all in the last five games, tying a club record with goals in five consecutive games.
Red Bulls head coach Mo Johnston made no changes to the team that defeated Chivas USA 5-4 the previous Saturday at Giants Stadium.
Here's Johnston's team (3-4-1-2): Tony Meola - Jeff Parke, Carlos Mendes (Taylor Graham 65), Steve Jolley - Seth Stammler, Danny O'Rourke, Mark Lisi (Mike Magee 79), Chris Henderson - Youri Djorkaeff - Jean Philippe Peguero, Edson Buddle. [Substitutes Not Used: Peter Canero, Jordan Cila, Jon Conway, Joe Vide, Marvell Wynne]
"We have to close them down, we can't sit back and defend," Johnston said. "No team, I think, in this league can sit back and defend for 45 minutes. You always give up chances."TEAM NEWS
The Red Bulls were most bothered at how they thought the one goal would be enough to claim victory. "We let them back into it," defender Jeff Parke said. "We should've closed it out. We just sat back, didn't put any pressure on them, let them play the way they wanted to. We paid the price: They scored two goals and made us look stupid."
Said Youri Djorkaeff: "Defensively we are not good enough to say, 'OK, 1-0 we can keep the lead. I think we defend too much, and after we are in not good position. Today we're not strong enough to keep a result 1-0."
Then again, there were some real issues in the back three. Parke was suffering from the 'flu, while Taylor Graham was rushed into the game in his first match back after hernia surgery, after a bruised foot forced Carlos Mendes off in the 65th minute, an injury suffered the Saturday before.
"That's my responsibility to stop him," said Graham. "We were in a great situation to close this game out. My role was to come in and do that and I didn't. I'll take responsibility."
Tony Meola did return for his first start since April 29 after suffering a calf strain, but Peter Canero has been receiving injections for an injured knee.
"We obviously need players, especially with three or four of your first team players banged up," Johnston said. "We need players."
Last Saturday, the Red Bulls defeated Bayern München of Germany 4-2 at Giants Stadium. Claudio Pizarro gave Bayern a ninth-minute lead, but Jean Philippe Peguero scored the first of his two goals to pull the Red Bulls level in the 52nd minute. A powerful free kick from Pizarro moved the Bundesliga champion back into the lead five minutes later, but Amado Guevara - in his return to the Red Bulls lineup - set up Edson Buddle on a quick restart for a 64th-minute equalizer.
Guevara converted from the spot in the 73rd minute to give the Red Bulls the lead, then Peguero scored the clincher 10 minutes from full time.
"You've seen Amado Guevera play for his team today, you've seen Amado Guevera go and link up with play, he was instrumental in Edson Buddle's goal, he stepped up and scored the PK," Johnston said. "For me, that's the Amado Guevara we know."
While the victory was a positive in the Red Bulls that has had few to celebrate this year, there were still concerns. "I'm more concerned about my defense," Johnston said. "Again we gave up two goals, we scored four good goals. It was a little bit disappointing on the free kick we gave away but it was a wonderful strike from Pizarro."
