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Red Bulls 0 : 0 Galaxy - Carson, CA - March 3rd, 2007
Red Bulls, Galaxy end in scoreless tie
CARSON, Calif. — In the first game of their Los Angeles preseason swing, the New York Red Bulls and Los Angeles Galaxy played to a scoreless draw Saturday morning at the Home Depot Center in Carson, CA. Both sides had their opportunities, however Red Bulls netminder Jon Conway and Galaxy 'keeper Steve Cronin each made a number of impressive saves to preserve their clean sheets.
"I think we got a little bit better as the game went on in terms of dictating the pace and controlling the play," said Red Bulls assistant coach John Harkes. "Having said that we are still not finishing the final third so that becomes an area that we need to get better at. Overall, I think we were able to get six guys 90 minutes so that is a positive and right now we are pretty happy with where the guys are."
Both teams struggled to build an attack throughout the early stages of the match, however the Galaxy created the best scoring chances in the first 45 minutes. Conway made two key saves, and had another attempt ding the crossbar, to withstand the pressure. The first stop came in the 27th minute on a hard, low shot off the foot of Santino Quaranta from the left side of the 18 off a freekick. In the 31st, Nate Jacqua headed a Cobi Jones cross off the crossbar from six yards out and Conway came up big again in the 40th when he made a great diving save on Peter Vagenas, who forced a turnover and tried to beat Conway far post.
"Conway did well," added Harkes. "He is looking a lot more confident. I think he is managing things a lot better in the box and is showing good organizational skills out of the back. His verbal instruction has been fantastic and he came up with some big saves for us today."
The Red Bulls came out strong in the second half and nearly got on the scoreboard in the 52nd minute. Sinisa Ubiparapovic fed John Wolyniec at the top of the 18, who then made a sleek touch to his left to a streaking Dane Richards. Richards cracked a shot heading for the upper 90, however an outstretched Cronin just got a glove on it, and deflected the ball out of play.
Richards and Wolyniec nearly hooked up two more times in the 67th and 69th minutes. From the right flank, Richards drove a well-placed cross into the box that Wolyniec headed over the bar. Just two minutes later, Richards gathered the ball at the top of the box and dropped a quick pass off to Wolyniec who put his shot on target, but Cronin was there for the save.
"We have been happy with Dane. He can contribute and he has shown right away that he can be a player that can step on the field and do some things for us," said Harkes.
LA would have tallied it in the 75th if not for Conway stoning Landon Donovan on a breakaway, after an unsuccessful offsides trap sprung Donovan free.
Conway withstood two more quality chances in the 87th minute when Quavas Kirk slid a cross through the box from the right side that Gavin Clinton one timed on frame, but Conway blocked it and then gobbled up the rebound before Donovan was able to get a clean shot off.
The Red Bulls are now 3-1-2 in their six preseason matches of '07 and will play next on Tuesday, March 6 against the Houston Dynamo.
Scoring Summary:
None
Discipline Summary:
NYRB: Kovalenko, Caution, 9'
NYRB: Stammler, Caution, 36'
New York Red Bulls: Jon Conway, Todd Dunivant (Eric Denton 74'), Carlos Mendes (Hugh MacDonald 67'), Taylor Graham (Sal Caccavale 46'), Marvell Wynne, Dave van den Bergh (Ansu Toure 62'), Dema Kovalenko-captain, Seth Stammler, Sinisa Ubiparapovic, Dane Richards, Jozy Altidore (John Wolyniec 46')
Los Angeles Galaxy: Steve Cronin, Ante Jazic (Darren Curry 68'), Robert Harden (Nathan Sturgis 46'), Tyrone Marshall, Chris Albright (Ian Russell 67'), Kevin Harms (Josh Tudela 46', John Thorrington 58'), Peter Vagenas (Kyle Martino 46'), Cobi Jones (Mike Randolph 46'), Santino Quaranta (Quavas Kirk 46'), Robert Findley (Landon Donovan 46'), Nate Jacqua (Gavin Clinton 46')
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