NEW YORK RED BULLS vs NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
RED BULL ARENA, Harrison, N.J.
Oct. 5, 2013 (WEEK 32, MLS Game #291)
7 p.m. ET (MSG; CSN-NE)
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Blacked out in new York Red Bulls broadcast area. (Watch on MSG)
The New York Red Bulls will be looking to cement their place in the MLS Cup Playoffs against a New England Revolution side looking to gain the top five when the old I-95 rivals meet Saturday evening at Red Bull Arena. The Red Bulls can clinch their postseason place with a single point, leading the MLS overall table following their 1-1 draw at Seattle last weekend. The Revs head to a place where they haven’t won in six years just a point outside of the playoff positions in the East, coming off a 1-1 home draw with Houston last weekend.
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REFEREE: Fotis Bazakos. AR1 (bench): George Gansner; AR2 (opposite): Jonathan Johnson; 4th: Robert Sibiga
F. Bazakos MLS Career: 22 games; FC/gm: 25.0; Y/gm: 3.3; R: 2; pens: 6
DISABLED LIST: none
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: NY: Jonny Steele … NE: Lee Nguyen
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: NY: Jamison Olave, Tim Cahill … NE: Kelyn Rowe, Juan Toja, Dimitry Imbongo, Andrew Farrell, Jose Goncalves
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (60 meetings): Red Bulls 20 wins (2 shootout), 99 goals … Revolution 26 wins (3 shootout), 103 goals …Ties 14
AT NEW YORK (31 meetings): Red Bulls 16 wins (0 shootout), 66 goals … Revolution 8 wins (2 shootout), 44 goals … Ties 7
2013 (MLS)
4/20: NY 4, NE 1 (McCarty 4; Espindola 8; Henry 82; Steele 89 – own goal 6)
5/11: NE 1, NY 1 (Fagundez 54 – Sam 55)
• The teams are meeting for the third time this season. Dax McCarty, Fabian Espíndola, Thierry Henry and Jonny Steele all hit the back of the net as the Red Bulls strolled to a 4-1 victory, April 20 at Red Bull Arena. New York’s Lloyd Sam and New England’s Diego Fagundez scored goals a minute apart as the teams reached a 1-1 draw at Gillette Stadium on May 11.
• The Revolution haven’t won in New Jersey since 2007, now winless on their last eight trips to face the Red Bulls. New York has won all four league meetings at Red Bull Arena.
• New York has not won in New England since 2002. The Revolution have won 13 of 19 meetings in league and MLS Cup play since that last New York win.
• Coaches' records: Jay Heaps vs. NY: P5 W1 L2 D2 … Mike Petke vs. NE: P2 W1 L0 D1
LAST MEETING (MLS)
• The goals came a minute apart in the second half. In the 54th minute, Chris Tierney curled an enticing corner kick into the near post. Diego Fagundez smacked a first-time effort toward goal that Kosuke Kimura cleared off the line, but Fagundez reacted quickly to sweep home the resulting rebound inside the goal area.
Highlights: NE 1, NY 1
• The Red Bulls were level moments later. The ball eventually found its way to Andre Akpan from a Red Bulls throw-in and he played a neat diagonal ball to Lloyd Sam's feet inside the penalty area. Sam collected deftly and placed his effort inside the far post for the eventual equalizer.
• NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (4-1-4-1): Bobby Shuttleworth - Andrew Farrell, Stephen McCarthy, Jose Goncalves, Chris Tierney - Kalifa Cisse (Andy Dorman 77) - Diego Fagundez, Lee Nguyen, Kelyn Rowe (Saër Sène 70), Ryan Guy - Dimitry Imbongo (Jerry Bengtson 74).
• NEW YORK RED BULLS (4-4-2): Luis Robles - Kosuke Kimura, Heath Pearce, Markus Holgersson, Roy Miller - Lloyd Sam (Brandon Barklage 76), Tim Cahill (Juninho 46), Eric Alexander, Jonny Steele - Andre Akpan, Fabian Espindola.
- MORE: NY-NE May 11 Matchcenter
NEW YORK RED BULLS
The New York Red Bulls saw their winning streak put to an end but still made it five games without loss, coming back for a 1-1 draw with Seattle Sounders FC on Sunday evening at CenturyLink Field. The Red Bulls are in sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference and the MLS overall table with 52 points from 31 matches.
LAST MATCH
• Sounders FC took the lead in the final minute of the first half. A cross from Brad Evans struck the hand of Red Bulls defender Markus Holgersson inside the New York penalty area, and after referee Kevin Stott pointed to the spot, Evans buried the resulting penalty despite goalkeeper Luis Robles guessing correctly.
Highlights: SEA 1, NY 1
• But the visitors leveled terms in the 76th minute. A failed clearance fell to Tim Cahill in the left side of the box, and he buried a curling strike into the far side netting.
• Red Bulls head coach Mike Petke made four changes to the team that claimed a 1-0 victory against FC Dallas at Red Bull Arena. Ibrahim Sekagya came into central defense in place of Jamison Olave, Lloyd Sam started in midfield instead of Eric Alexander, and Peguy Luyindula and Fabian Espindola formed the strike pair ahead of Thierry Henry and Bradley Wright-Phillips.
