First clean sheet NY Red Bulls, but Henry injured
Thierry Henry scored the winner, but had to leave the field with a hamstring injury
HARRISON, N.J. – It took a patchwork backline to do it, but the New York Red Bulls finally got their first clean sheet of the season with a 1-0 victory over the New England Revolution at Red Bull Arena on Saturday.
Thierry Henry scored his league-leading ninth goal of the campaign before leaving with a hamstring injury, but the strike proved to be all the Red Bulls needed.
New York came out flying offensively, capped by Henry’s delicate lob over Matt Reis off a ball played over the top by right back Connor Lade in the seventh minute. The Homegrown defender was one of three young reserve players on an injury-decimated Red Bulls backline.
The Revolution eventually settled into the game and had a pair of close-range chances to equalize against the Red Bulls’ makeshift back four, but forward Saer Sene was repeatedly denied by rookie goalkeeper Ryan Meara.
Henry was forced out of the game in the 23rd minute after slipping while trying to make a run on goal. The French star immediately clutched the back of his right leg and had to be helped off the field. The Red Bulls later said he suffered a hamstring strain
| Henry could be out for weeks
Former French international Thierry Henry suffered a strained hamstring Saturday after scoring the winner in a 1-0 Major League Soccer victory by his New York Red Bulls over the New England Revolution. The 34-year-old playmaker, who had scored his league-leading ninth goal of the season in the seventh minute, is expected to see the team doctor on Monday, with an announcement on his prognosis on Tuesday. “They said it’s about a month, this kind of hamstring,” Red Bulls coach Hans Backe said. “But it sounds it a little bit too long,” Regardless of how long the 34-year-old Henry is sidelined, the Red Bulls will miss their team captain and best player. “His injury of course is a disaster for us,” Backe said. “With his leadership, every training session, the way he puts pressure on his teammates to perform at every training session. It’s a huge loss for us for us, both on and off the pitch.” Henry is off to his best start since joining the Red Bulls after a free transfer from Barcelona in 2010. He became the first player in MLS history to be named player of the week three straight weeks and was player of the month in March. |
Revolution head coach Jay Heaps tried to breath life into his attack by inserting Benny Feilhaber into the lineup after halftime, and the US international’s influence made New England the more dangerous side in the second half against a New York team content with defending and aiming to hit back on the counter.
The World Cup veteran almost helped pulled the visitors level in the 58th minute with a through ball that Sene brought down with his chest. The big Frenchman raced in on goal before being tackled in the box by Brandon Barklage and, despite shouts for a penalty kick, the referee allowed play to continue.
Feilhaber had two chances of his own to equalize in the 77th and 88th minutes, but both times, Meara was there to make the save. The rookie ‘keeper was test one more time in stoppage time by Lee Nguyen’s low, curling effort, but the Fordham University product stayed strong.
With the win, the Red Bulls improve to 4-3-1 and snap a two-game winless spell. They next travel to the LA Galaxy on May 5.
The Revolution, meanwhile, fall to 2-5-0 after losing their third in a row and failing to score for the fourth time this season. They face a quick turnaround before entertaining Colorado on May 2 and then heading to Real Salt Lake three days later.
Source: MLS Soccer
