MLS Red Bull New York

New York Red Bulls Weekly Update (feb. 1, 2010)

Published on February 1, 2010 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Red Bull New York News Release


RED BULLS END SPAIN ACTION WITH A WIN: The Red Bulls are wrapping up their two-week preseason trip in La Manga, Spain. Under new head coach Hans Backe, the Red Bulls tied Russia's CSKA Moscow, 1-1, on Jan. 25 and defeated Poland's Lech Poznan, 1-0, and Norway's Stromsgodset, 2-1, on Jan. 27 and Feb. 1, respectively. The team, which now has a 2-0-1 record in preseason this year, returns to the United States on Feb. 4.

In the match against CSKA, the Red Bulls took the lead when forward Juan Pablo Angel found midfielder Dane Richards, who put in the team's first preseason goal of 2010 in the sixth minute. CSKA qualified for the first knockout round of the UEFA Champions League, where they will face Spain's Sevilla in a two-leg, home-and-home series starting on Feb. 24.

New York earned its first win of the preseason with a 1-0 victory over Lech Poznan with an Angel goal. Lech Poznan controlled possession for the first part of the match, but both teams did not have many chances in the opening half an hour. Poznan's Sergei Krivets curled the ball around the Red Bulls' wall on a 23-yard free kick in the 32nd minute, but it was caught easily by trialist goalkeeper Greg Sutton. On the other end, New York rookie Conor Chinn nearly got on the end of a Danleigh Borman pass that was gobbled up by Poznan goalkeeper Krzysztof Kotorowski.

With six minutes until the break, New York generated its best chance up to that point. Angel gathered the ball in the midfield and strung a pass to an on-rushing Richards, whose shot on target was blocked by Kotorowski.

The Red Bulls took the lead moments later. On a counterattack, midfielder Jeremy Hall found Angel at the top of the penalty box. Angel took a touch before lashing a low, right-footed shot past Kotorowski and inside the far post for his first goal of the year. Poznan nearly equalized off the restart, as Bartosz Bosacki nodded a cross high.

Lech Poznan qualified for the UEFA Europa League but it was knocked out by Belgium's Club Brugge in qualifying rounds on penalty kicks after the teams were tied 1-1 on aggregate.,

On Monday, the Red Bulls wrapped up their match schedule in Spain with a 2-1 win over Norwegian side, Stromsgodset IF, a Norwegian Premier League team based in Drammen that is currently 12th in the league standings with 36 points.

Richards continued his torrid form in the preseason by setting up the team's first goal three minutes in. Richards sent in a dangerous cross that Stromsgodset's Alexander Aas tried to clear, but he knocked it into his own net. The Jamaican International was involved in the first three of New York's preseason goals.

Angel nearly made it 2-0 in the 14th minute, when he gathered an Austin da Luz pass and blasted his shot over the bar. Later in the half, Seth Stammler tested Stromsgodset goalkeeper Adam Larsen Kwarasey from 25 yards out and Kwarasey punched it away.

Stromsgodset looked to equalize after halftime and tied the game in the 54th minute. Joel Riddez was able to create space in the middle of the penalty box and slammed a shot past Sutton. Angel nearly gave the Red Bulls back their lead seven minutes later. After earning a free kick at the top of Stromsgodset's penalty box, Angel curled his shot around the wall. However, a fully-extended Kwarasey was able to parry it away. In the 69th minute, Marcus Pedersen was able to get his head on a Stromsgodset corner and Sutton was there to make the stop.

The Red Bulls tallied the eventual game winner with 14 minutes to play. A Sinisa Ubiparipovic free kick in Stromsgodset's half was cut back into the box by John Agudelo, who was at the back post. Trialist Toni Kolehmainen was able to get to it and rifled a shot into the goal's top corner.

Moments later, Riddez's attempt from long range was saved by Sutton. On the other end, Agudelo was given space off an Irving Garcia pass, but he poked his attempt wide. Pedersen was inches away from tying the match six minutes from full time, as his chip over Sutton from a sharp angle knocked off the back post.

Fans can follow the team on a daily basis by logging onto www.newyorkredbulls.com or on Red Bulls Reader, the team's official blog - www.redbullsreader.com.

