Red Bulls Beat Fire in "Spectacular" Opener

By Rob Ivory

HARRISON, NJ - March 27, 2010 - 24,571 fans christened the newest stadium in Major League Soccer on Saturday night as the New York Red Bulls defeated the Chicago Fire 1-0. Joel Lindpere scored a rocket goal in the 40th minute and Red Bulls goalkeeper, and Bronx native, Bouna Coundoul kept a clean sheet.

In what started as a celebration to open the crown jewel of MLS and soccer in the United States, ended in the Red Bulls getting their first three points of the year, something they had a hard time doing last year. The New York club had only 21 points for the entire 2009 season.

When asked if he thought having a new stadium gives them a new angle to win, Red Bulls Captain Juan Pablo Angel replied in Spanish, “No, we still need to prove that we can win this year because last year we did not do that well. ”

The Red Bulls pressured for the opening goal as they had many opportunities in the first quarter of an hour. The team took the heavy emotion and excitement and tried to cash it in with a goal quickly.

“It took us twenty minutes in the first half to find our shape,” Red Bulls head coach Hans Backe said. “After 20 minutes it looked more solid and more compact.”

In the 21st minute, Juan Pablo sent a cross across the goal, but no Red Bull was at the back side of the goal, something that was common throughout the night. Forward Macoumba Kandji had a break from the Fire defense minutes later, fell in the box, but no call was made.

Dane Richards tried to dribble through five Fire defenders in the box, but never got a shot off. Richards knew that his team came out ready to win: “This crowd made us want to go and beat defenders and be dangerous.”

The Fire tried to get their counterattack going and in the 23rd minute almost pulled out ahead. Forward Brian McBride received the ball in the air from a deflected ball and took a semi-bicycle kick. The shot found New York's keeper off guard, but the ball hit the left post after beating the keeper.

“I think we caused them a few problems,” McBride said after the match. “Unfortunately we could not find that first goal. Defensively I thought we were very solid.”

New York went back to work and in the 28th minute Juan Pablo chested a ball to his feet 12 yards out, but the Fire defense was able to clear before he could shoot. The captain would finish the night with only two shots with one of them being on target. In all, the Fire had eight shots on goal to New York’s four, but one of their four made it to the back of the next.

In the 40th minute midfielder Joel Lindpere scored from a ball that was crossed into the area, Juan Pablo fought for the 50/50 ball and headed it to the feet of Lindpere at the top of the 18-yard box. Lindpere put a massive right boot to the volley and put it top net to give the Red Bulls the lead.

“I didn’t know he had a right foot,” the coach joked about after the game. “He’s been outstanding for us the whole preseason for us.”

Despite his goal, Lindpere was not voted man of the match. That honor went to Coundoul, who kept the clean sheet in his first match of the year.

“He made some key saves for us tonight, he’s so quick,” the coach said, “A clean sheet and absolutely perfect.”
Chicago’s best opportunity came in the 61st when the Fire were awarded a free kick at the  top of the box.

Defender Mike Banner took a nice free kick, but Coundoul knocked it away with his first and prevented the well taken free kick from entering the goal. The Fire pounced on the rebound but the New York keeper saw to it that it would make it safe into his hands.

The Red Bulls kept possession of the ball throughout the rest of the second half and limited the Fire’s chances. New York walks away with the full three points in a stadium that their captain calls “Spectacular!”

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