MLS New York Red Bulls

New York Red Bulls Weekly

Published on February 16, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
New York Red Bulls News Release


RED BULLS ANNOUNCE MULTI-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION FOR ANGEL: The Red Bulls announced on Monday, Feb. 16, that it has signed its Designated Player and 2007 MLS Most Valuable Player finalist, Juan Pablo Angel, to a multi-year contract extension. Per club and League regulations, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"We're thrilled to have come to an agreement with Juan Pablo," said Red Bull New York Managing Director Erik Stover. "During his two years in New York, Juan Pablo has established himself as the top forward in the League. He has shown a tremendous commitment to this club both on and off the field. We're excited to have him lead our team in the coming years as we compete for a MLS Cup championship."

"I'm very excited to extend my contract with the Red Bulls," Angel said. "As I have said in the past, I think that the League is very competitive and is growing every year. Red Bull has shown me that they are dedicated to improving the club and the quality of the sport year after year and I am looking forward to be a part of it as we move into a brand new stadium next season."

Angel, a two-time MLS All-Star, has scored 33 goals in just 47 games since signing with New York on April 17, 2007, as a Designated Player. The former Aston Villa and River Plate (Argentina) forward missed seven games in 2008 due to injury, but still tallied an Eastern Conference-leading 14 goals in 23 regular season games. After leading the Red Bulls to their sixth-straight playoff appearance, Angel scored two goals in New York's 4-1 aggregate goal win over two-time defending champion, the Houston Dynamo, last November. Two weeks later, Angel captained the first-ever Red Bulls side to qualify for the MLS Cup Final.

In his first season, the 33-year-old was a MLS Best XI selection after scoring 19 goals and five assists in 24 games. A finalist for the MLS MVP and Newcomer of the Year award, Angel was a two-time MLS Player of the Month (May & June), was the leading vote getter in the MLS All-Star Game and broke the club's record of 16 for goals in a single season set by Adolfo Valencia in 2000. Angel, who leads all MLS players in goals scored over the past two seasons, starts the 2009 season just nine goals shy of breaking the club record for regular season goals scored.

Angel started his career for Colombian side, Nacional Medellin, where he played from 1993-97. He starred for Argentinean power, River Plate, from 1997-2000, before transferring to Aston Villa. Angel has earned 33 caps for the Colombian National Team.

RED BULLS END BRADENTON TRIP WITH WIN: The 2008 MLS Cup Finalist New York Red Bulls finished their first preseason camp at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, FL, last Saturday, when they returned to the NY/NJ area after spending two weeks in the Sunshine State.

The Red Bulls played two scrimmages last week - a 0-0 tie with USL-1's Puerto Rico Islanders on Monday, Feb. 9 and a come-from-behind 3-2 win over Toronto FC on Feb. 13. Against the Islanders, the Red Bulls had a number of chances to put their name on the scoreboard, but they could not, extending their preseason record to 0-1-2.

In their last match in Bradenton, penalty kick goals from John Wolyniec and Lionel St. Preux and a goal by Matthew Mbuta helped give the New York Red Bulls their first 2009 preseason victory against Toronto FC. The victory improved the Red Bulls to 1-1-2 in the 2009 preseason.

The teams played four 25-minute periods, with a short intermission in-between each quarter. Toronto FC came out the stronger of the two sides and took the lead in the 13th minute. Defender Marvell Wynne played the ball through to Chad Barrett. Barrett ran at goal before sliding it to an unmarked Pablo Vitti, who put it away from eight yards out.

A minute later, Toronto FC doubled their advantage. Amadou Sanyang regained possession in the midfield and passed it to Barrett, whose 25-yard blast beat goalkeeper Danny Cepero. The Red Bulls controlled the second period and pulled one back in the 31st minute after the referee ruled that Toronto FC midfielder Dwayne De Rosario handled a cross in the box. Wolyniec stepped up and converted the spot kick.

New York tied the game in the fourth period in the 87th minute. Danleigh Borman cut into the center of the field and played a well-weighted through ball to Mbuta, who slotted it past goalkeeper Brian Edwards. Then, with three minutes remaining, Mbuta was tripped up in the 18-yard box heading towards goal and the referee pointed to the spot. St. Preux scored on the ensuing penalty kick, giving the Red Bulls the win.

The Red Bulls will have a few days to rest before training at the Giants Stadium Bubble Wednesday and Thursday this week. The team departs for Pilar, Argentina, outside Buenos Aires, on Friday night. After training and playing several scrimmages (to be announced), the Red Bulls will return to the United States on March 9. The Red Bulls kick off the MLS regular season on March 19, when they face expansion club, Seattle Sounders FC, at Qwest Field at 9 PM ET (TV: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes; Radio: WADO 1280 AM).