• NEW YORK RED BULLS (4-4-2): Luis Robles - Kosuke Kimura, Ibrahim Sekagya, Markus Holgersson, David Carney - Lloyd Sam (Eric Alexander 71), Dax McCarty, Tim Cahill, Jonny Steele - Peguy Luyindula, Fabian Espindola (Andre Akpan 89).
TEAM NEWS
• While the Red Bulls saw their four-game winning streak come to an end, they still made it five games without loss and took a result from a second consecutive road match.
• The Red Bulls will qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs with a single point from the New England, and can even secure their place with a loss and the right combination of other results.
• “For me, like I said to the boys, ‘Every week it’s all about three points. We just concentrate on the next game,’” said Tim Cahill. “We’re going to prepare this whole week for next game at home and see what happens, because all we can affect is ourselves. The only way we lose games is when we give them away.”
• With Thierry Henry unavailable for the match, and Bradley Wright-Phillips injured, Peguy Luyindula and Fabian Espindola formed the strike pair.
• “The insertion of Peguy into the lineup tonight was strictly because he's very good at holding the ball and he has great vision. We knew that if we could get him the ball past the midfield line, then he turns and goes, that we could be dangerous. I thought he did great,” said Petke.
• Petke said Wright-Phillips will be unavailable for the New England match as well. He was forced off after just 32 minutes of the FC Dallas match on Sept. 22 with a hamstring injury.
• “Bradley is definitely out this weekend,” said Petke. “His prognosis is more of wait until the hamstring feels better and then we get him out doing the light training and stuff, so that could be the next week, it could be the week after.”
• With Jamison Olave also unavailable, Ibrahim Sekagya returned to central defense for the first time in four matches, after starting five consecutive games Aug. 3-31.
• “I think a lot of emphasis is put on who we didn't have than on who we did have play, and I thought that was a discredit to a lot of the guys,” Petke said. “We knew they weren't going to travel early in the week so it was out of our mind. That was the focus for these guys. I have faith in these guys and they have faith in each other to come in and get a result, and they did that.”
• Lloyd Sam returned to the lineup after a two-match absence, as Eric Alexander was out of the starting lineup in a league game for the first time since coming on as a substitute in the season opener on March 3.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
The New England Revolution made it a win and a draw from their two-game homestand, the Houston Dynamo coming back for a 1-1 result on Saturday evening at Gillette Stadium. The Revolution are in a tie for fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 41 points from 30 matches.
LAST MATCH
• The Revolution took the lead after 64 minutes. After the ball was funneled to Saër Sène on the right side of the penalty area, he collected a pass and then smashed home the opener with a rasping, sharp-angle drive.
• But the Dynamo were even 12 minutes later. Boniek Garcia collected a scuffed clearance and then slotted a wonderfully weighted ball to Will Bruin near the penalty spot, and he neatly thumped home a drive off the underside of the crossbar.
Highlights: NE 1, HOU 1
• Revolution head coach Jay Heaps made no changes to the team that came back for a 2-1 win against D.C. United at Gillette Stadium.
• NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (4-1-4-1): Matt Reis - Andrew Farrell, A.J. Soares, Jose Goncalves, Chris Tierney - Scott Caldwell - Saër Sène, Lee Nguyen, Kelyn Rowe, Diego Fagundez - Dimitry Imbongo (Juan Agudelo 62).
TEAM NEWS
• The trip to New York starts a run of three of the final four games away from Gillette Stadium for the Revolution. They are 4-6-4 on their travels.
• “We have four games left that we have to get points in. There is no question in my mind; it’s going to be a tough road,” said Revolution head coach Jay Heaps. Added midfielder Scott Caldwell: “We just have to take each game as it is. We’ve got to get maximum points in just about every game and we’ll talk about it as the week goes on. I think we have to just think of it as another game, you can’t think of it as away from home or home. You just have to go out and perform.”
• Saër Sène made it four games in a row with a goal or an assist, netting the opener in the draw with Houston. Sène has two goals and three assists over the last four games.
• Lee Nguyen set up the Revolution goal, his first assist since July 20. Nguyen has a goal and an assist over the last two matches.
• “I think that when we’re playing well guys like Saër (Sène) are finding space because they have to close down Lee (Nguyen) or Kelyn (Rowe) gets a little bit more room because Diego (Fagundez) is making a cut inside. When we’re playing well we have to spread that out,” Heaps said. “I think when we get into games like this guys like Saër (Sène), guys like Lee (Nguyen), they’re going to lead our players. For me, Saer’s goal was really two good players on the same page. Lee weighted it perfectly.”
• For a third consecutive match, Heaps ran out the same front five, with Dimitry Imbongo as the spearhead striker.
• “I thought Dimi played his heart out,” Heaps said. “Dimitry was excellent at holding the ball and making the smart play. It didn't take a genius to look at the field and see what was happening.”
• Juan Agudelo came on as a substitute for the second time in the last four matches, after starting three consecutive games from Aug. 17-30.
• “I like that one-two combo because once Agudelo comes in, their centerbacks are tired from battling Dimi and Juan Agudelo is really able to change the game,” Heaps said.
• Said Caldwell: “We created a lot. Agudelo] held the ball up and he brought an extra energy. They were tired defensively. Dimi also did a great job when he was in there. The last half-hour, we definitely created stuff. We just need to put that final chance away.”
