Bouna Coundoul and Mike Petke say goodbye to Giants Stadium

By James Rogers

The New York Red Bulls said goodbye to Giants Stadium in emphatic style on Saturday evening, hammering Toronto FC  5-0 in the final game of the MLS season.

With the team’s new Red Bull Arena opening next year, the game against Toronto was the last ever football match to be played at Giants Stadium, and Richie Williams’ team signed off in style.  More than 21,000 noisy Red Bulls supporters braved a thunderstorm and torrential downpour to see the team’s Meadowlands farewell, and were rewarded with the New Yorkers’ biggest win of the season.

“We are extremely happy, I thought the team played well,” said the Red Bulls’ interim head coach Richie Williams, during his post-match press conference. “It’s nice to see that when we had opportunities, we took advantage of it and finished.”

“It’s great to have this as the last game in Giants Stadium and to go out with a victory,” he added. “Hopefully, this leads to bigger and better things in the new stadium.”

The home side went into the lead after just two minutes, when Macoumba Kandji raced onto a flick from Juan Pablo Angel and fired home his third goal of the season. The visitors, who were chasing a playoff berth, quickly regained their composure however and began peppering the Red Bulls goal with shots.

Despite playing in monsoon-like conditions, Toronto were soon  moving the ball around quickly, and forced a series of saves out of impressive Red Bulls keeper Bouna Coundoul. The visitors were caught on the break just after the half hour, though, when Macoumba Kandji turned provider for Angel.  The forward chested a ball down outside the penalty area and laid it off to his strike partner and Red Bulls captain, who touched the ball past his marker Adrian Serioux before placing a shot past Toronto keeper Brian Edwards.

The second half started with the Canadians again asking all the questions, although Angel put the result beyond doubt just after the hour.  Red Bulls midfielder Albert Celades, playing his final game prior to retirement, linked up well with Jeremy Hall, who passed the ball forward to the Colombian star.  The former Aston Villa striker timed his run to perfection, cleverly beating the Toronto offside trap before placing a 12-yard shot past Edwards’ despairing dive.

For Toronto, things got even worse on 70 minutes when Macoumba Kandji raced onto a weak header back to Edwards, rounded the keeper, and calmly placed the ball into the empty net.

Substitute Matthew Mbuta completed the rout in the 94th minute, stroking home a penalty just two minutes after stepping onto the pitch. Referee Alex Prus had pointed to the spot, somewhat harshly, after Serioux’s challenge on Kandji, and Mbuta calmly sent Edwards the wrong way for his first goal of the season.

Striker John Wolyniec goes into the stands to meet the fans with ESC's Anthony Poulin.

The victory against Toronto dashed the Canadians’ playoff hopes and ended a five-game winless streak for the Red Bulls, adding a veneer of respectability to a dreadful season. Adrift at the foot of the MLS Eastern Conference, the Red Bulls ended the campaign with a miserable record of 5-19-6, and have given their long-suffering supporters little to cheer about.

“I don’t think there is any better way to end it – 5-0 is a good victory,” said Williams. “But we understand that the season was disappointing.”

Williams, who took over from Juan Carlos Osorio on his resignation three months ago,  has done a good job stabilizing the team, who, at one point looked in danger of recording the lowest-ever points haul in MLS. During his eight games in charge, the New Yorkers have recorded three wins and two draws, and the interim head coach praised his team’s performance down the final stretch.

“We were out there and competed and they played hard and got some results,” he said. “The guys didn’t give up, they played hard and that’s always nice to see.”

There is, however, no news on Osorio’s long-term successor, according to Williams, who is in his second stint as the team’s interim head coach. “I have no idea – I’ve been told I will be considered for the position,” he said, in response to a reporter’s question. “But I haven’t been told that they are near to naming a new coach – I’m not the guy you need to speak to about that decision.”

“With my experience as an assistant [coach] and my second time as interim, I think I feel ready to be head coach,” he said. “I enjoy being with the Red Bulls organization, and I hope to be a part of it.”

Thousands of fans stayed behind after the final whistle to applaud the Red Bulls players off the pitch and witness presentations to Angel, Celades, and popular defender Mike Petke.

Angel, who has now scored 48 goals during his time in the Meadowlands, received an award for breaking the team’s goal scoring record this season. Former Barcelona star and Champions League winner Celades was honored on his retirement from the game and Petke was lauded for recently moving into the top-10 list of minutes played in MLS history.

Petke, who limped out of the Toronto game after just nine minutes with a right quad strain, said that he had mixed emotions about leaving Giants Stadium, which was also the home of the Red Bulls’ previous incarnation, the MetroStars, .

“I think it’s extremely bitter sweet,” the veteran defender told reporters in the locker room after the game. “This is our home since the accession of MLS – however, we’re looking at moving to the best stadium in America, and it’s going to be unbelievable.”

Albert Celades waves goodbye to the Red Bulls faithful for the final time.