Red Bulls Advance to MLS Cup

by: NYSD Wire Services | Press Release | Sunday, November 16, 2008



SANDY, UT – The New York Red Bulls defeated Real Salt Lake, 1-0, tonight and earned a spot in the MLS Cup for the first time in franchise history. New York will face the Columbus Crew on Sunday November 23 at 3:00 p.m. ET at Home Depot Center in Carson, CA (TV: ABC, Telefutura, Radio: WADO 1280 AM)

The Red Bulls scored the lone goal of the match in the 28th minute when John Wolyniec beat RSL defender Jamison Olave on the left side and then fired a low cross into the box that the sliding Nick Rimando punched out and onto the foot of Dave van den Bergh. Van den Bergh then deposited the ball into the empty net. It was van den Bergh's first goal on his first shot of the post-season.

Real Salt Lake nearly tied it in the 38th minute when Javier Morales' direct kick from the left side and about 30 yards out when through everyone and hit the far post.

Red Bulls Danny Cepero had another outstanding effort in goal In the opening half, he made four saves, including a diving save on Yura Movsisyan’s shot from just inside the left side of the 18-yard box in the 24th minute. In the second half, Cepero made a set of key saves, including a diving save from Robbie Russell in the 56th minute and another in the 65th minute, when he punching out a direct kick.

Red Bulls Dane Richards had a chance to make it 2-0 in the 69th minute when he raced down the right side, but, he put his shot just right of the goal frame

RSL had another chance to tie the match in the 81st minute when Will Johnson hit the goal frame from in close with a sliding shot. But the ball was cleared out of the box.

New York and Columbus met three times in 2008. New York went 2-1-0 against the Crew this season. The Red Bulls defeated Columbus in the opening match of the 2008 season on April 5, 2-0, on goals by Dave van den Bergh and Kevin Goldthwaite. On September 18 at Crew Stadium in Columbus, a Juan Pablo Angel tally gave New York a 1-0 lead, but the Crew scored the next three goals to post a 3-1 win. In the final meeting of the year, on October 18 at Giants Stadium, Angel scored a pair and Danny Cepero scored the first goal by a goalkeeper in MLS history in a 3-1 win.

The Red Bulls fly home to New York following the match. The training schedule for the upcoming week in advance of MLS Cup will be announced at a later time.