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Final Score: Chicago 0 - Red Bull New York 1

Harrison, NJ (Sports Network) - Red Bull New York opened Red Bull Arena in front of almost 25,000 fans with a 1-0 victory over the Chicago Fire in Major League Soccer action on Saturday night.

New Red Bull midfielder Joel Lindpere scored the game's only goal just before the first-half break to give new head coach Hans Backe a victory in his first MLS game behind the bench.

"Today we played well," New York striker Juan Pablo Angel said. "We know we could play a little bit better than that but from previous games, it was very important to just get a win against these guys because we didnt have a good record against them in the last three or four games."

Conversely, new Fire head coach Carlos de los Cobos suffered his first loss in his first game behind an MLS bench.

"I am disappointed, because our team played with order," de los Cobos said. "This is the one thing that I ask from them all the time. We are trying to transmit to the players to play with some style, I wanted them to put the ball on the ground and try to start structuring our game to a forward attack; they are making progress and it's a shame how we lost the game."

The Fire had the first opportunity in the game when forward Brian McBride headed a loose ball at the top of the New York 18-yard box to himself before trying an over-head bicycle kick that went off the left post.

"It just came to me and trapped it, I knew the goalie was off his line and I wanted to try and take it as early as possible, unfortunately it spun when it bounced and it didn't go in," McBride said.

Speedy Red Bull attackers Mac Kandji and Dane Richards had a couple early chances for the home side, dribbling into the Fire box, but both players held the ball too long, allowing the defense to recover and clear the ball out of danger.

Kandji finally got New York's first shot on Fire goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra - making his first MLS start - in the 37th minute, but it was easily scooped up.

The Red Bulls got on the board in the 40th minute when Estonian midfielder Lindpere volleyed a ball from the top of the Fire box past Dykstra for his first MLS goal after joining the league this offseason.

"I took the rebound and scored," Lindpere said. "I have quite [an] okay shot with especially my left [foot] and if [there's] a chance with this ball to shoot, everybody should try it."

New York almost made it 2-0 early in the second half when striker Juan Pablo Angel ran onto a cross that flew over the Fire defense, but as he settled to prepare for a shot, Wilman Conde got in front of him to block what seemed like a wide-open shot.

New York goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul made his first strong save just after the hour mark when a Mike Banner free kick from about 25-yards out was bent over the defensive wall, but he got his hands on the ball to knock it away before gobbling up the rebound.

Chicago striker Patrick Nyarko missed a couple late chances as Red Bull was able to hang on and open its new soccer-specific stadium with a victory.