HARRISON, N.J. – A match that on paper looked like a potentially even matchup between teams battling for playoff position instead became a one-sided affair Saturday, as New York inched closer to a return to the postseason with a 3-1 win over Colorado at Red Bull Arena.
Theirry Henry scored his second career MLS goal, Tim Ream scored his first and Dane Richards added an insurance tally for the Red Bulls (12-8-4), who look primed for a playoff charge after missing the postseason last season.
Omar Cummings scored the lone goal for the Rapids (9-7-7), who despite losing for the first time in three matches are still firmly in the postseason picture as they head home to face New England next week.
Henry’s goal came in the 17th minute, after the hosts set the tone in the opening minutes and threatened to score twice in the early going. Taking a bouncing ball on the left side of the Colorado box, Henry had to jump to delicately touch an effort with the outside of his foot to a trailing Joel Lindpere, who eventually back-heeled a ball to Henry that sent him in alone on Colorado goalkeeper Matt Pickens.
Henry coolly placed the shot to the far post for the goal, his second in the last three games for the Red Bulls.
New York didn’t let up after Henry’s goal, and the rookie Ream was the beneficiary of the team’s relentlessness in the 32nd minute. Off a set piece on the left wing, midfielder Rafa Márquez placed an effort that went untouched across Colorado’s goal mouth. Rookie midfielder Tony Tchani one timed the free kick back towards the center of the area, catching Pickens ever so slightly flat-footed as he tried to adjust to the ball played back across his goal.
And there was Ream, who pounded home an open volley to emphatically christen his MLS scoring account.
Despite the 2-0 deficit at the break, the Rapids reemerged in the second half with a renewed energy. Midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy skipped a shot off the post in the 47th minute before Cummings closed New York’s lead to 2-1 in the 52nd. The Jamaican international scored his fourth goal in three games on perhaps the strike of the game, a 35-yard laser that bounced off the post and in for his ninth goal of the season.
The Red Bulls, however, answered with their own Jamaican star, the speedy and opportunistic Richards.
After Roy Miller worked himself free down the left flank following some deft touches, the New York left back hit a square ball to Henry at the top of the box. Henry tried to splice a pass to Juan Pablo Angel, but it was intercepted by Colorado, who failed to clear the threat.
Ángel laid the ball off to Richards, who broke in on Pickens and finished for his second goal of the season.
The only bad news for New York was an apparent injury to Márquez, who was stretchered off to the opposite side of the field in the 74th minute after sustaining a left ankle injury. Márquez, however, walked around the field to the bench under his own power.
Scoring Summary:
NY -- Thierry Henry 2 (Joel Lindpere 5) 17
NY -- Tim Ream 1 (Tony Tchani 2, Rafael Marquez 1) 32
COL -- Omar Cummings 9 (unassisted) 52
NY -- Dane Richards 2 (Juan Pablo Angel 3) 58
Misconduct Summary:
COL -- Anthony Wallace (caution; Reckless Foul) 10
COL -- Jamie Smith (caution; Reckless Foul) 27
NY -- Chris Albright (caution; Reckless Foul) 30
COL -- Wells Thompson (caution; Dissent) 70
Colorado Rapids -- Matt Pickens, Kosuke Kimura, Julien Baudet (Scott Palguta 74), Drew Moor, Anthony Wallace, Mehdi Ballouchy, Pablo Mastroeni (Claudio Lopez 72), Jeff Larentowicz, Jamie Smith (Wells Thompson 67), Omar Cummings, Conor Casey.
Substitutes Not Used: Quincy Amarikwa, Danny Earls, Ross LaBauex, Chris Sharpe.
New York Red Bulls -- Bouna Coundoul, Chris Albright, Carlos Mendes, Tim Ream, Roy Miller, Dane Richards, Rafael Marquez (Seth Stammler 72), Tony Tchani, Joel Lindpere, Thierry Henry, Juan Pablo Angel (Macoumba Kandji 89).
Substitutes Not Used: Danleigh Borman, Salou Ibrahim, Mike Petke, Sinisa Ubiparipovic, Greg Sutton.
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Referee's Assistants: C.J. Morgante; Craig Lowry
4th Official: Mark Geiger
Time of Game: 1:52
Weather: Sunny-and-80-degrees
Attendance: 19,014
