ROAD WARRIORS Red Bulls win away from home for first time
Chris Henderson scored what proved to be the game-winner for the Red Bulls five minutes into the second half. Photo by Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images
One day after Bruce Arena was named the new head coach of the New York Red Bulls, his team went out on the field and did something they haven’t done all year: win on the road.
On goals by veteran Chris Henderson and rookie Jerrod Laventure, the Red Bulls defeated the Columbus Crew, 2-0 at Crew Stadium Wednesday night. It was the team’s second straight win -- another first of the year -- and Jon Conway, starting in place of an injured Tony Meola, picked up his second consecutive clean sheet. It is the first back-to-back regular season shutouts for the organization since May 2003.
A week ago the Red Bulls were perhaps at their lowest point of the year, coming off an 0-3 road trip and were winless in five straight games, sitting alone in the Eastern Conference cellar. Now they head to Giants Stadium Saturday riding their first two-game winning streak and remarkably are in a three-way tie for third place, just four points behind second place New England.
After a scoreless first half, Henderson put the Red Bulls (4-6-8) ahead five minutes after the break off a Columbus turnover. In his first game back in Columbus since being traded for Eddie Gaven and the rights for Chris Leitch before the start of the season,
Edson Buddle picked off an errant pass, turned and ran at the Crew defense. He found Henderson with a diagonal ball and Henderson, another former Crew player, received the ball after an overlapping run and beat goalkeeper Noah Palmer from an acute angle for his second goal of the season.
Henderson’s goal came after a first half that saw Columbus outshoot the Red Bulls, 7-2. Their best scoring chance came from former MetroStars midfielder Eddie Gaven, who was played into the box by Marc Burch. Gaven’s first shot was saved by Conway, one of four for the Rutgers product, and his rebound sailed harmlessly over the crossbar.
Rookie Marvell Wynne was especially dangerous in the first half, using his blazing speed down the flank to wreck havoc. On one darting run, Wynne crossed the ball in front to Buddle, who got a touch before Palmer came off his line to make the save.
Columbus (4-9-6), which extended their winless streak to nine games, pressed for the equalizer and had a few chances in the final 40 minutes. But a free kick by Eric Vasquez in the 53rd minute was punched away by Conway, another driven Vasquez free kick was sent towards the far post at the hour mark but nobody was home.
Two minutes from full time, second half substitute Kei Kamara had his shot saved by Conway from 20 yards out and a corner kick by Sebastian Rozental a minute later sailed wide.
Laventure, who replaced Buddle in the 85th minute, put the game away with a 90th minute insurance goal -- his first in MLS. Jean Philippe Peguero flicked on a long Conway punt to Laventure and the former Seton Hall standout took the ball on one bounce and lifted a sublime chip from 28 yards over Palmer and into the side netting.
The suddenly hot Red Bulls will host the Kansas City Wizards Saturday night. The Wizards, who on Wednesday fired longtime head coach Bob Gansler, have lost six straight games.
