New York Red Bulls

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Major League Soccer announced Thursday that New York Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir has been suspended six games for using racist language during Saturday's match against the San Jose Earthquakes.

Vanzeir has also received an undisclosed fine and will be required to participate in MLS-mandated training and education sessions, in addition to a restorative practices program.

"MLS is working with both clubs and the MLSPA to provide impacted players and staff with support and resources and is committed to continuing to review and improve its in-game protocol," the league said in a statement.

The incident occurred during the 54th minute of Saturday's 1-1 draw against San Jose when Vanzeir said something to Quakes forward Jeremy Ebobisse. The incident resulted in play being stopped for more than 20 minutes.

Red Bulls manager Gerhard Struber later apologized for not removing Vanzeir from the match.

"During our match on Saturday, I made a decision that I thought was best given the information I had at that moment," Struber said, via ESPN. "While there was a lot of uncertainty at the time, with the information that I now know, the right decision would have been to immediately remove Dante Vanzeir from the game."

The Red Bulls and Vanzeir issued apologies to Ebobisse and the Earthquakes on Monday. New York then announced Tuesday that Vanzeir would be stepping away from the team during MLS' investigation of the incident.

"I want to sincerely apologize to the players of the Earthquakes. I will do everything I can to be part of the change that needs to happen in this sport and our world," Vanzeir said. "I also want to apologize to my teammates, coaches, the organization and our fans. I made a mistake and will take all the necessary steps to grow."

pic.twitter.com/7o2S5kyksm

— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) April 10, 2023

Vanzeir, who is from Belgium, is in his first MLS season after spending seven seasons playing professional soccer in his native country. He has one goal in six matches this year.

The 24-year-old will miss MLS matches against the Houston Dynamo, CF Montréal, Chicago Fire, Philadelphia Union, New York City FC and Toronto FC. He'll be eligible to return on May 20 against Montréal. Vanzeir is also prohibited from playing in the U.S. Open Cup, MLS NEXT Pro games and exhibition matches during the length of his suspension.

The Red Bulls sit 11th in the Eastern Conference with a 1-4-2 record.

New York Red Bulls forward Dante Vanzeir has released a statement apologizing for making a racist remark toward San Jose Earthquakes forward Jeremy Ebobisse.

As part of his apology, Vanzeir said he will "agree to any suspension, fine and counseling that is handed down by Major League Soccer and the club."

The exchange between Vanzeir and Ebobisse occurred during the 54th minute of Saturday's match between the Red Bulls and the Earthquakes. Play was stopped for nearly 20 minutes, and 21 minutes of stoppage time was added at the end of regulation as the teams played to a 1-1 draw.

"What is important for me to share is that I know what I heard and the reason why I felt, after a lengthy conversation, we should continue with the game is because the player who said the word claimed it was not aimed at any of us," Ebobisse told reporters after the match.

MLS announced after the match that it would open up an investigation into the incident. The Red Bulls announced that they would fully cooperate with the league's probe.

On Monday, Red Bulls coach Gerhard Struber said in a statement that there was some uncertainty over the proper course of action to take after the exchange, but he now knows that "the right decision would have been to immediately remove Dante Vanzeir from the game."

The Red Bulls also released a statement saying they "wholeheartedly apologize for the unacceptable events that transpired" on Saturday. The club went on to say that "the words and inaction was inexcusable, and we believe there is never a place for it."

Bradley Wright-Phillips isn't your typical striker. 

The New York Red Bulls forward is stellar in front of the net, but he doesn't possess the flash and flair of many of the big personalities who play his position across the globe. 

That's why the praise of his leadership abilities from his manager and captain can catch outside observers off guard at first. 

The scorer of 21 goals in 2016, and 66 in 105 matches over his three seasons in Major League Soccer, has moved into a greater leadership position in 2016 after a challenge from second-year Red Bulls manager Jesse Marsch. 

“When Jesse first came here, he demanded that he didn’t just want goals out of me—he wanted me to be a voice in the changing room," Wright-Phillips said after his side's recent 3-2 win over the Philadelphia Union. "I tried to be a leader on the field. I'm trying every week to do those things.

"It’s not really in my character. But that’s not good enough for Jesse. I try to do what I can to help the team." 

Marsch said: "He’s stepped up his leadership in such a big way. The times he chooses to speak, the things he says, the commitment he has to this group has led us in so many ways. And it’s obviously led to him having clarity and confidence on the field." 

