Sports

Red Bulls fall to Sporting KC — again

Thierry Henry admitted Sporting KC has had the Red Bulls’ number, and that did not change Wednesday night.

The Red Bulls kicked off their homestand in the worst way possible: Losing a game 1-0, and losing their best defender and leading scorer in the process.

Centerback Jamison Olave had a tough night, beaten by Aurelien Collin for an early 13th-minute goal, and then limping off with a left knee injury 20 minutes later. It typified a wretched night for the home side in front of 12,338 disappointed fans at Red Bull Arena, who have had little to cheer about in person.

The Red Bulls (2-4-2, eight points) had suffered through playing five of their first eight games on the road, but were banking on making up ground with six of their next nine at home, starting last night. Juninho, getting an ill-advised red card for kicking the ball at Sporting KC keeper Jimmy Nielsen during a dead ball in extra time, was the lowlight.

The Red Bulls ran their winless skid against Sporting KC to five games, since a 1-0 victory on April 30, 2011. They haven’t actually scored against Sporting KC in that span, discounting Kei Kamara’s own goal last season. Sporting KC ran its MLS-high shutout streak to 519 minutes with yet another clean sheet.

It was a feisty, physical game that could leave the Red Bulls taxed for Saturday’s match against New England. When Collin shouldered off Olave to head home Graham Zusi’s corner kick off diving keeper Luis Robles’ outstretched fingers, that was all Sporting KC (4-1-2, 14 points) needed.

The injury-prone Olave, who leads the Red Bulls with three goals this season, gave way to Heath Pearce in the 33rd minute. His status is unclear, but he has been a force offensively and defensively, one they can ill afford to lose for any length of time.

brian.lewis@nypost.com