T-180: Thierry Henry, unfortunately, will not be playing. That's the sad part about this match, regardless of the outcome. Thierry Henry of the New York Red Bulls will not be playing tonight at the Home Depot Center in front of a sellout crowd of 27,000.

Aside from that, a pivotal match in the continuing race for the 2010 Major League Soccer Supporters Shield awaits Hans Backe's Red Bulls and Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy.

Well, at least Lalas Hill is open for business once again.

T-150: The Galaxy are currently 15-5-5 (50 points), good for first overall in the league. As for the Red Bulls, they are 12-8-5 (41 points), good for fifth overall and second in the MLS Eastern Conference.

T-120: In CONCACAF Champions League play, the Columbus Crew defeated Santos Laguna 1-0, Cruz Azul and Toronto FC played to scoreless draw, Monterrey defeated the Seattle Sounders FC 3-2, while Real Salt Lake downed Arabe Unido by the same score.

T-105: Should be a sellout crowd on the way.

T-90: Earlier in MLS action this week, the Kansas City Wizards defeated the Houston Dynamo in a 4-3 goal festival while FC Dallas and the New England Revolution fought to a 2-2 draw.

T-75: As of right now, this is the top eight:

1. Los Angeles Galaxy (West #1)
2. Real Salt Lake (west #2)
3. Columbus Crew (East #1)
4. FC Dallas
5. New York Red Bulls (East #2)
6. Colorado Rapids
7. San Jose Earthquakes
8. Seattle Sounders FC

As it stands, it's LA vs. Colorado, RSL vs. FC Dallas, Columbus vs. Seattle and New York vs. San Jose. Yikes. That would be a slate of conference semis to watch if the season were to end this weekend.

T-60: It's time for the line-ups.

T-50: A little sign that says "Becks Is Back, Better Than Ever!" Let's see if that holds true.

By the way, I was thinking that Bruce was going to start Mr. Beckham...well whaddaya know. He will be.

T-45: Both teams begin their warm-ups.

New York's next three games include an October 2 home match against the Kansas City Wizards, a crucial October 9 match with Real Salt Lake at the Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey and an October 16 trip to Chester, Pennsylvania and PPL Park to take on the Philadelphia Union.

As for Los Angeles, they renew their SuperClasico rivalry with Chivas USA on October 3 as the designated road team, the last road trip for the team on October 7 at PPL Park against the Union and an October 16 home tie with the Colorado Rapids.

T-40: Not too much to go over in today's pregame miscellany, other than viewing a match on the gridiron between Texas Christian and Southern Methodist. While those two collegiate sides dispute for possession of an iron pan, these two teams on Victoria Street will dispute for a set number of points: three to one, one to both, or none to both.

T-30: Tomorrow in MLS play, the Philadelphia Union take on Chivas USA, D.C. United take on the Houston Dynamo, New England Revolution host the Columbus Crew, the Wizards face FC Dallas, the Sounders travel to Toyota Park to clash with the Chicago Fire and in an important game for Real Salt Lake, they host the Colorado Rapids.

T-20: With Omar Gonzalez out due to suspension, it will be up to Yohance Marshall and Leonardo to fill in the void.

T-15: Both teams head to the change rooms for final instructions. Our match referee today is Ricardo Salazar. The linesmen are Thomas Supple and Peter Manikowski. Baldomero Toledo is our fourth official.

T-5: Somehow I am getting an atrocious wireless connection from this place; it's driving me nuts. So I will have to do this without the ESPN2 broadcast. This is a drag, as far as I am concerned. Oh well.

T-0: National anthem by Savannah Robinson. Pregame entertainment by The Briggs with one of the club's anthems, "This Is L.A."

FIRST HALF START: 8:10 P.M. PT

1' - We are underway in this highly-anticipated regular season showdown. Will there be a chicken thief from Harrison, New Jersey on the feast? Or will the Big Cat from Montego Bay known as Donovan Ricketts snatch a shutout tonight? Stay tuned...

