expected to rejoin the Red Bulls ahead of Sunday's match against LA.

RARE COMPANY

Matt Miazga became just the fourth player since 2010 to record at least eight aerials won, eight clearances, seven interceptions and four tackles.

Matt Miazga (4/17/15)

8 aerials won, 8 clearances, 7 interceptions, 4 tackles

Austin Berry (3/9/2013)

8 aerials won, 17 clearances, 11 interceptions, 4 tackles

Aurelien Collin (4/5/2013)

11 aerials won, 18 clearances, 8 interceptions, 4 tackles

Doneil Henry (5/8/2013)

13 aerials won, 15 clearances, 7 interceptions, 4 tackles

PERRINELLE PROVIDES VETERAN PRESENCE

After joining New York in the summer of 2014 from French side FC Istres, Damien Perrinelle saw action in just two games - for a total of seven minutes.

Now, with a full offseason with the club under his belt, Perrinelle seems like a new man. The Frenchman was named starting center back next to his countryman Ronald Zubar. When Zubar picked up an injury just 70 minutes into the season, and left back Roy Miller was forced out due to an injury in training the following week, Perrinelle found himself the anchor of a suddenly young and shifting back line.

The 31-year-old Ligue 2 veteran has been a steady presence in the early going on a backline that has seen three different combinations of starters through five games. After Perrinelle, the most experienced defender to take the field for New York is second-year right back Chris Duvall. Perrinelle has steadied 19-year-old Matt Miazga, starting in place of Zubar, and has provided stability for the shifting left back position, where Kemar Lawrence and Anthony Wallace have both made starts in place of Miller.

Despite the uncertainty, the Red Bulls have allowed just four goals through five games, and limited the chances for the opposition. New York has yet to allow a goal at home through two contests.

Perrinelle scored his first MLS goal - a header off of a corner kick - two weeks ago in D.C., just a minute after United went up 2-0. The goal gave the Red Bulls new life, and sparked the offensive assault that ultimately resulted in Lloyd Sam's 90th minute goal for the 2-2 draw at RFK Stadium.

MR. 1,000

Mike Grella's game-winning chip of Crew SC 'keeper Steve Clark will go down not just as one of the best goals of the early season, it will have a place in the record books as the 1,000th goal in New York franchise history across all competitions.

The Long Island native scored the first MLS goal of his career seconds after entering the game as a substitute in the 56th minute. After a forced turnover Grella caught Clark off his line, and chipped a ball over his head to give the Red Bulls a 2-1 lead on the road. The goal is the 1,000th scored between all sanctioned competitions.

2015 RED BULLS COACHING STAFF

After being appointed head coach, Jesse Marsch named long-time Chicago Fire assistant and head coach Denis Hamlett his first assistant. Hamlett, like Marsch, entered MLS in the inaugural 1996 draft. After a medical condition ended his playing career, Hamlett joined the Chicago Fire's coaching staff for their inaugural '98 season, the same year Marsch was acquired by the team. After 10 seasons as an assistant coach in Chicago, Hamlett was giving the head coaching reigns of the club in 2008. In two seasons at the helm, he led the side to back-to-back Eastern Conference finals and came within penalty kicks of an MLS Cup appearance in 2009.

In addition to keeping John Wolyniec and goalkeepers coach Rafael Gonzalez, Marsch brought in long-time Fire teammate Chris Armas. Armas also joined Chicago in '98, pairing with Marsch in the midfield for the fairytale double-winning campaign for the expansion side. Armas earned MLS Best XI honors five times in his career, tied for second-most all time behind only Landon Donovan's seven. He made 66 appearances for the USMNT, just missing the 2002 and 2006 World Cups due to injury. Armas is widely considered one of the best American players of his generation.

UP NEXT

New York finishes out its three-game homestand Wednesday, April 29 versus the Colorado Rapids. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m.

Pre-game coverage on Red Bulls Game Night begins at 7 p.m. on MSG.

Check out the New York Red Bulls Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from April 21, 2015


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