The New York Red Bulls have not gotten off to the kind of start they had hoped for during the 2012 MLS season. The Red Bulls are 0-2 to start the season and sit ninth in the MLS Eastern Conference.
New York will look for its first victory of the season this Sunday when the Red Bulls play their home opener at Red Bull Arena against the Colorado Rapids (2-0, 6 points) at 4 p.m. ET (ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3).
Here are a couple of Red Bulls notes heading into the home opener.
Red Bulls Sign Ryan Maduro
The Red Bulls announced Monday, March 19 that it signed midfielder Ryan Maduro. Per league and club rules, the terms of each deal were not disclosed.
"Ryan earned his spot on the roster after a solid showing in preseason," said Red Bulls General Manager and Sporting Director Erik Soler. "He is a young midfielder from the northeast who will provide us depth and can develop within our squad."
Last year, Maduro, 25, appeared for the Red Bulls Reserve League team twice.
Marquez Suspension Over
Red Bulls defender/midfielder Rafa Marquez served the final match of a three-match ban on Saturday in the Red Bulls' 2-0 loss to Real Salt Lake. The suspension stemmed from a post-match altercation in the Red Bulls' 1-0 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy in the first leg of the teams' Western Conference Semifinals series last postseason. Marquez served the first game of the suspension in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals, a 2-1 victory for the Galaxy, and Marquez missed the Red Bulls' 2-1 loss to FC Dallas on March 11.