Oh dear. That's an early corner. Becks to take...and that is low. An early bullet dodged by the Red Bulls.

2' - Todd Dunivant with the throw-in. And after a few taps here and there, Bouna Coundoul resets for New York.

3' - Here's Mehdi Ballouchy. His possession in gobbled up by a back line looking to bring their A-game tonight. Pass from Sean Franklin to Jovan Kirovski not on the money.

4' - Ricketts with the goal kick. This is Landon Donovan, marked by Dane Richards.

5' - And now it's Dema Kovalenko with the ball. The Red Bulls gain possession, and it's Coundoul again. Passing, passing, passing. Cannot stress good passing any more tonight.

6' - And now it's Landon Donovan. Richards with the tackle on Franklin. They look to press, the G's...too long.

7' - The Great Dane will be a key ingredient to the Red Bulls' prospects tonight. Here's Carlos Mendes. Too much mustard from Juninho.

8' - Yohance Marshall with possession, and it seems New York is just biding their time as it stands.

9' - Here comes New York. Rafael Marquez with the ball. Sean Franklin clears. That pass for Juninho was off.

10' - Juan Pablo Angel will look to finish as the lone striker tonight. Here is Red Bulls vet Tim Ream. Throw-in for Landon Donovan. Good stuff by Tony Tchani.

11' - Ballouchy again. Rash challenge on Kovalenko, and here's Beckham. Too long a pass down the right flank.

12' - Bruce Arena looks on with cool intentions. Coundoul with the leaper. And he had to get to that one off the ricochets for a goal kick.

13' - Thirteen minutes into the contest, and it's still scoreless.

14' - A series of routine sweeps are on the house for the home side. Here's Ballouchy. First big save for Donovan Ricketts.

15' - Now the Red Bulls press. That will be out for a goal kick. But Ricketts is asking for better protection from the back line. Understandably.

16' - Talley with the throw-in. And now it's Ream. Beckham will put this in play.

17' - The New York back line sweeps. They are unable to capitalize on possession, and Donovan Ricketts will send this goal kick skyward.

18' - Sean Franklin now, and Todd Dunivant looks for someone in white. Here's Juninho. And this long pass for Edson Buddle is intercepted.

19' - Ricketts with the goal kick. Coundoul pushes that away for a Galaxy corner. He's being put on notice.

20' - That is great stuff from Rafael Marquez. He hasn't missed much, the celebrated Mexican international hasn't.

21' - Overconfidence in Beckham; a more direct approach would have worked. Here comes a New York corner in a New York minute. Ballouchy to take.

22' - Doesn't work out, but the road side keeps their composure. This looks better for them. Kovalenko gets roughed up.

23' - Head-on collision by Yohance Marshall. Nothing too serious. Back come the G's, and it's Leonardo to Donovan Ricketts.

24' - Now the Red Bulls go on the counter. The G's sweep. Rash challenge on Becks, but he is all right. May be subbed later on, who knows.

25' - A throw-in for Ballouchy. Backfires, and Bouna Coundoul resets.

26' - Not bad stuff from Leonardo, but he is going to have to keep at it for the full 90 (assuming Arena plays him for that long). Clockwork sweep from the Cameroonian.

27' - Talley, Mendes, Marquez. The Red Bulls with some textbook passing in the back.

28' - That throw was a bit long for Buddle. New York on the counter. Shot from Joel Lindpere just misses. Goal kick, Ricketts.

29' - Tchani, and Beckham's gonna have to be a bit more involved here. Corner, LA.

30' - We are 30 minutes in, and it's still scoreless. Good clearance on the corner. Tim Ream is wise to not touch that one as it will go for a goal kick.

31' - Questionable first touch from Leonardo. Now it's Beckham. Coundoul exchanging a few words with Donovan. Careful...

32' - Here comes another Red Bulls corner, but Dane Richards is a bit shaken up. He gets up, though.

33' - Take...two. Here's Lindpere. Take...three. Actually, cut. That's a throw-in by Talley.

