Red Bulls Advance in CONCACAF Champions League

Courtesy Red Bulls

The Red Bulls advanced out of Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League group play for the first time in club history after winning Group F with a 0-0 draw on Tuesday night against Guatemala Antigua FC.

New York finishes group play with a 2-0-2 record, clinching a spot in the Scotiabank CONCACAF Champions League Quarterfinals early next year. The Red Bulls earn the club milestone just days after clinching a seventh-straight berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs with a win over the Montreal Impact on Saturday.

New York extends the unbeaten streak to 17 matches across all competitions, including a club record 13 in MLS, and four Champions League games.

Luis Robles was in goal for the Red Bulls and he earned the shutout.

The Red Bulls used a bit of a different lineup for this one in Guatemala, as Shawn Wright-Phillips got a rare start, and Justin Bilyeu and Aaron Long started on defense.

The offense up front was similar, as Felipe, Mike Grella, and Gonzalo Veron started and Bradley Wright-Phillips came on in the 76th minute. Sacha Kljestan and Dax McCarty were given the night off.

The Red Bulls return home this Saturday for a big MLS match, as they host the Philadelphia Union at 7 p.m.

The Red Bulls are in first place in the MLS standings with 48 points (13-9-9), while Philadelphia is in fourth with 42 points (11-9-11).