Bulls, United clash in crowded East
Tight Eastern Conference standings have points at a premium
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GIANTS STADIUM, E. Rutherford, N.J.
Aug. 10, 2008 | 5 p.m. ET (MSG+; CSN-DC)
WEEK # 20 | GAME # 129
It's the second meeting for the Atlantic Cup this year as D.C. United travels to Giants Stadium to face the New York Red Bulls, both needing a win to maintain contact in the Eastern Conference. United have won five of their last six league matches, yet still are uncomfortably perched in fourth place in the East. Sitting just three points behind in a three-way tie for fifth place are the Red Bulls, who have won just once in their last eight league games, entering the match after a weekend off.
REFEREE: Shane Moody. SAR (bench): Thomas Supple; JAR (opposite): Nate Clement; 4th: Hilario Grajeda MLS Career: 6 games; FC/gm: 31.8; Y/gm: 4.5; R: 3; pens: 1
INJURY REPORT: NEW YORK RED BULLS - OUT: MF Dane Richards (hip flexor strain); QUESTIONABLE: FW John Wolyniec (L knee sprain) ... D.C. UNITED - OUT: MF Ben Olsen (ankle surgery); MF Domenic Mediate (concussion); FW Francis Doe (foot infection); PROBABLE: MF Marcelo Gallardo (hernia surgery); MF Santino Quaranta (hamstring strain); DF Gonzalo Peralta (hernia surgery)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: NY: Kevin Goldthwaite ... DC: Rod Dyachenko, Gonzalo Martinez
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: NY: Seth Stammler; Sinisa Ubiparipovic ... DC: Marc Burch, Marcelo Gallardo
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (48 meetings): Red Bulls 16 wins (1 shootout), 69 goals ... United 27 wins (1 shootout), 101 goals ... Ties 5
AT GIANTS STADIUM (23 meetings): Red Bulls 9 wins (0 shootout), 29 goals ... United 11 wins (0 shootout), 42 goals ... Ties 3
• This is the second of three league meetings between the clubs for the Atlantic Cup, awarded to the winner of the season series between the clubs, the only one set for Giants Stadium. They will concluding the season set on Aug. 30 on East Capitol Street.
• D.C. United won the season series last year, winning both meetings at RFK Stadium as the Red Bulls took the lone encounter at the Meadowlands.
• United have won the Atlantic Cup in five of the six 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. United won it for a fourth consecutive season last year. Goal difference is the first tie-breaker, followed by away goals; if still tied, United (as holders) will retain the cup.
• United is unbeaten at home against New York in league play over the past two-plus seasons, winning four with one draw. New York's last win in Washington came Oct. 8, 2005, a 2-1 triumph. As well, over that span, United has won one game in the MLS Cup Playoffs and one in the U.S. Open Cup (both in 2006).
• The Red Bulls' win at Giants Stadium last season was their first against United in seven league matches. After a 3-2 MetroStars win on April 17, 2004, United won three of the next six meetings in East Rutherford, with three draws. In addition, over that spell, United won a pair of games in the MLS Cup Playoffs, in 2004 and 2006.
• Coaches record: Tom Soehn vs. NY: P3 W2 L1 D0 ... Juan Carlos Osorio v DC: P1 W1 L0 D0
LAST MEETING (MLS):
6/14: DC 4, NY 1 (Emilio 23, 45, 59; Simms 26 - van den Bergh 54)
• D.C. United rolled to a 4-1 victory in the first meeting between the clubs this season, June 14 at RFK Stadium.
• United took a commanding lead with two goals in four minutes midway through the first half. First, Santino Quaranta led a classic counter attack, swinging the ball to Fred on the right, and he pulled a rolling cross into the goalmouth for Luciano Emilio to easily touch home. Then from a freekick, Jaime Moreno touched the ball square, and Clyde Simms let fly from all of 25 yards out, sending a rasping drive inside the left-hand post.
• Just before the half, United put in the first dagger, and again it was Emilio. Quaranta took a Moreno pass and tried to curl it past Jon Conway. The Red Bulls goalkeeper palmed it away, but Emilio swooped it to knock home the rebound and make it 3-0.
• The Red Bulls pulled a goal back in the 58th minute when Dave van den Bergh collected the rebound of a shot off the bar, cut back across the top of the area and stroked a shot inside the far post from the right.
• Yet again United provided the finishing touch, and yet again it was Emilio. Sprung by Moreno, Devon McTavish strolled up the center of the park before laying the ball off to his right to Emilio, and the Brazilian gleefully pounded the ball home for his first MLS hat trick.
