E. RUTHERFORD, N.J. - With starters Claudio Reyna, Ronald Waterreus and Hunter Freeman out with injuries and forward Jozy Altidore at his high school prom in Florida, the New York Red Bulls needed someone off the bench to provide a spark.
They found that spark in veteran John Wolyniec. The Staten Island, N.Y., native scored the opening goal to set the stage as the Red Bulls romped to a 4-0 victory Saturday night against the Columbus Crew at Giants Stadium.
The Red Bulls struck for three goals in a game for the third time this season and snapped a three-game winless streak in all competitions. Columbus, which allowed more than two goals for the first time this season, extended its winless streak to three games.
Jon Conway, making his second start of the season, made five saves to earn the clean sheet. It is the Red Bulls' league-leading fifth shutout of the season.
The Red Bulls were without four starters, as Reyna (right groin strain), Waterreus (left ankle sprain) and Freeman (left ankle sprain) all missed their second games.
And Altidore, who played for the U.S. under-20 national team in a friendly Tuesday against Argentina, was excused from the team to attend his high school prom at Edison Academic Center in Bradenton.
So Red Bulls manager Bruce Arena was forced to juggle his lineup, moving Dema Kovalenko from the midfield to right back, Mathis deeper in the midfield and he gave Wolyniec his first start of the season, playing alongside Juan Pablo Angel up front.
Kovalenko was solid, and Wolyniec and Angel each had a goal along with Mathis. New York improved to 22-0-5 all-time when Mathis finds the back of the net.
An impressive run down the right side by Dane Richards set up Wolyniec's opening goal in the 17th minute. After a give-and-go with Angel, Richards beat defender Rusty Pierce and sent a quality low cross to the far post where Wolyniec swept in and knocked the ball last Columbus goalkeeper Andy Gruenbaum for his first goal of the year. He moved into fourth all-time on the New York scoring list with his 29th career goal.
Richards nearly scored his second MLS goal earlier, but his low shot from the top of the 18-yard box was saved by Gruenbaum in the eighth minute. Five minutes later, Stefani Miglioranzi nearly scored an own goal, but Gruenebaum was relieved to see his attempted clearance from the top of the penalty area bounce off the crossbar after he shanked it.
Columbus' best chance of the first half came in the 41st minute when Conway dived to his left to stop Ned Grabavoy's low shot from the top of the 18-yard box.
Angel and Wolyniec were involved in the Red Bulls' second goal as Angel headed Todd Dunivant's throw-in at the near post, Wolyniec flicked it high up into the air and Mathis was first to it and headed it into an empty goal in the 51st minute. It was Mathis' fourth goal of the year and 43rd all-time with New York, putting him one behind Giovanni Savarese on the all-time list.
Ten minutes later, Angel scored his first MLS goal and he has Columbus defender Marcos Gonzalez to thank for that. His flat pass attempted for Ezra Hendrickson was picked off by Angel, who easily slotted the ball past Gruenbaum to give the Red Bulls a 3-0 lead.
The Crew nearly got on the scoreboard in the 67th minute, but Guillermo Barros Schelotto put his free kick from 26 yards out off the crossbar. Moments later he was replaced by Kei Kamara, Sigi Schmid's third and final change of the second half.
Four minutes after making his MLS debut, Sal Caccavale scored his first career goal, scoring on Sinisa Ubiparipovic's endline cross in the second minute of stoppage time.
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
