Bouna Coundoul

[UA66]

Big news on the soccer front, former UAlbany goalie Bouna Coundoul will be starting in goal tonight for the Colorado Rapids vs. L.A. Galaxy in MLS action. Congrats to Bouna. Another milestone for the UAlbany athletic program.

[UAlbany09]

Big news on the soccer front, former UAlbany goalie Bouna Coundoul will be starting in goal tonight for the Colorado Rapids vs. L.A. Galaxy in MLS action.  Congrats to Bouna.  Another milestone for the UAlbany athletic program.

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I just finished watching the game on MLSLive.tv and it was an incredible game for Bouna. He got the shutout and the win, and made incredible save after incredible save. He was like a sponge out there. The Galaxy were on the offensive most of the game after they let by the early goal, but Bouna was dominating them in the box. He definitely made a statement out there and in my opinion he was the player of the game. Colorado wins 1-0.

[UAlbany09]

CARSON, CA (Saturday, May 20, 2006)- The Colorado Rapids defeated the Los Angeles Galaxy 1-0 tonight behind rookie forward Jacob Peterson¹s first career goal and Bouna Coundoul¹s first career shutout at The Home Depot Center.

Rapids goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul, who came in as a substitute for an injured Joe Cannon during last week¹s 1-0 loss to Columbus, made his first professional start in MLS against LA tonight, and had a stellar showing for the visiting team on the night.

 

Former Real Madrid defender Aitor Karanka showcased his international experience in the 5th minute when he cut off a Galaxy attack in a two-on-one situation. The Basque defender positioned himself well between two attacking players and stole a cross that was sent into the heart of the Rapids¹ penalty area.

 

The Rapids came close to getting on the scoreboard first in the 13th minute when Eric Denton dribbled past one Galaxy defender on the right side before sending a low cross to the top of the Los Angeles box. Jovan Kirovski met the cross, controlled it, and fired a hard low shot, but his effort went just inches wide.

 

The Rapids got on the board first when Jacob Peterson scored his first MLS career goal on a quick play inside the Galaxy penalty area. The former United States Under-20 National Team player, who was starting in only his second game as a professional, received a through pass from Denton and unleashed a quick but perfectly-placed shot that beat the Galaxy goalkeeper to his left post in the 15th minute.

 

The Rapids controlled the game for much of the first half, but were unable to increase their lead, and the teams went into the locker rooms with the score 1-0 to the visitors at halftime.

 

Coundoul came up big for the Rapids in the 54th minute when he denied a close range shot from Kyle Martino. The former Columbus player received a quick pass that left him alone against Condoul, but his powerful shot was deflected by the Rapids¹ goalkeeper.

 

In the final minutes of the game, Coundoul continued his impressive display between the pipes and high level of athleticism by denying several Galaxy attacks to assure his first clean sheet.

 

Next up in league play, the Rapids will continue their three-road-game string next Saturday, May 27 when they visit their Rocky Mountain Cup rivals, Real Salt Lake, at 2:00 p.m. (MT) at Rice Eccles Stadium, to be televised live on ESPN-2.

[UAlbany09]

Bouna Time has arrived for Colorado

By Luis Bueno / MLSnet.com Staff

 

CARSON, Calif. -- When Colorado Rapids goalkeeper Joe Cannon went down with injury last week, the club unknowingly switched its clocks.

It is now officially Bouna Time.

 

Bouna Coundoul had several spectacular saves Saturday as the Rapids beat the Los Angeles Galaxy 1-0 at The Home Depot Center, earning their first clean sheet of the season.

 

"Joe is really, really good. To me, he's the best goalie I've seen so far," Coundoul said. "But like they say, it's Bouna Time now."

 

 

 

Bouna Time began 10 minutes into last week's 1-0 loss to Columbus after Cannon injured his groin. Cannon did not train at all this week and did not travel to Southern California for the game.

 

No matter.

 

"He's a young goalkeeper, inexperienced but an outstanding athlete and he showed that tonight," Rapids coach Fernando Clavijo said of the Senegal-born 'keeper.

 

Jacob Peterson put the Rapids ahead in the 14th minute when he beat a pair of Galaxy defenders and slipped a shot past Galaxy goalkeeper Steve Cronin. Through most of the first half, the Galaxy could not get close to the Rapids goal.

 

Towards the end of the first half, however, Kyle Martino finally got a shot on goal. Coundoul turned away Martino's 15-yard effort and pounced on the subsequent rebound with a pair of Galaxy attackers dangerously close to the ball.

 

With the hosts attacking throughout the second half, however, more balls found their way inside the Rapids penalty area. Coundoul, however, kept his cool and stopped John Wolyniec twice and Martino again, the latter with a brilliant diving save that was more difficult than the first-half save. Martino found space inside the area and unleashed a shot from straightaway but Coundoul dived to his left and knocked the ball out.

 

Rapids defender Mike Petke credited Coundoul's hard work and unselfish attitude when talking about the young goalkeeper's performance.

 

"One person's injury is another person's opportunity," Petke said. "Bouna's that type of guy that never got a shot, always showed up at practice, always worked his butt off."

 

As the game wore on, the Galaxy began throwing numbers forward but Coundoul stood firm as his faith in his team did not subside.

 

"The clock seemed like it was slowing down but I knew down the line we were going to win this game because I had a lot of confidence in myself and my team," Coundoul said.

 

Coundoul made his Major League Soccer debut a week ago. Although he gave up the game's only goal in the loss to Columbus, his work in training this week paid off.

 

"I don't want to brag, but I always work hard," Coundoul said. "My coach makes me work very, very hard in practice and I proved that I was ready. I just came and did what I'm capable of doing."

 

Despite the team's faith in Cannon, if he remains on the sidelines for an extended period of time the club will be OK, players said.

[UA66]

Danes fans can see Bouna this Saturday as the Colorado Rapids game vs. Real Salt Lake will be televised on ESPN2 starting at 4 PM.

[UAalum72]

Front page of today's T-U Dane makes it big

[Dane Pound]

His team lost the other night but he's fourth in MLS in shutouts after five starts. This is from the Galaxy's annoucer blog.

 

Tutino's Take: Done in by Bouna

By Joe Tutino / LAGalaxy.com

 

Bouna Time?! Who is this guy? No he's not Eddie Murphy's character on the train scene from Trading Places. He's the guy who laid another goose egg on the Galaxy score sheet, that's who he is.

Crazy ... it is just crazy at this point. Bouna Coundoul from Senegal, the third-string goalkeeper for the Rapids, stoned the Galaxy. Unbelievable! I saw it myself, called the action myself and still can't believe it. And, a Galaxy team record was set for futility: 390 minutes without a goal. That leaves the Galaxy with no wins at home (0-4-1). Yes, the pressure is on.

 

Bouna Coundoul made five saves, or in my view he was assaulted by five Galaxy shots and countless near misses as the defending champs absorbed another setback to the season. To be honest, Bouna positioned himself well on the header from Herculez Gomez in the second half, but is it really Bouna time? Joe Cannon beware; Bouna is going to take your job.

 

"Joe (Cannon) is really, really good. To me, he's the best goalie I've seen so far," Coundoul said. "But like they say, it's Bouna Time now."

 

Bouna Time. Bouna Coundoul was the difference of Saturday's match at the Home Depot Center. He made five saves on the night as the Galaxy offense continued to misfire. Wave upon wave of Galaxy rushes on the Rapids' goal either went wide, high or were gobbled up by the cat from Senegal. Heck, he dove the wrong way on Kyle Martino's attempt in the first half and still got his right paw on Martino's shot. He was nearly sitting on his backside giving away the near post on John Wolyniec's chance in the second half only to have Woly's attempt hit him. After that performance, Coundoul should get combat pay.

 

''I'm capable of doing big stuff,'' Coundoul said. ''I had confidence in myself and the coaches trusted me. They said, 'Just play the way you've been playing in practice and in reserve games.'"

 

With play like that I hope he has Aflac.

 

Yup, that was a big performance indeed, and now here we are, Galaxy fans, mired in the cellar of the Western Conference with the goats of Chivas USA. Tell those guys to share the hay.

 

THE GOOD... The Galaxy gave a strong effort throughout the match, especially in the second half. Clear chances were created. In the end, the Galaxy did get five shots on frame. Like I've said, it's not the physical effort that is the issue. The boys leave it all on the field. Nobody is mailing it in.

 

"People can not say that we didn't try tonight. If there is anyone in that stadium that thought that the players didn't play their hearts out, then they are crazy," said Galaxy coach Steve Sampson. "It was not a lack of effort tonight; it was a lack of execution. We had so many chances in front of the goal that we should have put away. I think we gave ourselves the best chance to score (Saturday), but the goalkeeper made three phenomenal saves which kept them in the game."

 

If Coundoul were a pinball machine, the Galaxy would have been in the bonus. He was getting lit up so many times he went into 'tilt' mode. I've never seen a goalkeeper cramp up before. Somebody give "Bouna Time" some potassium. The young man dehydrated like it was an August afternoon during a Santa Ana, instead it was a grey May night in the Southland. But cramps or not, Bouna came through for the Rapids when it mattered most.