Man of the Match: There were load of capable nights from the Red Bulls, who had far more of the ball and more chances. Everyone along the Red Bulls back line looked good. Same for the midfield; even Rafa Marquez looked comfortable after intermission, following a tame first 45. But Dane Richards made the difference with a good run and a sharp, precise pass for the second-half equalizer. And he was generally well-positioned and energetic along the Red Bulls right side, making life tough on Chivas USA veteran left back Ante Jazic.
Packaged for take-away:
- The Red Bulls five-game winning streak is now a six-game unbeaten streak. Still not too bad. Chivas USA, meanwhile, has a remarkable 3-1-2 record on the road.
- Rafa Marquez was back in the Red Bulls lineup, more or less occupying the role Dax McCarty was filling so efficiently during the five-game winning streak. McCarty was still central in the Red Bulls’ 4-4-2, but was designated to push into forward support during Red Bull possession while Marquez usually held the area in front of New York’s back line.
- With Thierry Henry healthy (giving manager Hans Backe two quality forwards for selection), the Red Bulls opted out of the 4-1-4-1 that had worked over the five-game run.
- Henry, back in the Red Bulls starting lineup after missing three games with a hamstring injury, is clearly missing some timing. He was a yard offside several times and hardly well-synched with teammates.
- For all the good stuff we can say about Henry this year — and there is so much to praise — his body language whenever he doesn’t get the ball can really be pouty and lame. And perhaps he was being cautious due to that gimpy hamstring, but the longtime French international sure tended to be static when teammates had the ball in the attacking third.
- Chivas USA didn’t generate a ton of quality chances. But Juan Pablo Angel, with just one goal in five matches before Wednesday and surely desperate for more, did hit the post in the 25th minute.
- And then his strike to give the visitors an early second-half lead? A real “striker’s goal.” That is, only a striker would have the quick-reaction to know just where he was in relation to the goal and steer it, somehow, athletically, instinctively into the net.
- Brandon Barklage, an emergency replacement along the Red Bulls back line, has held back the right back spot more than adequately. He’s not exactly zipping up and down the wing, but that’s OK. Playing within himself, knowing what he can and can’t do, and performing that stuff well, is plenty.
- Barklage’s entry pass into Richards was weighted perfectly, put in the best spot possible. From there, Richards did what he has failed to do so often through the years: make the early, quick and correct decision, a first-time ball over to Kenny Cooper for the 56th minute equalizer.
- Cooper joins San Jose’s Chris Wondolowski in the MLS scoring leadership with 11 goals.
- New York left back Roy Miller, about to join Costa Rica for friendlies and World Cup qualifiers, was a spry presence along the flank for a second consecutive contest.
- The Red Bulls’ Mehdi Ballouchy? Anyone seen that man lately? Witness protection program, perhaps?
- Heath Pearce has been Red Bull for six days, and already has played all 90 minutes of two matches. So much for “get acquainted” time.
- If Backe keeps Pearce in the middle along the back line, then he has a passer at that position every bit as good as Tim Ream was during the last two years at Red Bull Arena.
- Robin Fraser, riverboat gambler? The Chivas USA manager used his third and final sub by the 70th minute. His changes were mostly offensive minded.
- McCarty’s 83rd minute header had Chivas USA goalkeeper Dan Kennedy beaten, but Ante Jazic was well positioned to clear off the goal line.
- Kennedy was otherwise steady as a Big Apple skyscraper, just like all year.
