The 2008 MLS Cup Finalist New York Red Bulls announced Wednesday their 2009 30-game MLS Regular Season Schedule, which begins on Thursday, March 19 when the Red Bulls open the MLS season and face expansion club, Seattle Sounders FC, at Qwest Field at 9:00 PM ET (TV: ESPN2, ESPN Deportes; Radio: WADO 1280 AM). A full schedule with dates and times can be found at the end of the release.
After qualifying for their sixth-straight postseason as the eighth seed in last year's playoff format, the Red Bulls knocked off two-time defending champion, the Houston Dynamo, and Real Salt Lake en route to a Western Conference Championship and their first trip to the MLS Cup Final. Led by second-year head coach Juan Carlos Osorio and 2008 Eastern Conference leading scorer Juan Pablo Angel, the Red Bulls will open their home schedule on March 28, hosting conference foe, the New England Revolution at 7:30 PM at Giants Stadium (TV: Fox Soccer Channel). This will be one of 15 matches that will be telecast nationally via one of MLS' national television partners.
Kicking off three of their first four games on the road, the Red Bulls return to Giants Stadium on April 18 to face Real Salt Lake in a rematch of last year's Western Conference Final with kickoff set for 7:30 PM. Eight days later, the Red Bulls take on Luciano Emilio and D.C. United in the first of two meetings between the Atlantic Cup rivals at 3:00 PM at Giants Stadium.
New York will have a four-game homestand in the month of May, highlighted by visits from American forward Brian Ching and the Houston Dynamo (May 16, 7:30 PM) and Mexican star Cuauhtemoc Blanco and the Chicago Fire (May 24, 3:00 PM). In their only home match in the month of June, the Red Bulls welcome Designated Player Freddie Ljungberg and Seattle Sounders FC for the first time to the Meadowlands (June 20, 7:30 PM). Less than a month later, former Red Bulls Sporting Director and head coach Bruce Arena makes his return against his old club when the Los Angeles Galaxy visits Giants Stadium on July 18 at 6:00 PM.
The Red Bulls will kick off a five-game homestand in August. On Aug. 30 at 6:00 PM, the Red Bulls host reigning MLS MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto and the Columbus Crew in a rematch of the 2008 MLS Cup Final. At the end of the homestand, the Red Bulls will battle I-95 foe, New England, for the third time in 2009 in a Friday night showdown at Giants Stadium (Sept. 18, 7:30 PM). New York will face rivals New England and Toronto FC three times in 2009 and will play every other MLS team twice (home and away).
The Red Bulls will appear four times on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, six times on Fox Soccer Channel and five times on TeleFutura.
Red Bulls full season and discounted group tickets for the 2009 season are on sale now by calling 1.877.RBSOCCER or logging onto www.newyorkredbulls.com.
2009 NEW YORK RED BULLS REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE (HOME GAMES IN BOLD)