NEW YORK RED BULLS SCHEDULE (Feb. 16-Feb. 22) Please contact a member of the Red Bulls Communications Staff if you have any requests or questions.

This Week's Schedule (subject to change):

Monday, Feb. 16: OFF

Tuesday, Feb. 17: OFF

Wednesday, Feb. 18: Training at Giants Stadium Practice Bubble at 10 AM

Thursday, Feb. 19: Training at Giants Stadium Practice Bubble at 10 AM

Friday, Feb. 20: Travel to Argentina.

Saturday, Feb. 21: TBD

Sunday, Feb. 22: TBD CAMP UPDATE:

- Forward Oscar Echeverry and goalkeeper Terry Boss are currently rehabbing from their respective knee surgeries last year. Boss is with the team while Echeverry is back northeast.

- Midfielder Seth Stammler, who underwent knee surgery at the end of the 2008 regular season, was with the team in Florida and continues to train individually.

- Defender Andrew Boyens underwent surgery on Wednesday, Jan. 28 to repair a fractured left forearm suffered during the team's playoff run. The forearm had not fully healed in the offseason and the team's medical consultants suggested that he should have the surgery so that it would be 100-percent by the time the season started. Boyens started training individually in Florida last week.

- Defenders Carlos Mendes and Mike Petke missed the scrimmage against Toronto FC due to hip/groin injuries.

- Defenders Gordon Kljestan and Scott Palguta will not be returning to the Red Bulls' preseason camp. BULLS ACQUIRE SMITH: Red Bull New York announced on Feb. 12 that it acquired midfielder Khano Smith from Seattle Sounders FC in exchange for allocation money. Per MLS and club regulations, specific terms of the deal were not disclosed.

"One of our priorities before the start of the season was to add depth and athleticism to the left side of our midfield and we feel that we have accomplished this goal by acquiring Khano," said Sporting Director Jeff Agoos. "We think that Khano's pace, athleticism and experience will immediately help our club as we enter the new MLS season."

Smith, who will be starting his fifth season in MLS, spent the predominant part of his career with the New England Revolution. Prior to being selected by Seattle Sounders FC in the 2008 MLS Expansion Draft on Nov. 26, the 6-3, 190-pound Bermuda National Team standout played in 85 games over four seasons for the Revolution, scoring eight goals and 11 assists. In 2008, Smith played in 23 games, started in 18, and scored two goals and three assists. The left-sided midfielder's breakout season came in 2007, when he set career highs in games played (29) and started (26), assists (6) and shots (36). He helped the Revs reach the MLS Cup Final for three-straight years from 2005-07 and win the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2007.

On the international level, Smith has earned 24 caps for the Bermuda National Team. Prior to joining MLS, Smith played for the Carolina Dynamo of USL's D3 Pro League and the Dandy Town Hornets of Bermuda's Premier League. Smith attended Division II school, Lees-McCrae College in Banner Elk, NC, earning first-team All-America honors in 2002. He started his college career at Champlain College in Burlington, VT.

RBNY PENS NEW MSG DEAL: MSG and Major League Soccer's New York Red Bulls have agreed to a new, multi-year agreement ensuring that MSG will continue as the local television home of the Red Bulls. Dan Ronayne, executive vice president and general manager of MSG Networks, and Erik Stover, Managing Director of Red Bull New York, made the announcement today.

MSG, which has held the television rights to the Red Bulls/MetroStars for the past 13 years, will telecast approximately 20 Red Bulls games per season as part of this new deal. MSG will also produce a half-hour post-game show for all Red Bulls home games telecast on the network. The first game to air on MSG this season will be on Sunday, April 5 against the Chicago Fire at 3:00 p.m. ET. A complete schedule for the 2009 season is included below.

Shep Messing will return as expert analyst on MSG for his eighth season and Steve Cangialosi will return for his second season as play-by-play announcer. Messing is a New York native and former Cosmos hero with 14 years as a professional player and close to 20 years as a broadcaster. Cangialosi is a veteran sports anchor and reporter for MSG, and a recognizable face and voice among sports fans in the tri-state area. Returning for her second season as MSG's Red Bull host and sideline reporter is experienced sports reporter Tina Cervasio.

For a full broadcast schedule, please visit www.newyorkredbulls.com.

THE REMAINING PRESEASON SCHEDULE: Here is the rest of the Red Bulls training schedule prior to their home opener on March 19.

2009 NEW YORK RED BULLS PRESEASON SCHEDULE

Feb. 18-19 - Team trains in NY/NJ area.

