Please click on the tab at the top of the page for Red Bull Arena construction pictures. You will enjoy them just as much as I have.
Tuesday, June 30th
Rochester 1(5): 1(3) Columbus
Wilmington 1:0 Chicago
New England 1:2 Harrisburg AET
DC United 2:0 Ocean City
Charleston 3:1 Chivas-USA
Minnesota 3(2):3(4) Kansas City
Wednesday, July 1st
Austin Aztex 0:2 Houston Dynamo
Portland Timbers 1:2 Seattle Sounders
Jun
30
From Ives Galarcep we find out that former Colorado Rapids goalkeeper and Bronx, NY resident Bouna Coundoul has signed with RBNY which means Jon Conway has been waived. What most of you are probably thinking is that the real reason for his departure is probably the performance enhancing steroids he accidentally took with Jeff Parke.
Conway finishing off his ten match suspension started to look well, but to be honest he’s been struggling with his positioning along with the rest of the club. The Aston, Pennsylvania native who was born outside of Philadelphia will probably be signed by the new expansion side Philadelphia Union.
For RBNY I think they got themselves a fabulous keeper for now and of course the future can be with Danny Cepero, but currently his positioning is a bit erratic and he needs to learn more. Last season I interviewed Conway after the opening win against Columbus. I joke with him that he was going to stay for these two seasons and we understand that he would be moving to Philadelphia for 2010. I got him to laugh a bit, but it looks like his dreams could become a reality.
This was a tough pill to swallow ladies and gentleman. I am gutted, exhausted, battered and bruised after such a great turnaround and fantastic last three matches in this 2009 version of the Confederations Cup. A fantastic night at Johannesburg to see a champion like Brazil going against an up & comer like the USA and with no time to waste we saw Clint Dempsey get into position near the Brazil area while Jonathan Spector sent a looping cross towards him. A quick right leg mid air sweep that just had enough touch on the ball to redirect it past Julio Cesar and in the 10th minute the USA leads by a goal to nil.
The second goal was seventeen minutes later and it was against the run of play when Landon Donovan got the ball and started to attack and played give and go with Charlie Davies. Davies returned the pass, Donovan recieves the ball and a quick strike smacks the back of the net for a two goals to nil advantage USA. Tim Howard made all types of saves that were coming at him. Diving, two hands punching, in good position. End of the half the USA looked to be in great position being up two goals to nil and for the first time against Brazil scoring two goals in a single half.
But this was Brazil. This is the five time World Cup Champions. This is also the eight time Copa America Champions, they know how to win when they are behind. Luis Fabiano got the comeback started in the first minute of the second half when he was marked tightly by Jay DeMerit, but his turn was tighter and a hard smack got past DeMerit & Howard. 74th Minute saw another chance by Brazil to get the equalizer and they got it when the original shot was hit off the crossbar and the rebound landed at Luis Fabiano and he converts the second goal for the Lemon Shirts.
Set Pieces is key in football to win matches and when Elano took the corner kick in the 84th minute he found Lucio who headed in the ball for the victory and the third Confederations Cup title for Brazil. Yes second place for the USA is not bad, but it still hurts. Look at Clint Dempsey when he was accepting both his 3rd place trophy in goal scoring & his silver medal. Crying on the giant podium after giving it his all to try and win the USA’s first title in a FIFA competition.
It was a great moment for the USA that didn’t end the way it should’ve, but we are still proud of the boys and it’s time to finish up World Cup Qualifying for South Africa in 2010.
This has been the worst start for the club since the 1999 season. The bench has been warmed with players that aren’t seeing any minutes what so ever and with so much disappointment being seen it’s about time to make some changes and clean up the mess.
Juan Pietravallo is the first to be sent away and was bought out by the club so his contract wouldn’t be kept past the July 1st date. More moves will be made for RBNY as this season is officially over as they can’t make up the ground to reach a playoff spot. All they can do as I have said before is to use their remaining matches to get ready for their Goal Aggregate Qualifying Round matches in the CONCACAF Champions League.
What this means is that either they will sign players who came over on trial like Ernest Obster from sister club Red Bull Salzberg or Bouna Coundoul who was the keeper for the Colorado Rapids. Or maybe it’s about time to have an academy player join the senior side and finally get a chance to show what they are made of. Players like Dilly Duka, Matt Kassel, Walter Hines or Johnny Exantus. Right now RBNY’s U-20 Super Y League side is in first place and undefeated with five wins and a draw in their Mid-Atlantic Division.
