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Van den Bergh strikes early, helps Red Bulls win opener

Apr 6, 2008 - 3:21 AM EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Dave van den Bergh scored in the first minute of the game and set up another goal eight minutes later as the New York Red Bulls won their season opener, 2-0, over the Columbus Crew on Saturday.

Kevin Goldthwaite recorded the only other tally off a van den Bergh corner kick to provide a victorious debut for coach Juan Carlos Osorio, who took over for the dismissed Bruce Arena in the offseason.

"The shutout makes me more happy than the two goals," Osorio said. "The most important thing is to start off on a clean sheet. We played good football from the back and we did a good job in the midfield. We got two goals that were well-deserved. We played very, very hard and worked hard on set plays and got our reward."

Goalkeeper Jon Conway made four saves en route to his 15th career shutout for the Red Bulls, who improved to 6-0-3 in their last nine home meetings against the Crew.

"It was great to start off like we did," New York forward Juan Pablo Angel said. "To get an early goal and then the second one like we did, I think that basically settled the game down."

With star striker Jozy Altidore on the sidelines due to a sore left knee, van den Bergh put New York in front just 46 seconds into the contest.

The midfielder scored unassisted, blasting a shot from just inside the penalty area past the diving arms of Columbus goalkeeper Will Hesmer.

The goal came on the first shot of the game and was the fastest tally in club history.

"I don't remember scoring so early. Not early in the season, no that's for sure," van den Bergh said. "I didn't have a clear option to pass to anybody. Juan Pablo Angel made a good run to make some space but I saw the left back pinching in. I really couldn't go that way and I was like, nobody's coming I might as well take a shot."

Minutes later on a corner kick, van den Bergh put the ball in the middle of the box and Goldthwaite knocked it past Hesmer for a 2-0 advantage less than 10 minutes in.

"I'll take that goal and run with it for the week," Goldthwaite said. "It definitely was not a clinical finish. I was just in the right place, right time."

Columbus outshot New York, 20-12, but only had four on goal. Conway was barely tested, making two stops in each half.

Hesmer finished with six saves for the Crew, who won their season opener, 2-0, last week against Toronto.

"Outside of the first 15 minutes of the game it could have been a whole different game. We just mismanaged the first 15 minutes," Columbus coach Sigi Schmid said. "I give the Red Bulls credit for creating the early pressure that created the two goals."