Red Bulls earn 1-1 draw with Atlas in Red Bull Reto del Sol

In “Red Bull Reto del Sol”, the New York Red Bulls played to a 1-1 tie against Mexican powerhouse, Club Atlas de Guadalajara, Tuesday night at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, AZ.

After a scoreless first half, the Red Bulls conceded an own goal with 12 minutes to play. However, former Atlas star and Red Bulls Designated Player Rafa Marquez converted a penalty kick in the 90 th  minute, as New York earned the draw. The game was New York’s last in the preseason before it takes on Seattle Sounders FC on March 19 at Red Bull Arena at 7:30 PM ET in its MLS opener. For tickets, call 1.877.RBSOCCER or log onto www.newyorkredbulls.com

With both teams feeling each other out for much of the first interval, the Red Bulls had the best clear-cut scoring chance in the 11 th  minute. A long ball played out of the New York defense bounced fortuitously in the path of forward Salou Ibrahim, who tried to lob it over the on-rushing Jose Canales. But Ibrahim put too much power on it and knocked his shot over the crossbar. With a minute left until the intermission, Canales dove bravely to prevent Ibrahim from getting on the end of a well-placed Thierry Henry cross.

The Red Bulls continued their push to draw first blood in the second half. In the 53 rd  minute, Dane Richards got free from 14 yards out and had has shot on goal deflected away by midfielder Luis Enrique Robles. Soon after, Atlas, which did not have many scoring chances in the match, tested Red Bull Bouna Coundoul when the Senegalese goalkeeper pushed aside a Carlo Costly blast.

Ibrahim again had an opportunity to give New York the lead in the 61 st  minute. Henry threaded a through ball into the penalty box to the Ghanaian forward. Ibrahim’s toe poke, however, was stopped by a sprawling Canales. Twelve minutes later, Red Bulls substitute Tony Tchani got past an Atlas defender and fired an acute angle shot that was just past the left post.

Atlas was able to get on the scoreboard in the 78 th  minute. Atlas substitute Edgar Pacheco had space on the right side of the penalty box and put in a ball that was inadvertently deflected into the net by New York defender Tim Ream.

The Red Bulls looked like they were going to come away with a loss but with minutes left in the match, Joel Lindpere earned a penalty kick after being tackled at the edge of the penalty box. Marquez stepped up and put it in, sending Canales the wrong way.

New York Red Bulls 1, Club Atlas de Guadalajara 1
March 8, 2011; University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, AZ

Scoring Summary:
ATL: Tim Ream (own goal) 78’
NY: Rafa Marquez (penalty kick) 90’

Disciplinary Summary:  
NY: Mehdi Ballouchy (caution) 23’
NY: Thierry Henry (caution) 82’

New York Red Bulls –  Bouna Coundoul (GK), Roy Miller, Tim Ream, Rafa Marquez, Carlos Mendes, Joel Lindpere, Mehdi Ballouchy, Teemu Tainio* (Corey Hertzog 85’), Dane Richards, Thierry Henry, Salou Ibrahim (Tony Tchani 64’)

Substitutes not used:  Greg Sutton, Tyler Lassiter, Carl Robinson, Austin da Luz, Matt Kassel, Hughton Héctor

Club Atlas de Guadalajara –  Jose Canales (GK), Alfredo Tahulian, Ricardo Jimenez, Daniel Arreola, Luis Enrique Robles (Gerardo Espinoza 78’), Jesus Paganoni (Edgar Pacheco 65’), Gerardo Flores, Lucio Flavio Dos Santos (Lucas Ayala 80’), Alfredo Moreno (Hebert Alferez 70’), Daniel Osorno (Darvin Chavez 72’), Carlo Costly

Substitutes not used: Miguel Angel Pinto, Wilman Conde, Hugo Rodriguez

- Non-Roster Player

Referee: Silviu Petrescu
Referee’s Assistants: Philippe Briere, Daniel Belleau
4th  Official:  Daniel Radford
Attendance: 23,644