The Red Bulls have lost three straight games, including a U.S. Open Cup tilt, and now defenders Heath Pearce and Roy Miller as well. But they’ll get midfielder Tim Cahill is back in the lineup, possibly even at forward, as they try to break their skid tomorrow against the visiting Houston Dynamo (2 p.m., ESPN2).
Miller is away on international duty with Costa Rica in the CONCACAF Gold Cup, while Pearce is a far greater concern, out 6-to-8 months with a torn labrum. Now they’ll have to turn to Connor Lade, Brandon Barklage, Kosuke Kimura or even midfielder Jonny Steele at left back as they try to snap their malaise.
“Yeah, we’re trying to find a way to go back into a rhythm of winning games,’’ said captain Thierry Henry. “You know playing against Houston is not an easy task; they are a very difficult team to beat. We know exactly what we are going to have to face. It’s one of those games…we got actually hammered at their place. We could’ve lost five or six nil that day.’’
They lost 3-0 in their last outing, Sunday at Philadelphia. Cahill missed that game, still in Australia after suffering a groin injury and having his mother need emergency surgery. But now he’s back, and could well start up front alongside Henry with both strikers Peguy Luyindula and Fabian Espindola struggling.
“I’m buzzing. (I) booked a ticket to Brazil with the Australian team and now back with my domestic league. I feel great, it’s been a long month away and sometimes it’s hard to leave your team and the results haven’t gone our way,’’ said Cahill.
“I know a lot about Houston. They’re probably one of my favorite teams in the league as in for what they do and for what they’ve achieved the last three years plus. They’ve got a good work ethic and they’ve got a lot of great players…They are probably one of the most difficult teams in this league.’’
A reserve game will follow the first-team one, with the Red Bulls getting a look at two of their three trialists. Former Charlton attacker Bradley Wright-Phillips and ex-Red Bull Salzburg defender Ibrahim Sekagya will play, but Bundesliga veteran Sebastian Stachnik – whose conditioning lagged behind the other pair and picked up an injury – hasn’t practiced all week and won’t suit up.