Wright-Phillips isn't required to speak on every occasion, but when he does, the rest of the squad listens intently.

"He’s one of the best players this club has ever seen, and when you have a guy with the pedigree and the ability he has, people will listen to him," Red Bulls captain Dax McCarty said. 

Wright-Phillips makes plenty of noise with his high level of production in the final third for the Red Bulls, but you won't see any flashy celebrations out of the only player ever to score 20 or more goals in an MLS season twice.

Just a simple few hops and a fist pump come from Wright-Phillips after most of his goals before he rejoins his team behind the halfway line.

With flashy superstars such as David Villa and Sebastian Giovinco stealing the headlines every week with spectacular goals, sometimes Wright-Phillips gets lost in the conversation for Most Valuable Player, but he's made his presence known over the last few months. 

The 2014 Golden Boot winner, who tallied 27 goals that season to capture the trophy, has scored 12 of his 21 strikes since the July 24 New York derby, in which he bagged a brace in a 4-1 victory over New York City FC.

During the same span, the Red Bulls have extended their unbeaten run to 14 games and moved to the top of the table in the Eastern Conference.

However, they are nowhere close to securing the top seed in the postseason just yet, as they're level on points with NYCFC. The drama each week in the playoff race is something Wright-Phillips and his teammates don't like to get caught up in.

"It’s fun," Wright-Phillips said. "It must be great for the neutral to watch. I think it’s been very exciting. While you’re in it, it’s hard to get the emotion of it, and you just have to think about what you have to do, but it’s good. It’s nice and competitive."

"It’s been a great, very MLS-type season," McCarty said. "Teams jockeying for positions, teams going on big winning streaks and some going on some losing streaks.

"We started the season 1-6, and if you told us we’d be fighting for first at this point, people would’ve probably called you 'crazy.' But this team has a lot of fight and character, and we’re a veteran group." 

The competition at the top of the table between the pair of New York sides has helped push the Red Bulls deeper into their unbeaten run. 

"I see a New York [City] team that’s very good, committed and organized," Marsch said. "I think that team doing well has driven us in so many different ways. It has made us hungry and driven us to get better and do better to be the best."

Marsch continued: "That’s where we’re at right now, and we’re going to stay focused on that, focused on ourselves. I think we’re being pushed by a lot of different things right now, and our group is responding." 

Many have tried to water down the streak put together by the best team in the East because the Red Bulls have dropped a few two-goal leads, with the most recent slip-up coming on the road in Toronto on Sept. 18. But that is something they don't expect to happen again. 

"After the Toronto game, we drew a line in the sand and said 'this has to stop,'" McCarty added. "We challenged every single guy in the locker room. If you’re on the field at the end of the game, it’s unacceptable to concede leads anymore.

"We need everyone to do that. It’s been a team effort. Just because we’ve conceded a couple leads at the end of games, we’re not going to let that define our season." 

The Red Bulls went down by one and then gave up a one-goal lead in their match against Philadelphia, but they responded with a game-winner from McCarty to take all three points from the critical Eastern Conference contest. 

"After the game, when it’s all said and done, I’m glad we went down because it’s good to see the character of the team," Wright-Phillips said. "As soon as they scored, we played better. It almost like we needed that. You don’t want to depend on those things, obviously, but we reacted well." 

One race Wright-Phillips has kept a distant eye on is the one for the Golden Boot. Just like their clubs at the top of the East, the 31-year-old Englishman and Villa are tied at the top, both on 21 goals. 

Villa climbed back into the race with a two-goal performance against Houston Dynamo in Week 30, while Wright-Phillips moved level with the Spaniard with his strike against Philadelphia on Saturday. 

Wright-Phillips admitted he went into the Philadelphia game with his mind on the Golden Boot race but added it usually doesn't creep into his head as he's playing. 

"When Villa scored two [against Houston], I was like 'what the hell, man,'" Wright-Phillips said. "I hate to go into games thinking about goals. Unfortunately, this game I went in thinking about goals." 

The strike the Englishman delivered in the 3-2 victory impressed his manager, who continues to be amazed by the skill Wright-Phillips possesses.

The pass, the finish...all class. @TheRealBWP puts @NewYorkRedBulls up 2-1. #NYvPHI https://t.co/8YdFgnWqAk

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 2, 2016

“What a great goal," Marsch said. "Talk about a confident take. He just ran after that, and I had the perfect angle for it, and I’m thinking to myself 'just nice and easy.' And then he absolutely buries it.