34' - Kirovski with a nice backheel, and Mr. Beckham is looking for support. Ream nearly got reamed on that one.

35' - So we are now 35 in, it's still scoreless.

36' - Roy Miller with the throw-in. And this could be trouble.

GOAL! New York Red Bulls 19 Dane Richards

This was what the home fans were fearing. Without question. Yeah, as if the visitors really needed Thierry Henry in this case tonight. Excellent goal off the initial miss from Juan Pablo Angel.

37' - Home field advantage be damned! I warned the readers about what this guy can do, and you can see why.

38' - Talley is shaken up. Bad. He'll be feeling that one in the morning.

40' - Substitution Red Bull New York
IN 12 Mike Petke
OUT 2 Carey Talley

There's a going-away present for you.

41' - And now, it's Edson Buddle, and he is not getting any help. This has been the story of the half so far for the Galaxy.

42' - I will tell you this: some changes will need to be in order.

43' - Here is Dema Kovalenko. And that sure didn't work out. Mendes with the throw-in.

44' - We'll find out how many minutes of stoppage time we'll be getting here. Great ball possession from New York. The boo birds come out.

45' - This Galaxy team is a discombobulated unit, and Bruce is going to have to lay the hammer down at halftime.

45' + 1' - One minute of stoppage time. This should go quickly.

The whistle blows, it's...

HALFTIME STATS

Shots
Red Bull New York 5
Los Angeles Galaxy 2

Shots on Goal
Red Bull New York 2
Los Angeles Galaxy 0

Saves
Red Bull New York 0
Los Angeles Galaxy 1

Fouls
Red Bull New York 7
Los Angeles Galaxy 2

Corner Kicks
Red Bull New York 3
Los Angeles Galaxy 3

Offsides
Red Bull New York 1
Los Angeles Galaxy 0

SECOND HALF START: 9:14 P.M. PT

46' - Here we go with the start of the second half. Let's see if we got some adjustments in order from both sides. I fancy that the Galaxy are missing Omar Gonzalez more than the Red Bulls are missing Thierry Henry.

Something like that.

Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy
IN 20 A.J. de La Garza
OUT 22 Leonardo

47' - Leonardo is being eased into the lineup, apparently. Roy Miller is playing out of his brains right now. Good stop.

48' - Corner doesn't amount to much. And I fancy Yohance Marshall could have done better on that one.

49' - Miller with the throw.

50' - Coundoul goes off his line for the kick save.

51' - Marquez's pass inside initially broken up, but now the Galaxy counter. Coundoul is going to grab those all night long; the G's are not being creative enough. Old habits die hard.

52' - This is Sean Franklin with the ball. Not bad stuff from Dema Kovalenko. But the marking from this New York side is vastly improved from before. I love it.

53' - Right into the arms of Donovan Ricketts. And now it's Marshall...

54' - Ricardo Salazar says "Play on, enough." Not sure what Hans Backe is whinging about; his team is up 1-0.

55' - As much as I like seeing Beckham on the field for 55 plus, the lack of Omar Gonzalez has done Los Angeles a good one here.

56' - Too long of a pass. Not sure what that was all about. Here's Marshall with the free kick. And Richards intercepts Buddle with ease.

57' - Yellow card 20 A.J. De La Garza
Los Angeles Galaxy

Obviously came in late on that one.

58' - That header from Juan Pablo Angel sails over the crossbar. This is Joel Lindpere with the ball, and the G's retain possession.

59' - Good tackle from Carlos Mendes. Penalty! And this will test Donovan Ricketts' ability. Amateurish mistake from Yohance Marshall.

Yellow card 5 Yohance Marshall
Los Angeles Galaxy

DOGSO rule in effect.

60' - GOAL! Red Bull New York 9 Juan Pablo Angel (penalty)

Ricketts went the wrong way, easy as you like. Automatic, that.

61' - This team is now on the ropes. Terrible effort from Marshall. He probably wishes he was back in Austin by now. That is goal No. 13 for Angel, the Colombian international.