• Here's Soehn's team (4-3-1-2): Zach Wells - Gonzalo Martinez, Devon McTavish, Gonzalo Peralta, Marc Burch - Santino Quaranta (Domenic Mediate 46), Clyde Simms, Fred - Rod Dyachenko (Quavas Kirk 71) - Luciano Emilio, Jaime Moreno (Dan Stratford 75). Substitutes Not Used: Jose Carvallo, Ryan Cordeiro, Dane Murphy, Franco Niell
• Here's Osorio's team (4-2-3-1): Jon Conway - Chris Leitch (Carlos Mendes 60), Andrew Boyens, Jeff Parke, Kevin Goldthwaite - Seth Stammler, Dave van den Bergh - Dane Richards, Luke Sassano (Hunter Freeman 74), Danleigh Borman (Oscar Echeverry 46) - John Wolyniec. Substitutes Not Used: Mike Magee, Kevin Mesa, Caleb Patterson-Sewell, Sinisa Ubiparipovic
NEW YORK RED BULLS
The New York Red Bulls return to league action after a weekend off, their last match a 1-1 draw with the San Jose Earthquakes at Buck Shaw Stadium on July 27. The Red Bulls sit in a three-way tie for fifth place in the Eastern Conference, level on 22 points with Toronto FC and the Kansas City Wizards, three points behind D.C. United and 11 points out of first place.
LAST MATCH
• Both teams came into the match looking for the three points, each sitting at the foot of their respective conferences. The Red Bulls had just one win in their last seven league matches, while the Earthquakes were riding a seven-game winless run of their own.
• Both goals came in the opening quarter-hour. Just four minutes into the match, Dave van den Bergh sent in a cross from the left flank and San Jose defender Eric Denton, trying to deal with it, instead looped a header over goalkeeper Joe Cannon to hand the visitors the lead.
• But in their first home match in nearly a month, and first in Santa Clara in nearly two, it didn't take the Quakes long to level the match. In the 13th minute, Scott Sealy hit a shot on the turn that Red Bulls 'keeper Jon Conway could only push away, and Darren Huckerby swept in to tap home the rebound for his first goal since coming to MLS.
• Red Bulls boss Juan Carlos Osorio made two changes to the team that played to a 2-2 draw with the Los Angeles Galaxy the weekend before. Hunter Freeman came in at right back and Juan Pietravallo made his first MLS start, with both Dane Richards and Oscar Echeverry injured.
• Here's Osorio's team (4-4-1-1): Jon Conway - Hunter Freeman, Andrew Boyens (John Wolyniec 46), Jeff Parke, Kevin Goldthwaite - Seth Stammler (Mike Magee 46), Carlos Mendes, Juan Pietravallo, Dave van den Bergh - Jorge Rojas - Juan Pablo Angel. Substitutes Not Used: Danleigh Borman, Chris Leitch, Luke Sassano, Zach Thornton, Sinisa Ubiparipovic
• "In the second half, we had the better chances. We played better, we controlled the game, and in our counterattacks, with a bit more quality we could have had the three points," Osorio said. "But in general, I would say a fair score, 1-1."
TEAM NEWS
• After contributing two assists in his MLS debut against the Los Angeles Galaxy the week before, Jorge Rojas didn't play as prominent role in the game for the Red Bulls.
• "I think San Jose watched the video (of the LA game) and they really marked him very tightly today," Osorio said. "In the second half we played him out wide in a 4-4-2 and he still managed to get some good crosses in. I think we got from him a good return. He's still getting used to the league and his teammates, and his teammates are getting used to him, so we'll keep improving. I thought there were some good signs out there today."
• On Wednesday, the Red Bulls faced FC Barcelona in a friendly, and for the second time on their preseason tour of North America, Samuel Eto'o scored two goals in a 6-2 Barca victory. Seth Stammler and Jorge Rojas scored for the Red Bulls.
• "I said a couple days ago that I thought it was a great opportunity because we want our players to grow, like Danleigh (Borman) and Luke Sassano," Osorio said. "We want them playing games like this and realize how hard it is to play football against the senior players. ... The result is very difficult to digest, but I want to look at the bigger picture and think that the players will benefit from games like we played today."
• Here's Osorio's team: Jon Conway (Caleb Patterson-Sewell 46), Chris Leitch, Carlos Mendes (Luke Sassano 66), Jeff Parke, Kevin Goldthwaite (Andrew Boyens 88), Dave van den Bergh (Sinisa Ubiparipovic 72), Jorge Rojas, Juan Pietravallo, Seth Stammler, Danleigh Borman (Gabriel Cichero 46), Juan Pablo Angel.
• With his available forwards limited in number - Dane Richards, Oscar Echeverry and John Wolyniec have all been slowed by injuries, Osorio will try Borman up front, an experiment that started with the friendly against Barcelona. He has been used exclusively as a midfielder -- both on the left and in the middle -- since he arrived in the USA.
• "We are trying to teach him how to play as an attacker as opposed to a wide player," Osorio said. "It's not easy because now he plays in the middle, he's more central and a lot of things have to be even sharper than it is on the flank. But I think he has shown some good signs and one of them is definitely his willingness to learn."
