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NEW YORK RED BULLS v D.C. UNITED
GIANTS STADIUM, E. Rutherford, N.J.
4 p.m. MT (ESPN2)
April 22, 2006 (WEEK #4) / MLS Game #19
The Atlantic Cup rivals play for the second time in four weeks to open the 2006 season, and both have already seen their share of excitement in the early going. D.C. United still has yet to lose in the young season, the only time they've lost points coming in the season opener against the New York Red Bulls. For the Red Bulls, their new name still has yet to see a victory - though they haven't lost either - and in the last week they've also seen Alexi Lalas leave the club's front office.
REFEREE: Kevin Stott. SAR (bench): Craig Lowry; JAR (opposite): Sean Hurd; 4th: Alex Prus
MLS Career: 121 games; FC/gm: 26.8; Y/gm: 3.3; R: 31; pens: 19
MLS 2006: 2 games; FC/gm: 29.0 (avg: 31.1); Y/gm: 4.0 (avg: 3.89); R: 0 (MLS: 3); pens: 0 (MLS: 3)
Games involving Red Bulls: P27 W8 L16 T3; FC/gm: 27.2; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 10; pens: 5
Games involving United: P29 W17 L9 T3; FC/gm: 27.2; Y/gm: 3.3; R: 9; pens: 4
INJURY REPORT: NEW YORK RED BULLS - OUT: MF Mark Lisi (R groin strain); QUESTIONABLE: FW Mike Magee (L ankle sprain) ... D.C. UNITED - OUT: GK Nick Rimando (mid-foot sprain); DF David Stokes (R quad strain); MF Santino Quaranta (R hamstring strain); QUESTIONABLE: DF Bryan Namoff (groin strain); PROBABLE: MF Clyde Simms (L foot sesmoiditis)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: NY: FW David Arvizu; FW Josmer Altidore (U.S. U-20 national team)
SUSPENDED: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (41 meetings): Red Bulls 15 wins (1 shootout), 60 goals ... United 22 wins (1 shootout), 82 goals ... 4 draws
AT MEADOWLANDS: (20 meetings): Red Bulls 8 wins (0 shootout), 27 goals ... United 10 wins (0 shootout), 38 goals ... 2 draws
This is the second of four meetings for the Atlantic Cup between the long-time rivals this season, the first of two at Giants Stadium. The next meeting will also be at The Meadowlands on Aug. 16; they then finish their league season series on East Capitol Street on Sept. 23.
A year ago, United claimed the Atlantic Cup with two wins in the four regular season meetings, with one draw.
United has won the Atlantic Cup in three of the four years it has been contested for. United won in the first year of 2002, the MetroStars claiming the trophy the next season, then United reclaimed it in 2004 before becoming the first team to defend the honor. Goal difference is the first tie-breaker, followed by away goals; if still tied, United (as holders) will retain the cup.
United has won six of the last 11 league meetings dating back to Sept. 25, 2003, with three draws in that time. In addition, United won both legs of the Eastern Conference semifinal series between the clubs in 2004.
Coaches record: Mo Johnston v DC: P2 W1 L0 D1 ... Peter Nowak vs. DC: P9 W5 L2 D2LAST MEETING
4/2: DC 2 - NY 2: (Eskandarian 55; Erpen 65 - Djorkaeff 15; Buddle 18)
The teams played to a 2-2 draw in the season opener for each April 2 at RFK Stadium. The Red Bulls played the first game under their new ownership and came away with a point, as D.C. United stormed back from a two-goal halftime deficit to claim the draw.
The new-look Red Bulls had a two-goal lead after just 18 minutes. Youri Djorkaeff once again exhibited his free kick mastery, whipping a right-footed curling, dipping shot over the United wall from almost 30 yards out (15). Then New York was gifted a second, D.C. 'keeper Troy Perkins spilling a cross from the right corner right at the feet of Edson Buddle, who had the simplest of tasks to open his Red Bulls account.
But Alecko Eskandarian made his 2005 debut, coming on to start the second half, and turned the game around. He netted his first since winning MVP honors with a two-goal day at MLS Cup 2004, latching onto a pinpoint cross from Josh Gros and blasting a first-time left-footed volley into the roof of the net on 55 minutes.