TEAM HOSTS FIRST OPEN HOUSE JOB FAIR AT RBA: The Red Bulls will be holding their first-annual Red Bull Arena Open House job fair on Tuesday, Feb. 16 from 3-8 PM at the Bulls' Corner of Red Bull Arena, located at 600 Cape May St. in Harrison, NJ. Red Bull Arena, Delaware North, Securitas and ISS will be recruiting for positions in the following areas: Kitchen Staff, Box Office Representative, Security Personnel, Concessions Personnel, Retail Staff, Stewards, Heavy Duty/Light Duty Cleaner, and more.

NEW YORK ACQUIRES ALLOCATION: Red Bull New York announced Jan. 29 that it acquired allocation money from the Philadelphia Union. In return, the Red Bulls switched places with Philadelphia in the MLS allocation order, as New York moved from first to sixth. The Red Bulls moved up to fifth after the Union used its slot to sign defender Michael Orozco on loan Friday.

"The allocation we have acquired will provide us additional roster flexibility moving forward," said Red Bull New York General Manager and Sporting Director Erik Soler.

RED BULLS TAKE ON SANTOS IN RBA GRAND OPENING: The Red Bulls will face Brazilian club, Santos, on March 20, 2010 in the official Grand Opening of Red Bull Arena, located in Harrison, NJ. Kickoff time will be announced at a future date. The exhibition match is included in the 2010 Red Bulls Full Season Ticket packages at no additional cost. Beginning this Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 10:00 AM, Season Ticket Holders will also receive an exclusive three-day pre-sale window to purchase additional discounted seats to this match and the Red Bulls MLS Home Opener against the Chicago Fire on March 27.

The Red Bulls, who will also host a soft opening at a date to be determined, will offer "The Stage is Set" two-game ticket package, which goes on sale on Thursday, Jan. 28 at 3:00 PM. The plan gives fans a seat at both the Grand Opening and the MLS Home Opener and starts at $35 per package.

"We are excited to invite one of the most prestigious clubs in South America to help us properly open our new home," said Red Bull New York General Manager and Sporting Director Erik Soler. "Santos has a tremendous following globally, including within the vibrant areas located directly near Red Bull Arena. We're thrilled to face a quality squad that features elite players including Fábio Costa and Neymar in the lead-up to the MLS regular season."

"Our team has had the chance to open many stadiums around the world. To be part of the Grand Opening of Red Bull Arena allows us to celebrate another chapter of that history and move forward with the globalization of our brand," said Luis Alvaro de Oliveira Ribeiro, President of Santos.

Founded in 1912, Santos has a storied history in Brazil. Winners of 17 Paulista Championships, including in 2006 and 2007, Santos is renowned as being the first club where Pele - one of the greatest players in the sport's history - started his career in 1956 when he was 15 years old. Santos has also won two Brazilian Championships in 2002 and 2004. Along with Pele, Santos has had many Brazilian stars in its ranks including Robinho, Giovanni and Elano.

RED BULLS, SPORTING CHANCE TO RAISE MONEY FOR HAITI: Red Bull New York and midfielder Seth Stammer's charitable nonprofit organization, Sporting Chance Foundation (SCF), will raise money for the victims of last week's earthquake in Haiti by offering fans exclusive tours of the team's new home, Red Bull Arena, in Harrison, NJ. Every fan who donates $100 to SCF will receive two tickets to an intimate tour of Red Bull Arena with a Red Bull player. All of the proceeds will go to SCF, which will send the funds to Haiti as part of the worldwide relief effort. Reservations for the tour can be made from Jan. 18-Feb. 5 by contacting Christina Giunta at 201.583.7017 (Christina.Giunta@newyorkredbulls.com) or Kate Brewster-Duffy at 201.583-7000 ext. 7123 (Comm.Coord@newyorkredbulls.com). The tours will take place the week of Feb. 8-13. Because of high demand, the Red Bulls have opened more tour slots, but space is still limited.

Also, the team is conducting a special online auction at www.NewYorkRedBulls.com to raise money to benefit the victims of the devastating earthquake in Haiti earlier this month. The highlight of this auction is an once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to score the first-ever goal at Red Bull Arena, the Red Bulls' new home in Harrison, NJ.