• In the second half, Osorio brought on Venezuelan international Gabriel Cichero, the club's latest addition. The 24-year-old previously played for Deportivo Italia of the Venezuelan first division, appearing in 23 games. In 2007, the 6-1, 176-pound defender also played for Vihren Sandanski of the Bulgarian first division. Cichero started his career with the Montevideo Wanderers of the Uruguayan first division from 2003-06. At the end of his stint there, he was loaned out to US Lecce of Italy's Serie A.
D.C. UNITED
D.C. United won for the sixth time in eight league games, putting an end to a lengthy losing streak overall with a 2-0 victory against the Kansas City Wizards last Saturday at RFK Stadium. United now sit alone in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with 25 points from 17 games, four behind the Chicago Fire and three ahead of the three-way logjam in fifth spot.
LAST MATCH
• D.C. United had seen a four-game league winning streak come to an end in a rescheduled league match against Houston, which became the club's fourth consecutive home loss in all competitions, the first that had happened in club history. The Wizards hadn't lost in seven consecutive league matches, with draws in their last two games.
• United took the lead after just 28 minutes. Collecting the ball on the left side of the area, Jaime Moreno cut inside before playing a square ball to Luciano Emilio. The Brazilian took his first touch to cut inside K.C. defender Jimmy Conrad and lashed a low drive past Kevin Hartman for his 11th goal on the season, 10 of them coming in United's last eight league games.
• The home side then doubled the lead on the hour mark. Marc Burch flighted an in-swinging free kick from the right flank, and Moreno rose up to send a sublime glancing header that curled just inside the far post for the 119th league goal of his MLS career.
• United goalkeeper Zach Wells made eight saves on the night as the Black-and-Red held firm for their first defensive shutout on the season.
• United head coach Tom Soehn made two changes from the team that lost 2-0 to the Houston Dynamo when their oft-delayed match was finally completed July 23. Joe Vide and Ivan Guerrero made their United debuts since joining the club, with Gonzalo Martinez suspended and Craig Thompson returning to the substitutes' bench.
• Here's Soehn's team (4-4-2): Zach Wells - Bryan Namoff, Devon McTavish, Pat Carroll, Marc Burch - Fred (Craig Thompson 88), Clyde Simms, Joe Vide, Ivan Guerrero - Luciano Emilio (Quavas Kirk 91+), Jaime Moreno. Substitutes Not Used: Ryan Cordeiro, Rod Dyachenko, Dane Murphy, James Thorpe, Mike Zaher
• "That was probably one of my more satisfying games. It was nice to have a full week to work on things, especially with so many guys out, we wanted to make sure we maintained the discipline and work hard and make sure everyone took defending first," Soehn said. "I don't think we created as many chances but the dedication to work and get back behind the ball and competing was ten-fold better. And that's what you need to get shutouts and obviously the shutout goes right along with it."
TEAM NEWS
• The game provided a bit of a tactical shift for United, with a pair of deep-lying central midfielder in Joe Vide and Clyde Simms and the attacking thrust from Ivan Guerrero and Fred on the flanks.
• "Not only take the pressure of the central defense but also give your flanks a little more room to get forward," Soehn said. "We knew what Ivan [Guerrero] was about and him and having him and Fred having the ability to attack more obviously is going to make us a dangerous team. He did a great job of giving us some width."
• Guerrero stepped in and played the full match after having been acquired by the club just a couple of days before the match. Joe Vide also made his United debut, but had been with the team for nearly two weeks after being claimed on waivers after his release by the San Jose Earthquakes.
• "I'm happy with a lot of guys. I said this before, we've thrown our young guys in tough situations and part of the growth process is that you get the experience and today a couple of guys stepped up and did a real good job," Soehn said. "Ivan [Guerrero] showed his value, what he brings. He's a tough worker and fits in with the dynamics of how you play. And Joe Vide stepped up and did a solid job in the middle. I thought competitively it was day and night [to last week]."
• For United, it was their first shutout defensively since Oct. 13 of last year, a scoreless draw at home against the Chicago Fire.
• "I think it was a complete performance. We worked really hard and made it a point to get guys behind the ball no matter what the score was and it showed. We still got a few goals, which says a lot about our attacking players," goalkeeper Zach Wells said. "It was good because I felt like everyone defended and it wasn't just about the attack. That's the thing to do going forward."
• The playmaking coming from wider roles allowing Jaime Moreno to drop more into midfield, reprising some of the attacking midfield role he had performed throughout much of United's SuperLiga campaign. Moreno set up Emilio for his 28th-minute opener before netting a crafty glancing header off a free kick, pushing his league-record career scoring total to 119 goals, now six ahead of Chivas USA's Ante Razov.
• "Jaime -- what can you say?" said Simms. "It's Jaime, it doesn't really surprise me any more when he has performances like this. But he stepped up and I think everyone did the job defensively. ... Ultimately it was a well-played game as a team and we got the result because of it."