Then 10 minutes later center back Facundo Erpen snuck forward and drove a long-range shot low and hard from well outside the Red Bulls area to pull United level.
Here's Peter Nowak's team (4-3-3): Troy Perkins - Joshua Gros, Facundo Erpen, Brandon Prideaux, John Wilson - Brian Carroll, Ben Olsen, Clyde Simms (Alecko Eskandarian 46) - Lucio Filomeno (Santino Quaranta 75), Jaime Moreno, Freddy Adu (Substitutes Not Used: Ryan McIntosh, Devon McTavish, Domenic Mediate, Justin Moose, Jamil Walker)
Here's Mo Johnston's team (4-4-1-1): Tony Meola - Marvell Wynne, Taylor Graham, Jeff Parke, Carlos Mendes - Seth Stammler (Peter Canero 81), Amado Guevara, Danny O'Rourke, Chris Henderson - Youri Djorkaeff (Mark Lisi 90) - Edson Buddle. (Substitutes Not Used: Josmer Altidore, Jon Conway, Steve Jolley, Mike Magee, Thiago Martins)NEW YORK RED BULLS
The New York Red Bulls remained unbeaten on the season - though they still have yet to win a game - after settling for a 1-1 draw at Real Salt Lake last Saturday when they conceded a late equalizer. The Red Bulls are in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with three points from three matches, one behind third-place New England Revolution and six adrift of leader Kansas City Wizards.
LAST MATCH
The Red Bulls came to Utah as the only team in MLS to have never defeated Real, after the teams played to a pair of draws a year ago.
That looked to have changed when New York took the lead after 77 minutes. A neat pass from Amado Guevara put Edson Buddle in a good position, but his low drive was blocked by Scott Garlick. But the Real 'keeper couldn't hold onto the shot and Guevara raced in to slide home the rebound from a sharp angle.
But RSL answered in the 89th minute as Jason Kreis hit for his all-time MLS best 101th career goal. Following a foul in the right corner, Chris Klein swung the ball in and found Kreis unmarked in the heart of the area, and he powerfully headed home to leave the teams level for the third time in three meetings lifetime.
Red Bulls head coach Mo Johnston made one change to the team that played to a scoreless draw at home with the New England Revolution the weekend before. Scotsman Peter Canero made his first MLS start, coming in wide on the right in midfield for Seth Stammler.
Here's Johnston's team (4-4-2): Tony Meola - Marvell Wynne, Taylor Graham, Jeff Parke, Carlos Mendes - Peter Canero, Amado Guevara, Danny O'Rourke, Chris Henderson (Seth Stammler 69) - Youri Djorkaeff (Thiago Martins 79), Edson Buddle. [Substitutes Not Used: Jordan Cila, Jon Conway, Steve Jolley, Joe Vide]
"I just told our team we were toothless tonight," Johnston said. "We should have closed up shop and came out of here with three points and then we give up a goal [with a foul] on [Chris] Klein right at the end. We can't afford to do that."TEAM NEWS
Johnston was aggrieved with the entire sequence that led to the Real equalizer.
"Silly foul," said Johnston. "I just told Carlos Mendes, there's no need to foul there. He let his teammates down because we defended very well for 87 minutes. Then, all of a sudden, we gave a stupid foul, they put a ball in the box and no one's marking Kreis. It's criminal. I can't fault the effort, but what I can fault is [not] closing up shop."
Still, he had fulsome praise for goalkeeper Tony Meola, who made a number of quality saves as the second half wore on, setting the stage for Guevara's lead goal.
"Magnificent," Red Bulls head coach Mo Johnston said of Meola. "He's been magnificent all season. There is a door open now for the World Cup and I hope he's on it because of his performance here, not only tonight, but throughout his time here has been tremendous."
Meola knew Real were a changed team and that the game was not finished with Guevara's goal 13 minutes from time.
"We knew that they were going to come at us for sure. Scott Garlick, for me, had one of the best games I've seen him play in a couple of years," Meola said. "We had as many good chances as they had to score. We gave them a few too many chances and in the end they came through.
On Monday, Alexi Lalas announced he was leaving Red Bull New York to become general manager of the Los Angeles Galaxy. Johnston said many Red Bulls players believe he could be next.