If bringing in bad signings will end right here, it means that it’s time to give the kids in the academy system to get a crack at the senior side.
Are you hearing the screams, the shrieks & the death yells from Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia & Mallorca? Or maybe it the people at their local pubs in the United States screaming that our boys took it to the Spanish and defeated the number one ranked team in the world.
Our boys took it to them and this was a fantastic result as well as a fabulous upset from the boys in quite a while. Not since the 1997 Gold Cup Semis against Brazil the USA pulled off a stunning upset with a Preki Goal to win. 27th Minute saw Clint Dempsey feed a ball to Jozy Altidore and he had a defender on him. A quick turn and a blast that Iker Casillas got a paw on it, but it still went in the net. The dagger was in the 74th minute when the USA was attacking the Spanish net and Landon Donovan tried to cross the ball in the area but it was stopped by the Spanish defenders. Clint Dempsey snuck in from behind and poked it hard in the net and it was two goals to nil for the USA.
All match long Spain tried to score and tried to break the USA defense. They may have bent, but they never broke as Tim Howard looked great in net and played his best international match in a long time. Now they have to wait for their opponent for tomorrow’s other Semi-Final between either Brazil or host nation South Africa. But this is a fantastic result and a fantastic day to be a US Soccer supporter. Taking down the Number one ranked Team in the world. Spain has been subdued.
http://www.fifa.com/newscentre/videos/player.html#ch=cc09hl&id=1076235
UPDATE: Jozy Altidore scores in the 27th minute to give the USA a one goal to nil lead. Recieves a great ball from Clint Dempsey. he turns and rips a shot that Iker Casillas gets his right paw on, but it goes into the net.
Strong confidence by the USA and they need to improve their communication on the field. Enjoy some snacks and get ready for the second half.
Well these are two big road matches upcoming for RBNY as they will try to earn their first wins on the road this season back in Toronto & to Columbus. but sadly they will be missing some defenders due to yellow card troubles. Kevin Goldthwaite earned his fifth booking and got suspended for this match on accumulation and Mike Petke in Toronto two weeks ago got double booked for dissent when Jair Marrufo failed to do his job & now MLS decided to tack on two more matches to Petke’s suspension against the Seattle Sounders at home.
It’s really disgusting to know that the league is defending the poor officiating actions of Marrufo just to make him feel better. But once again Mike Petke should’ve known not to touch him or to yell at him very loud, but like I said Marrufo probably deserved it.
Once the USA match is over, let’s hope RBNY can steal a victory on their second trip to BMO Field.
Let me apologize to all of you when I tried to start a Twitter chat for USA/Brazil. My Alarm clock failed me and I missed out on most of the match. In a certain way thank goodness I did. But I do want to have a twitter chat with you again during USA/Spain for the Confederations Cup Semi-Finals this Wednesday Afternoon.
My handle once again on Twitter is CSRNFeuerFire.
I promise to be there on time and well before the match starts.
WHAT THE HELL JUST HAPPENED THIS AFTERNOON IN SOUTH AFRICA?!!!!
The USA was dead and buried as they dug themselves into the biggest hole that I have ever seen and there was no way I thought they could advance into the Semi-Finals. I thought they were going to play well against Egypt, but never expected them to advance till Brazil gave a helping hand and scored three big goals in the first half in their final Group B match against Italy.
A helping hand out of no where and when Charlie Davies toe pokes the ball past the keeper for Egypt to make it four all together, there was a good shot that a miracle was about to happen. But that Davies goal in the 21st minute was a major case of hard work by him to keep the ball away from both the keeper and the defender till he actually got a boot on it and scored the first goal of the match.
The second half also started to look promising for the USA and in the 63rd minute Landon Donovan entered the area and crossed it to Michael Bradley who slotted the ball home and gave his Coach and Dad the best Father’s Day gift he could give him. As much as I have been critical of Clint Dempsey he has earned everything negative till this match. He finally got his fire back and his swagger on the pitch. A diving header in the 71st minute after accepting a looping cross from Jay DeMerit which was the goal that gives the USA advancement to the Semi-Finals against Spain who won Group A of the Confederations Cup this coming Wednesday, June 24th.
Everything is not fully forgiven right now. Their last 1 1/2 performence against Brazil and that second half against Italy is not erased from the memory banks. This team has to show some heart now and they have to show it against the European Cup Champions Spain. While you can argue tactics & formations, the only thing I will look for from our boys is if they brought their passion from the hotel room to the stadium on Wednesday.