62' - And the boo birds continue to rain down here at the Home Depot Center. The fans are not getting their money's worth.

63' - They really didn't need Thierry Henry tonight. Routine grab from Coundoul.

64' - Well, in my prediction, I called for a 2-2 draw. Can the G's do their end of the bargain? Terrible header chance from LA, and New York go on the counter.

65' - Buddle gets tangled up in indigo. Free kick. Does Beckham still have the ability to bend this one?

Bloody heck, that was a save from Bouna Coundoul. This guy is getting the job done.

66' - Corner for LA. They really need to capitalize. Something.

67' - Taken quickly, and that doesn't work out.

Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy
IN 6 Eddie Lewis
OUT 9 Jovan Kirovski

68' - Another save from Coundoul. They cannot even solve this guy, and it must be driving them nuts. Well, Arena is watching on as if they will still be first place on points.

69' - Substitution Red Bull New York
IN 33 Carl Robinson
OUT 4 Juan Pablo Angel

70' - Tony Tchani is hurt. He limps back to the sideline. Looks like his night is done.

71' - And Ricketts must be wondering what happened to his back line tonight.

Substitution Red Bull New York
IN 29 Salou Ibrahim
OUT 23 Tony Tchani

72' - And now it's Backe (excuse the pun) to the tactic stolen from one Jose Mourinho of parking the bus.

73' - Offsides, Los Angeles. Well, at the rate things are going, this series will go to the road side.

74' - Here is Canadian international Carl Robinson. The Galaxy regain possession, but Roy Miller sweeps. Hans likes what he sees, apparently.

75' - 75 in, and it's 2-0 New York Red Bulls.

76' - A goal kick for Donovan Ricketts. This has not been his night.

Substitution Los Angeles Galaxy
IN 17 Tristan Bowen
OUT 21 Dema Kovalenko

77' - I tell you, the fans may need their money back after this one. But once again, I ask the question: "Who Needs Thierry Henry Anyway?" They already HAVE Juan Pablo Angel, after all.

78' - Too long of a pass for Eddie Lewis.

79' - Ricketts will grab that one. Bowen will have to play that one back.

80' - And Bouna Coundoul with another save. This has become nothing short of a pathetic performance from the Galaxy as Dane Richards goes on the offensive.

81' - Agony in the attacking third for L.A. as that pass for Landon Donovan misses.

82' - Boo birds rain down as some of them have seen enough of this one.

83' - Bruce Arena is going to be facing the music after his offensive strategy failed to work tonight.

84' - Offsides, Los Angeles. They can only hope that the Rapids do their part of the bargain.

85' - There is no doubt that wil for New York will be a blessing for the Columbus Crew.

Valiant shot from Tristan Bowen, but this guy, Bouna Coundoul, gets my Man of the Match for actually bothering to show up tonight. Great performance.

86' - This could be trouble...

87' - Yellow card 23 David Beckham
Los Angeles Galaxy

And Ricardo Salazar has elected to add salt to the wounds of what has been an unacceptable performance from the Los Angeles Galaxy in front of 27,000. Such a gentleman.

88' - Another solid save from Coundoul. When it comes to keepers in the East, he is The Beast.

89' - Bouna "The Beast from the East" Coundoul...that has a nice ring to it.

90' - How many minutes of stoppage time, Baldomero? Bruce Arena raises his hands in disgust. As he should.

90' + 1' - Well, I knew New York was going to score two, but Los Angeles is not doing their part of the bargain. Three minutes of stoppage.

90' + 2' - Since it is a prep football Friday night, I would like to note that my high school football team got the job done. Lakewood 44, Leuzinger 0.

90' + 3' - Real Salt Lake, rejoice. You have a chance to return to the roost via tiebreakers if you get the business done.

One more save from Coundoul never hurt anyone...unless you're an LA supporter, that is.

That is a wrap.

Stay tuned for my take on this match on the View from Victoria Street and on Bleacher Report.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

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