"I'll give the players every inch of confidence that I can, but I'm not the one that steps onto the field," he said. "I'll have them prepared for the upcoming game against D.C., if I'm still there. We have to sit and wait. And it's something that's not a good thing. But for me, it's business as usual until such notice."D.C. UNITED
D.C. United remained undefeated on the campaign, winning for the second consecutive week in a 2-0 triumph against Houston Dynamo at RFK Stadium on Saturday night. United remain in second place in the Eastern Conference with seven points from their first three matches, two behind pace-setters Kansas City Wizards.
LAST MATCH
D.C. United won for the second consecutive match (both at home) while consigning Houston Dynamo to a second consecutive defeat in comprehensive fashion.
The home side took the lead in the 25th minute. Referee Abbey Okulaja whistled for a foul instead of playing advantage when United took the ball in front of goal, but the Black-and-Red still capitalized. Christian Gomez sent the resulting free kick across the face of goal, Pat Onstad made an acrobatic save to keep out Jaime Moreno's volley, but Josh Gros pounded home the rebound from close range.
Then Gomez doubled the lead late in the match, his free kick from just outside the top of area taking a deflection off the wall before sailing to the back of the net (77).
United boss Peter Nowak made two changes to his starting lineup from the one that defeated Chivas USA 2-0 the weekend before on East Capitol Street, also making a tactical shift as he looked to shore up his midfield from the first two matches. Brandon Prideaux came into a reorganized back three, with John Wilson returning to the substitutes' bench. Freddy Adu started for the first time in 2006, coming in on the right of the five-man midfield as Josh Gros moved forward on the left flank and Alecko Eskandarian also went to the subs' bench.
Here's Nowak's team (3-4-1-2): Troy Perkins - Bobby Boswell, Facundo Erpen, Brandon Prideaux - Freddy Adu, Brian Carroll, Ben Olsen, Joshua Gros - Christian Gomez (John Wilson 90) - Lucio Filomeno (Alecko Eskandarian 64), Jaime Moreno. [Substitutes Not Used: Rod Dyachenko, Ryan McIntosh, Devon McTavish, Domenic Mediate, Jamil Walker]
"I think we played two complete halves," Nowak said. "We had the chance to score more goals but overall we played well and this is what we expect. We had a couple of shaky moments at the end of the game but our fans pulled us through and gave us a big lift in the second half."TEAM NEWS
Freddy Adu was back in the starting lineup after he was in the first XI in the opener, but came off the bench for the second match, although he was very influential for his 14 minutes of duty.
"You can see the progress, you can see how he adjusts to situations and of course, [how] he goes forward because this is his strength and this is his weapon," Nowak said.
Dynamo were frustrated by United's maintenance of a high line that limited space and led to seven offside calls. Yet even after their strongest display so far, United's back line is far from satisfied.
"In the first half we were playing a bit of a trap, kind of living on the edge. It worked, but it was kind of dangerous," said Bobby Boswell. "Tonight 2-0 is a good result for us, but at the same time there were opportunities that they had that we need to make sure we don't give other (teams)."
Veteran midfielder Ben Olsen, who turned in a workmanlike display in the center of the park, also praised his side's savvy.
"It wasn't the greatest game, but I thought it was a very professional win," said Olsen. "It seemed like our energy was down and their energy was down, maybe because of the (warm) weather. But we did a good job. ... They didn't have much. That's a good team, as good a team as MLS puts out there, and we handled them pretty easily."
Nowak said the game's tempo was expected. "I think we planned that. It was hard to break down Houston with so many guys back, but we stretched the field and were patient with the ball, he said. "There was no special strategy but we knew we had to play a great game because Houston is one of the best teams in MLS. This was definitely a very important win for us."
After playing as a left back in the first two games, Josh Gros was in more of a wingback role on the left against Dynamo, with Freddy Adu on the right. "I like to run and see some open field, and I saw quite a bit of that today," Gros said. "It's always a game with the guy on the other team. You can't get caught forward, but you've got to get forward to create some opportunities."
Nick Rimando returned to training this week, and although his first session was cut short, United are optimistic he'll be able to serve as understudy to Troy Perkins at the Meadowlands.
"He is still a little hurt and he'll need to adjust to the pace of the game, so we have to be patient," Nowak said to The Washington Post. "If he pushes himself too early, it's going to be a mess again. We have to take it step by step. We'll make a decision at the end of the week."
