E. RUTHERFORD, N.J. - It's been a long time since Amado Guevara wore the captain's armband for the MLS team that calls Giants Stadium home.
But on Friday afternoon, the Honduran international looked a lot more like the center midfielder who was the MLS MVP in 2004 than the guy who was a healthy scratch earlier in the year after a rift with then coach Mo Johnston.
But Johnston is gone and Guevara is back, that is if his spectacular performance in a 1-0 victory over the Colorado Rapids that snapped a three-game losing streak and a five-game winless streak is any indication.
Guevara was again the dominant force in the center of the park. He commanded the ball, got his teammates involved and was the engine of the attack. He even scored on a penalty kick, just like old times, and he probably should have had a first half hat trick with the bevy of chances he created for himself.
"I feel really good for the captain's armband but more than anything for the victory," Guevara said through a translator. "I'm happier for that."
The Guevara that was on the field, a newly-installed FieldTurf surface, isn't the same one who walked off in disgust against Chicago May 13 when he was subbed off by Johnston. There was a feeling that Guevara would never play for the Red Bulls again, as his desire was being questioned.
But when Richie Williams took over as interim coach, he sat down with Guevara, whom he played with and against. Alexi Lalas, who he feuded with in the off-season is gone, as is Johnson. And with Youri Djorkaeff in France for an undetermined amount of time, Guevara has the playmaking responsibility squarely on his shoulders.
"He does seem more comfortable, a little happier ... I just thought he needed to raise his level of play, he needed to perform better, he needed to lead the team this afternoon," Williams said. "We made him the captain, he played well, he went out there and did the job he needed to do."
Said Guevara: "It's not only he makes me feel more comfortable, but also gives me more responsibility."
On the half-hour mark, Guevara stripped Pablo Mastroeni near midfield and was freed towards goal. But his shot sailed well over the bar.
Four minutes later, Guevara set up the Red Bulls opening goal on a quick start of a free kick. After the Red Bulls lost possession in the box, Mike Magee regained and Chris Henderson took the ball away from Eric Denton, who then pulled down Henderson. Referee Jair Marrufo pointed to the spot and carded both Denton and Dan Gargan.
"The guy grabbed my shirt and I think if I took one more step I could have gotten off a shot on Joe (Cannon)," Henderson said. "But as soon as I went down, I made sure I fell on the ball to make him make a decision."
Guevara beat Cannon, who guessed the wrong way, to his left in the Red Bulls first penalty kick attempt of the season.
Two minutes before the break, Guevara again had a chance, this time after he took the ball away from Mike Petke. But his attempt again went over the bar.
"I think our team goes around him," Henderson said of Guevara. "When he's on, we play off him and we have to give him the ball and I think if we continue this way we're going to have some more success."
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