"His form, his confidence, so much of it stems from his leadership."

With confidence flowing through the veins of Wright-Phillips, and his team continuously on the upswing, the sky could be the limit for the original MLS franchise still searching for its first championship. But first, a clash with the Columbus Crew awaits on Oct. 16 during the penultimate weekend of the regular season.

“It’s obviously good to be in first, but at the end of the season, that’s when it matters," Wright-Phillips said. "We take it one game at a time." 

          

Joe Tansey covers MLS for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @JTansey90.

All quotes obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.

Major League Soccer is usually full of surprises, but developments in Harrison, New Jersey, this week have taken the MLS mantra of "expect the unexpected" to a new level.

It's just another week in the crazy season of the New York Red Bulls.

Perhaps we should have seen it coming, since the fact that the Red Bulls even had two matches in the span of two days was a bizarre enough turn of events. With New York's schedule looking congested due to the team's participation in the International Champions Cup, and the Philadelphia Union unwilling to renegotiate a time for the teams' U.S. Open Cup matchup, the Red Bulls' week began on Tuesday at 4 p.m.

Despite the strange starting time, things began brightly enough for the home side at Red Bull Arena, with New York more or less dominating proceedings from the opening kickoff. In the 40th minute, things went from good to great for the Red Bulls. Union striker Conor Casey received a red card for a serious foul against New York's Connor Lade, and in 90-degree heat, the Red Bulls were set to play up a man for 50 more minutes.

New York's domination continued until a rare Philadelphia counter attack ended with Vincent Nogueira crossing the ball to an unmarked Eric Ayuk, who had only to slam the ball into the back of the net. 

The Union led 1-0 with 35 minutes to play, and Philadelphia's game plan was predictable—get all 10 men behind the ball and defend. To adopt any other strategy would have been insane, and full credit to the Union for executing that plan relatively successfully. But the Red Bulls did not make it particularly difficult on Philadelphia.

For the next 35 minutes, New York did everything it could to find an equalizer, but it just did not create a ton of danger in front of John McCarthy. The team's struggles against Philadelphia are indicative of a bigger problem that has been present for the entire season.

The Red Bulls have an impressive amount of talent at every position on the pitch and have played a solid, and at times even tremendous, team game this season. But when opposing teams bunker into a defensive shell, the team's preferred high-pressing style of play becomes a non-factor and it struggles to create chances.

That was the story for almost the entirety of the second half in Harrison Tuesday afternoon. New York attack after New York attack got 20 yards from goal, then flamed out. It was a match calling out for a Red Bulls' superstar to propel his team to success.

Thierry Henry?

Tim Cahill?

Rafa Marquez?

Juan Pablo Angel? Youri Djorkaeff? Anybody at all?

For New York right now, there is no one to answer that call. 

This is not to take anything away from New York's top attackers, players like Bradley Wright-Phillips, Mike Grella and Lloyd Sam. All three are an important part of what this team has done this season and could very well yet push the Red Bulls to a highly successful year. But none of them can provide the singular moment of magic that players like Henry, Cahill and Angel could. 

Just when it appeared that all hope was lost for the Red Bulls, Sam found the back of the net on a goal-mouth scramble with only a minute left to play. Sam deserves credit for willing the ball across the line, as does Grella for heading the ball into the danger area for the Englishman to convert, but it was hardly a beautiful goal.

This is not to say that beautiful goals are required to win soccer games—obviously this is not the case. But often when teams play as defensively as Philadelphia did on Tuesday, that kind of beautiful individual effort is required to win.

Though the Red Bulls managed to extend the match with an ugly goal, they could not find another one in the added 30 minutes. When the penalty shootout arrived, it was arguably New York's top two attacking threats, Wright-Phillips and Sam, who missed penalties, costing their club a chance at victory and a spot in the semifinals of the U.S. Open Cup. 

Again, this is not to belittle the contributions that those two players have put forward in Harrison this season. The English pair has combined for 13 goals and 10 assists in MLS play this season, powering the Red Bulls to the second-best points per game in the Eastern Conference. 

But as the team has for so long been powered by star players, the absence of such a player was exceedingly obvious as the team struggled against Philadelphia on Tuesday.

Red Bull supporters would have been forgiven for writing the entire week off as a failure after Tuesday's loss, as the team's only remaining match was against Chelsea the following night. With the team's top players all featuring against the Union, the Red Bulls were forced to field a side almost exclusively made up of players who have spent the season with New York's USL side.

With Chelsea starting players like Thibaut Courtois, Cesar Azpilicueta, Gary Cahill, Cesc Fabregas and Oscar, the Red Bulls second-stringers looked to be in trouble.

New York was outclassed in the first half but performed admirably against a superior side and ended the first 45 minutes down only 1-0. The second half brought something entirely unexpected.

In the 51st minute, New York's Franklin Castellanos latched onto a poor back pass from Chelsea's John Terry and managed to squeeze it past Asmir Begovic to tie the match at one. 

Perhaps feeling that something special could be happening, the Red Bulls' youngsters continued to work hard and found a go-ahead goal through 16-year-old Tyler Adams in the 70th minute, after which madness ensued.

Sean Davis scored to put the Red Bulls up 3-1 in the 73rd minute, Eden Hazard scored to make it 3-2 in the 75th minute and Davis restored the two-goal lead just two minutes later, leaving the scoreline at 4-2.

Chelsea turned the pressure up but could not find another goal, and the defending English Premier League winners lost to a team with 15 players who have never appeared in an MLS match.

Chelsea, of course, is only in the midst of preseason, but frankly that should not matter given the gap between the two sides one might have suspected before the match began. The victory is a gigantic achievement for the Red Bulls' talent scouting and development teams. 

Both of New York's matches this week would have been noteworthy at any time of year, but that they occurred on back-to-back nights highlights just how different this year's Red Bulls are from any previous version of the club. 

On the one hand, New York currently lacks the star power it has had for most of its existence. The team is talented and certainly has a chance to make a deep playoff run, but it is going to continue to struggle in matches like Tuesday's unless new talent is brought in. This is new, uncharted and scary territory for the Red Bulls and their fans.

However, equally new and uncharted is the club's interest in its young players. The addition of New York's own USL team has aided immensely in the development of young and inexperienced players in the Red Bulls organization, as has the focus put on development by head coach Jesse Marsch and sporting director Ali Curtis.

After years of the first team ignoring the widespread success of New York's academy teams, the change of pace is massively refreshing. 

Of course, Red Bull fans will be quick to point out that the focus on development and the team's willingness to spend big on star players do not have to be mutually exclusive. They are right to say so, and if New York is serious about making a deep run this year, the team's Austrian bosses may have to open their checkbooks before the transfer window ends in the coming weeks.

In reality, that may not happen. Red Bull Corporate very well may not be willing to spend any more money on its New York team, and that is a reality that fans have to come to accept.

But the good news for them is that players like Anatole Abang, Anthony Wallace and Manolo Sanchez have already proved that the Red Bulls' USL side is helping develop and prepare players for the MLS incredibly well. As long as New York can continue to pump out and keep the top talent of its academy programs, it should have a pipeline of talented players for years to come.

The prospect of a promising and stable future is one that has never been enjoyed by the New York Red Bulls, but they are closer to that now than ever before, even if management elects to stay away from acquiring any more star players.

Entering his second full season with the New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer, Bradley Wright-Phillips made sure he turned himself into more of an all-around forward.

The scorer of 27 goals last season and winner of the league's Golden Boot focused on being more of provider heading into 2015 as well being the club's top scorer. 

Halfway through the 2015 campaign, Wright-Phillips has eight goals and six assists for the third-place club in the Eastern Conference. 

“It’s definitely something I wanted to work on. I get judged on goals, but I wasn’t happy on my return with assists last season," Wright-Phillips told Bleacher Report.

 "I had two (last year). I don’t think I’m the most creative player, but I do think I have (the skill) to create chances and it’s something I wanted to do more. I won’t score as many goals, but I’ll definitely get more assists. I’ll be involved in more team goals," the Red Bulls forward said. 

Wright-Phillips and the Red Bulls are about to enter a busy stretch of matches that includes an International Champions Cup showdown with Chelsea on July 22 at Red Bull Arena. 

While the focus may be centered on the defending Premier League champions, the Red Bulls certainly want to prove their worth as well in the match. 

"When you’re playing against a European side, you want to show that we can play too. You want to prove MLS is a good league when you’re playing against those teams," the forward said. 

The Red Bulls will also face off against Benfica on July 26 at their home stadium, which has received high marks from past visitors. 

“They’ll definitely be impressed. Everyone that’s come here, they always compliment our stadium, staff and facilities. The fans are loud. There’s not many better places to play. It’s unbelievable," Wright-Phillips said of the European-esque environment in Harrison, New Jersey. 

