HARRISON, NY (June 2, 2010) – Red Bulls forward Juan Pablo Angel was the hero on Wednesday night, scoring the game-winning goal on a free kick from over 30 yards in the 94th minute to lift New York to a 2-1 win over the Houston Dynamo at Red Bull Arena. Angel, who tallied his sixth goal of the season and second in as many games, blasted a shot in the dying moments of the match that ricocheted off the inside of the left post to give the Red Bulls the three points. The win snapped a four-game regular season losing streak and helped the Red Bulls leapfrog into second place in the Eastern Conference with 18 points and a 6-5-0 record. New York midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic also scored his first goal of the season.
“I wasn’t going to hit it there, to start with. As soon as I was going to take the free kick, (goalkeeper Pat Onstad) took one step to the side, and I just changed my mind at the very last second. And the ball dipped right at the right time, and it hit his back and went in. I think it was spectacular,” Angel said.
Red Bulls midfielder Dane Richards threatened in the fourth minute, lashing a shot from the top of the box wide left. New York took the lead 11 minutes later. After John Wolyniec, who made his 100th MLS start Wednesday, earned a free kick 23 yards from goal, Angel’s ensuing attempt was deflected by the Dynamo to Chris Albright, who put the ball into the box. Ubiparipovic was open and stayed onside, sliding it past a diving Pat Onstad to put the hosts in front.
Dynamo midfielder Brad Davis tested his luck from long range eight minutes later, but his shot went right. Before that, Cam Weaver nodded a header on goal straight into the hands of New York goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul.
The Red Bulls, who out-shot the Dynamo, 21-14, had a golden opportunity to double their lead in the 36th minute. Seth Stammler weaved a well-weighted pass through to an on-rushing Angel, who only had Onstad to beat. Angel tried to juke the goalkeeper and put a shot on goal, but Onstad was able to get enough of a touch to poke it away. Later in the interval, Angel put a Lindpere feed just past the top right corner of the goal and Wolyniec pushed a shot left in first half stoppage time.
In the second half, the Red Bulls continued to press for a second goal and Wolyniec hit the underside of the crossbar in the 55th minute after getting free in the box from an Albright through ball. Angel was thwarted by Onstad again two minutes later, as the goalkeeper lunged to save the Colombian’s attempt on frame after Tony Tchani put him through.
Missed opportunities would come to haunt the Red Bulls in the 65th minute, when the Dynamo equalized. Bobby Boswell had the ball passed back to him and he swung a long pass into the penalty box to forward Brian Ching, who was able to chest it down and fire it past Coundoul.
With the game tied, both teams looked to take the lead. Tchani tried a short angle shot that went over Houston’s net. Davis rifled a blast moments after that went straight into Coundoul’s arms. In the 83rd minute, midfielder Jeremy Hall won a header, but his attempt was caught by Onstead. Dynamo substitute Dominic Oduro forced Coundoul to parry his shot at the near post six minutes later.
As both teams looked as if they would each leave Harrison with a point, defender Eddie Robinson fouled substitute Conor Chinn in second half stoppage time, leading up to Angel’s match-winning strike.
Two Red Bulls were forced to be substituted Wednesday night due to injuries as Richards had to leave the game in the 15th minute with a right hamstring strain while Joel Lindpere exited with a left calf contusion two minutes into the second half.
New York returns to Red Bull Arena on Saturday, June 5 when they battle Chivas USA at 7:30 PM (TV: Fox Soccer Channel; Radio: WADO 1280 AM). It is the team’s last match before the MLS World Cup Break. Full Season Ticket Plans for the New York Red Bulls’ first season at Red Bull Arena are on sale now. Midfield seats in the 100-Level and sideline sections 107, 112, 124 and 128 are all sold out, but good seats are still available. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 1.877.RBSOCCER or log onto www.newyorkredbulls.com.
New York Red Bulls 2, Houston Dynamo 1
June 2, 2010 – Red Bull Arena; Harrison, NJ
Scoring Summary:
NY: Sinisa Ubiparipovic 1 (Chris Albright 1) 15’
HOU: Brian Ching 2 (Bobby Boswell 1) 65’
NY: Juan Pablo Angel 6 (unassisted) 94’+
Disciplinary Summary:
HOU: Richard Mulrooney (caution) 13’
HOU: Eddie Robinson (caution) 28’
NY: Danleigh Borman (caution) 31’
NY: Chris Albright (caution) 40’
HOU: Brian Mullan (caution) 40’
NY: Jeremy Hall (caution) 59’
NY: Mike Petke (caution) 75’
HOU: Lovel Palmer (caution) 89’
New York Red Bulls (6-5-0, 18 pts.) – Bouna Coundoul (GK), Danleigh Borman, Tim Ream, Mike Petke, Chris Albright, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Joel Lindpere (Jeremy Hall 47’), Seth Stammler, Dane Richards (Tony Tchani 15’), John Wolyniec (Conor Chinn 83’), Juan Pablo Angel
Substitutes Not Used: Greg Sutton, Irving Garcia, Luke Sassano, Juan Agudelo
Houston Dynamo (5-6-1, 16 pts.) – Pat Onstad (GK), Andrew Hainault, Eddie Robinson, Bobby Boswell, Richard Mulrooney, Danny Cruz, Lovel Palmer, Brad Davis, Brian Mullan (Corey Ashe 46’), Brian Ching (Joseph Ngwenya 81’), Cam Weaver (Dominic Oduro 61’)
Substitutes Not Used: Tally Hall, Craig Waibel, Ryan Cochrane, Luis Angel Landin
Referee: Hilario Grajeda
Referee’s Assistants: Greg Barkey, Jeff Muschik
4th Referee: Mark Geiger
Attendance: 11,462