Feb. 20 - Team leaves for Pilar, Argentina (practice schedule/matches TBD)

March 9 - Team returns to NY/NJ area

March 12 - Red Bulls at Crystal Palace Baltimore at 7 PM in Annapolis, MD.

March 19 - Red Bulls at Seattle Sounders FC at 9 PM ET (TV: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes)

ROJAS EARNS 90TH CAP: Red Bulls midfielder Jorge Rojas earned his 90th cap in Venezuela's 2-1 friendly win over Guatemala on Wednesday, Feb. 11 in Maturin, Venezuela. Dwight Pezzarossi put Guatemala up in the 49th minute. However, Guatemala went down a man 10 minutes later after a Cristian Noriega was red carded. Giancarlo Maldonado and Jose Salomon Rondon both tallied to secure the win.

Rojas joined the Red Bulls on July 17, 2008, and recorded five assists in 11 games played. The second most capped player in Venezuelan National Team history, Rojas has played 89 times for his country. Rojas was the Red Bulls' 2008 Newcomer of the Year and appeared in two playoff games for New York.

IN AND OUT: The Red Bulls have several new faces on their team in 2009 as well as others who departed in the offseason. Here is a list:

New Players (6): Jeremy Hall (Selected in the first round (11th overall) of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft on Jan. 15, 2009) ; Dominic Oduro (Acquired in a trade with FC Dallas on Jan. 13, 2009) ; Mike Petke (Acquired in 2008 MLS Waiver Draft on Nov. 26, 2008); Khano Smith (Acquired in a trade with Seattle Sounders FC on Feb. 12, 2009); Jack Traynor (Selected in the second round (29th overall) of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft on Jan. 15, 2009) ; Nick Zimmerman (Selected in the third round (44th overall) of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft on Jan. 15, 2009) Players who have left (7): Gabriel Cichero (Waived on Nov. 26, 2009); John Gilkerson (Did not return to team after 2008 season); Diego Jimenez (Returned to Tecos after loan expired with New York on Dec. 31, 2008); Gordon Kljestan (Waived on Nov. 26, 2009) ; Mike Magee (Traded to the Los Angeles Galaxy on Jan. 14, 2009) Jeff Parke (Selected by Seattle Sounders FC in 2008 MLS Expansion Draft on Nov. 26, 2008); Sainey Touray (Waived on Nov. 26, 2009) ; Dave van den Bergh (Traded to FC Dallas on Jan. 13, 2009)

The Red Bulls must trim their roster to 24 players (between 18-20 senior roster players and the rest developmental) before the start of the season. Last year, each team was allowed a 28-man roster (18 senior, 10 developmental).

INDIVIDUAL TICKET PACKS ON SALE: Individual ticket packages for the first eight New York Red Bulls 2009 regular season games at Giants Stadium are on sale now by calling 1.877.RBSOCCER. The individual ticket packages include four (4) tickets to a Red Bulls match and a choice of either four t-shirts or a $20 concession voucher for use at the Giants Stadium concessions stands. The packages start as low as $89.95.

The Red Bulls also announced that four-game and eight-game ticket plans are also available for the 2009 season. Fans securing Full or Partial Season ticket plans this season will receive priority access to select their seats in Red Bull Arena, the state-of-the-art soccer-specific stadium being constructed in Harrison, New Jersey, scheduled to open in 2010.

Looking to follow-up on their Cinderella run to the MLS Cup in 2008, the Red Bulls begin their 2009 campaign on March 19 when they take on Seattle Sounders FC at Qwest Field at 9 PM ET (TV: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes; Radio: WADO 1280 AM). Head coach Juan Carlos Osorio returns for his second season at the helm. On the field, the team is led by striker Juan Pablo Angel, the leading goal scorer in MLS over the past two seasons.

After their season opener at Seattle, the Red Bulls open their home campaign on March 28 against I-95 rival, the New England Revolution, led by Taylor Twellman. On April 18 at 7:30, the Red Bulls host Real Salt Lake in a rematch of last year's Western Conference Final. On April 26, the Red Bulls will host Atlantic Cup rival D.C. United in a 3 PM affair. Then, the Red Bulls are home for four consecutive weeks, hosting the San Jose Earthquakes on May 8 (7:30), the Houston Dynamo on May 16 (7:30), and the Chicago Fire, led by Mexican star and designated player Cuauhtémoc Blanco on May 24 at 3 PM. New York wraps up May when the Colorado Rapids visit East Rutherford on May 30 at 7:30 PM.

Check out the New York Red Bulls Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from February 16, 2009


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