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Haitian-American Jozy Altidore, the teenager in the New York Red Bulls' lineup

The Associated Press

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21, 2006

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey Sixteen years old in America's Major League Soccer isn't that uncommon anymore.

Being that young and depended upon for goals is.

Jozy Altidore won't turn 17 for another two weeks, yet goes into his first MLS playoff game on Saturday agaomst D.C. United having scored three crucial goals in the final seven games for the New York Red Bulls to put them in the hunt for MLS Cup.

"I guess I know how to be in the right place at the right time," Altidore said after a Red Bulls practice. "If that's what it takes, that's fine."

The son of Haitian immigrants born not far from the Red Bulls' home field of Giants Stadium, Altidore broke into the starting lineup with three games remaining in the season and has stayed there.

"Obviously, we had a kid who took advantage of a couple of opportunities and showed some promise," said manager Bruce Arena, who took over as coach in early August. "I felt, all things being equal, I wanted to go with a younger player and get an opportunity to develop him.

"That was one of the luxuries of coming to this team at that time," he added. "The expectations weren't that great. Not only could we deal with the short term of making the playoffs, but also look at the long term and get a player of that promise on the field."

Before Arena took over, Altidore had spent the season as a practice player under Mo Johnston and then interim coach Richie Williams.

A member of the U-17 national team, he was learning what it meant to be a professional while continuing his online high school education.

"I guess overnight Bruce got the idea of trying to give me a chance," said Altidore, who has lived in a hotel near Giants Stadium with his mother this season.

Like most teenagers, Altidore is having fun on the field. While his teammates were worried about making the playoffs, he seemed oblivious to the consequences of every game.

"To me, I felt no pressure at all," Altidore said. "I feel the pressure is not on, by relaxing. You relax, you play. The pressure is invisible and that's how I feel."

Altidore will be oposing MLS's most celebrated youngster, Freddy Adu, a 17-year-old, grizzled three-year veteran of the league.

Adu started 29 of 32 games this season and had two goals and eight assists.

Altidore has used his speed and strength to pass that goal total already.

"We know where he has to go," Arena said of Altidore. "He has some work ahead of him, but certainly it has been worth the experiment of giving him a chance to play."

While the Red Bulls failed to post a win in four regular-season games against the United, Altidore feels the team is peaking with two wins and a tie in its last three outings.

"When I look at this team, I say we're in the playoffs because we worked our butts off," Altidore said. "It's anybody's game. We really want it as bad. Some people think we don't, but we really want it that badly. We can go as far as we want."