Star-Ledger soccer writer Frank Giase takes a look at MLS action this week:

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The Red Bulls came into the month of August in last place, hampered by a thin bench, desperate for a sec­ond scoring option and facing three must-win games at home or the season might be lost.

Since then, defender Gabriel Cichero was signed, some injured players have returned, Mike Magee has scored three goals in three games and the team swept D.C. United, Toronto FC and the Houston Dynamo at Giants Stadium.

Mission accomplished, right?

Continue reading "Streaking Red Bulls still trying to make up ground" »

The timing seems purely coincidental, but two days after striker Juan Pablo Angel expressed his frustration with the artificial surface at Giants Stadium, the Red Bulls will lay the first piece of steel in place for Red Bull Park. The "ceremony" in Harrison takes place Tuesday at 11 a.m. with the usual collection of politicians mugging for the camera, but a visible structure with a fairly solid time line will start to work in the team's favor. Continue reading "Red Bulls eager for field of dreams" »

THIS WEEK IN MLS

Forty-eight hours after getting whacked by the Red Bulls at Giants Stadium, D.C. United came up with a championship effort on the road against a longtime rival.

And that's why that franchise has a full trophy case.

With 2007 MLS MVP Luciano Emilio scoring two goals, the first just four minutes into the game, D.C. United beat the New England Revolution, 3-1, Tuesday night in Foxborough, Mass., to advance to the U.S. Open Cup final.

Continue reading "MLS: D.C. stays united when going gets rough" »

The last game showed them they could play with the best. The question now is: Do they need to do more than that?

It will be interesting to see what strategy United States men's coach Peter Nowak devises heading into tomorrow's final group game against Nigeria, where just a tie is needed for the Americans to advance to the Olympic quarterfinals for the second time in history.

Sunday's 2-2 tie with the Netherlands, the reigning European Champion, was a major confidence boost for the team, despite giving up a last-second goal that deprived the Americans of a victory.

Continue reading "U.S. Olympic men's team controls its fate" »

If you're going to make a run at the playoffs, why not start it with a historic victory?

Four days after being whacked by FC Barcelona, the Red Bulls responded by beating D.C. United, 4-1 --their largest margin of victory in the 56-game history of the rivalry -- before 15,038 Sunday night at Giants Stadium.

Juan Pablo Angel scored two goals -- one of incredible skill and one of incredible luck -- as the Red Bulls snapped a five-game MLS winless streak (0-2-3) and moved into a four-way tie with D.C. United, Toronto FC and Kansas City for fourth place in the Eastern Conference with 25 points.

Continue reading "Angel leads Red Bulls past D.C. United, 4-1" »

For the Red Bulls, it's no longer about making slow progress and earning a point on the road here and there. It will be August when they suit up again and nothing less than a long winning streak will save the season.

Continue reading "Bulls have no shot if drought persists" »