"We have great facilities, a great stadium and a great training ground. It’s good for those guys to come over and see that it’s done properly over here. Before I came over here, I didn’t know anything about it," the former Charlton Athletic and Plymouth Argyle man said. 

As for the crowd the likes of Chelsea and Benfica can expect, it should be quite the large one given the increased interest in the sport, especially in the New York City area. The addition of New York City FC to MLS this season has also generated more talk about the beautiful game. 

"The World Cup changed it quite dramatically. After the World Cup, I’d see a lot more Red Bulls jerseys or NYCFC jerseys and it creates a rivalry. It creates more excitement for the two clubs in this area. It’s great for the country and for the city and for the players involved," Wright-Phillips said.

"I think it brings nothing but excitement. That rivalry needs some kind of hate and I think NYCFC have helped that. Since I’ve come here, it seems like it’s growing every year, but the World Cup and the USA men’s national team did a wonderful job and it helped," the forward continued. 

On top of impressing the European sides while they are in the United States, the matches will give some of the young players in the Red Bulls squad a chance to impress manager Jesse Marsch. 

"Jesse is not afraid to throw youngsters in. If I was a manager, it’d be something I’d be wary of. With Jesse, he’s not afraid and he tells them what he wants," Wright-Phillips said.

"I think if they were to be called upon at the important part of the season, I think they’d be more than ready to play because of the experience they’ve gained throughout the season." 

Youngsters like center-back Matt Miazga, full-backs Sean Davis and Chris Duvall as well as forward Anatole Abang have already cracked the first team this season. 

“They’ve been brilliant. When they first came in it was hard. Jesse demands a lot from the young players and the senior players," Wright-Phillips said.

"They’re good guys. They want to learn. Sean Davis, Matt Miazga, [Anatole] Abang. When they’ve been called upon, they’ve done more than great. They could all start if it wasn’t for other guys," he continued.

Part of the busy period for the Red Bulls features a clash in the quarterfinal round of the U.S. Open Cup against Philadelphia on July 21. On top of thriving against international competition, the Red Bulls are also looking to claim a domestic crown. 

"It’s something we’re taking very seriously. We want to win the Open Cup. Everyone’s got to be ready," the forward said. 

The Red Bulls squad is also coming together at the right time, as they have won three of their last four league matches. 

“I feel like in general we’re a team that’s learning. Most of us just came together at the beginning of the season. We were always going to have ups and downs," the 2014 Golden Boot winner said.

Before we started winning, we had a four-game losing streak and I think during that losing streak we learned a lot. Things are starting to click on the pitch now. I think it comes from learning from your mistakes and I think it’s all come together at moment," he said. 

With a team in form, we should expect to see the Red Bulls give Chelsea and Benfica a good challenge when the International Champions Cup comes to Red Bull Arena. 

Bleacher Report is Official Media Partner of the International Champions Cup North America.

DC United midfielder Perry Kitchen appears to have escaped suspension for his stamp on New York Red Bulls right-back Chris Duvall in yet another perplexing decision from the MLS Disciplinary Committee. 

DC beat writer Pablo Maurer was among the first to point out that Kitchen has escaped any repercussion for his seemingly blatant act of foul play. 

I'm told that Perry Kitchen has escaped any disciplinary action (for now) for his alleged stomp on Sunday vs #RBNY. We'll see. #DCU #MLS

— Pablo Maurer (@MLSist) March 25, 2015

The incident itself, which took place at a DC penalty in stoppage time with the Red Bulls leading 2-0, seemed to be quite clear cut, but no action was taken by the referee at the time.

Not sure how, but Perry Kitchen wasn't suspended for this https://t.co/9coCHecybN

— Seth Vertelney (@svertelney) March 25, 2015

When the Disciplinary Committee announced its review of the weekend's incidents, Kitchen's name was absent, and Red Bulls skipper Dax McCarty responded. 

Interesting precedent @MLS disciplinary committee is setting. Intentional stamp on opponent is NOT a suspension. Got it. @thesoccerdon

— Dax McCarty (@DaxMcCarty11) March 25, 2015

Perhaps sensing that he had crossed a line, McCarty added one final tweet. 

Send my fine on over to Red Bull Arena @MLS. 😎

— Dax McCarty (@DaxMcCarty11) March 25, 2015

McCarty isn't one to avoid controversy, but his humourous rejoinder might save him from a league sanction.