The auction opens today and runs to March 15 (except for the Once in a Lifetime Package, which ends on Feb. 15) exclusively on www.NewYorkRedBulls.com. All of the proceeds will go to midfielder Seth Stammler's Sporting Chance Foundation and will directly benefit the people of Haiti. More information on SCF can be found at www.sportingchancefoundation.org.

The most sought after item among the 11 available is the Once in a Lifetime Package, in which the winning bidder will become the first person to score a goal at Red Bull Arena during a stand-alone media event. The winning bidder will be presented with their first goal ball by Stammler and two tickets to the owners' skybox at the Red Bulls' MLS Opener on Saturday, March 27 against the Chicago Fire, receive two all-access passes to the club's Media Day, a private tour of Red Bull Arena, and more. Bids for this amazing package start at $7,500.

Other items include 11 Red Bull Arena logo hard hats signed by the team, a unique training session with the Red Bulls, a Red Bull on the Road travel package, and much more. Fans looking for more information or to make a bid should log onto www.NewYorkRedBulls.com today.

RED BULLS U-18S TO FACE U.S. U-17S IN SOFT OPENING EVENT: Red Bull New York announced that the Red Bulls' Under-18 Academy squad will face the U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team on March 13 at 4:30 PM ET in the "soft opening" of Red Bull Arena.

"Hosting this event gives our fans a first opportunity to visit Red Bull Arena and it's a great dress rehearsal for our game day staff," said Red Bull New York Managing Director Erik Stover. "We are excited to host the U.S. U-17s in the build-up to the Grand Opening of our new home."

Admittance to the soft opening is free, however, all fans must contact the Red Bulls at 1.877.RBSOCCER to acquire tickets beginning on Monday, Feb. 15 at 10:00 AM. Red Bulls Full Season Plan Holders will automatically receive tickets for their same seats prior to the match.

In addition, the club will distribute collection buckets at the match to benefit Red Bulls midfielder Seth Stammler's nonprofit organization, Sporting Chance Foundation, dedicated to provide relief for the victims affected in the earthquake in Haiti two weeks ago. More information on SCF can be found on www.sportingchancefoundation.org.

Last season, the Red Bulls U-18s were led by forward Giorgi Chirgadze, who became the club's first Homegrown Academy player to join New York's First Team. The U-18s team is a part of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy system. They are one of four squads in the Red Bulls Academy, a cost-free program that aims to develop the best soccer talent in the tri-state area. For more information on the Red Bulls Academy, log onto www.redbullsacademy.com.

The U.S. U-17 Men's National Team will travel to Red Bull Arena from Bradenton, FL., where 40 players train daily as part of U.S. Soccer's full-time Residency Program. The current crop players, including Red Bulls Academy players Russell Canouse, Santiago Castano and Adam Najem, were all born in either 1994 or 1995. The U.S. team, led by head coach Wilmer Cabrera, is in the early stages of preparation for the 2011 CONCACAF U-17 Championship and the subsequent 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup.

FULL SEASON PLANS ARE ON SALE: The Red Bulls will open its regular season slate at Red Bull Arena on Saturday, March 27, 2010, when they host the Chicago Fire at 7:00 PM ET for the start their 2010 MLS Regular Season slate. The game will be telecast nationally on ESPN2.

Full Season Ticket Plans for the New York Red Bulls' first season at Red Bull Arena, in Harrison, NJ, are on sale now. Midfield seats in the 100-Level and sideline sections 107 and 112 are already sold out, but good seats are still available. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 1.877.RBSOCCER or log onto www.newyorkredbulls.com.

Fans are urged to secure their season tickets and seat locations as soon as possible. Ticket prices for the 2010 season range from just $272 to $585 per seat. Seating at Red Bull Arena is as close as seven yards from the touchline and all seats are covered underneath a dynamic 360-degree roof. Club Seats for the 2010 season are also on sale. For just $3,000 per seat, these premium seats are located behind the team bench, and enjoy several unique features, including access to a private club for all-inclusive food and beverage service.

The prices for 2010 Full Season Ticket Plans are as follows:

Club Seats: $3,000

Midfield: $585

Sideline: $425

Corner Flag: $335

Endline: $299

Supporters: $272

Check out the Red Bull New York Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from February 1, 2010


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