Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By DAN KARELL
For the first time since the Houston Dynamo creation in December 2005, the New York Red Bulls successfully completed a regular season road trip to the Lone Star State.
The poor road form that the Red Bulls have wasn’t on display Sunday afternoon, as they scored three times in the second half to break the match open and defeat the short-handed Dynamo, 4-1, at BBVA Compass Stadium. Red Bulls forward Thierry Henry scored a goal and added an assist, breaking his six game goal duck, the second longest of his MLS career.
Meanwhile the defeat puts the Dynamo’s playoff hopes in trouble, as they continue to sit outside the top five in the Eastern Conference and will need the New England Revolution and Philadelphia Union to drop points in order to get back in the playoff picture. The Dynamo were missing the likes of Brad Davis, Oscar Boniak Garcia, and Jermaine Taylor, who are all on international duty.
Seemingly out of nowhere, Red Bulls midfielder Eric Alexander put the visitors on the scoreboard. In the 14th minute, a one-two passing combination between Johnny Steele and Alexander ended in the Indiana University product scoring on a first-timed curling effort past the out-stretched arm of Dynamo goalkeeper Tally Hall.
The lead wouldn’t last long though, as the Dynamo leveled the match four minutes later. New signing Alex Lopez put rookie Jason Johnson through on goal and after a heavy touch, the Jamaican international finished for his first professional goal.
Both teams had chances to take a lead following the Dynamo equalizer. Red Bulls goalkeeper had to be on his game to deny Dynamo striker Will Bruin in the 28th minute, and two minutes later, Red Bulls forward Bradley Wright-Phillips had a chance on goal that Tally Hall parried away well for a corner kick. Just prior to halftime, Wright-Phillips had a header on goal off a great Kosuke Kimura cross that brought a huge save from Hall to keep the score tied at 1-1.
Whatever Red Bulls head coach Mike Petke said to his team at halftime worked, as the visitors came out with a new-found belief and confidence. Certainly helping the effort was no doubt the go-ahead goal by Thierry Henry two minutes into the second half, taking advantage of a key error by Dynamo midfielder Adam Moffat and easing his way into the box to score.
In the 54th minute, Bruin missed yet another chance in the box, and four minutes later, a delightful Wright-Phillips chip put Red Bulls winger Johnny Steele through on goal, dribbling past Hall before supplying a right-footed finish to put Petke’s squad up, 3-1.
For good measure, following Dynamo head coach Dominic Kinnear’s ejection, the Red Bulls added their fourth, as winger Lloyd Sam combined with substitute Peguy Luyindula to fire past Hall. The goal was Sam’s second in as many matches.
Here is the game highlights:
