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MLS New York Red Bulls

Red Bulls Take Second-Straight With 1-0 Win Over Defending Champion Columbus

August 30, 2009 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
New York Red Bulls News Release


EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ (Aug. 30, 2009) - A Dane Richards second half goal helped give the New York Red Bulls their second-straight win, as they topped the MLS Cup defending champion, the Columbus Crew, 1-0, at Giants Stadium Sunday night. After a scoreless first half, Richards started and finished a 50-yard counterattack in the 63rd minute to give New York the three points. New York goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul made one save for his first shutout as a Red Bull.

In the 10th minute, Mike Petke had an opportunity to put the Red Bulls in front when his header from the six-yard box from a Jorge Rojas cross went wide left. Less than nine minutes later, Rojas won the ball deep in Columbus' defensive half and found an open Juan Pablo Angel. The forward's ensuing shot was blocked by a sliding Gino Padula.

The Crew had the best chance of the half in the 25th minute. A Padula corner kick found Chad Marshall, who volleyed it to the right post. However, Danleigh Borman was there to knock it off the line. Columbus forward Jason Garey tried to put the rebound on goal, but his attempt went high.

Both teams looked to get in front after the half. Steven Lenhart flicked over an Emmanuel Ekpo cross high four minutes in, before Richards led a counterattack and took a shot that went off the back of Marshall and just over the bar.

Red Bulls interim head coach Richie Williams made his first substitution in the 59th minute, bringing on Macoumba Kandji for Rojas, and it almost paid immediate dividends. Borman found Kandji on the left wing and Kandji slipped it to forward John Wolyniec in the penalty box. Wolyniec one-timed it with his left-foot off the left post before the Crew was able to steer it away.

New York took the lead in the 63rd minute off a remarkable Richards run. Off a short Columbus corner, Frankie Hejduk tried to put it into the box, but ball took a favorable deflection of a Red Bull defender as Richards sped onto it with the Crew's Brian Carroll as the last defender. Richards took it 50 yards, juked around Carroll and hit a low shot past goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum for his third goal of the season.

Columbus almost immediately answered when Eddie Gaven hit a bouncing shot towards goal and defender Andrew Boyens was there to head it away. With less than 13 minutes left, an Ekpo free kick found Eric Brunner at the back post and the defender directed it past the right post. In the 82nd minute, an Alejandro Moreno flick on from an Ekpo delivery was caught by Coundoul.

New York is now 8-0-3 in their last 11 against Columbus at Giants Stadium, with the Crew's last victory at the Meadowlands coming on April 12, 2003. The Red Bulls dropped Columbus to just their second League loss in 19 games and broke the Crew's five-game winning streak and eight-game unbeaten run.

Midfielder Albert Celades missed the match due to a left calf strain while defender Kevin Goldthwaite, who was already suspended for Sunday's match, underwent hernia surgery last Friday.

The Red Bulls continue their regular season schedule on Sept. 12 when they face the Kansas City Wizards at 7:30 PM ET at Giants Stadium (TV: MSG; Radio: WADO 1280 AM). For tickets, call the Red Bulls at 1.877.RBSOCCER or log onto www.newyorkredbulls.com.

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Major League Soccer Stories from August 30, 2009


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