Sports

Red Bulls clinch playoffs

The Red Bulls backed in to the MLS playoffs last night, and with one game remaining they tied — with an asterisk — their franchise record for most points in a season.

Lately they have not impressed many, including themselves, so they took encouragement from last night’s 0-0 draw with Eastern Conference champ Sporting Kansas City in their home finale.

The Red Bulls have won just twice (2-2-4) in their past eight and once in their last four (1-2-1) at home, but those issues were subordinated by their berth clinching, assured when Columbus lost to DC United.

“We’re in — that’s it,” Thierry Henry said.

“We wanted to get in, and we’re in,” Tim Cahill said. “Points? I didn’t know that.”

They reached 54 points in their 33rd game last night. The MetroStars reached that figure in a 32-game season in 2000, clearly a superior record. But the Red Bulls can pass that figure Saturday in Philly.

The Red Bulls outplayed Kansas City in the draw, but were unable to snap Sporting’s unbeaten streak, now 11 games (6-0-5) with just five goals against.

“It was one of the few games I can say I’m pleased with,” coach Hans Backe said. “It should have been three, four-nil. We set the level we can [reach] for the playoffs.”

Red Bulls keeper Luis Robles had just one second-half save, and Backe said he virtually had the night off. The locals had their best chance to score in the 23rd minute, when Kenny Cooper popped an open rebound wide from the right edge.

* The Red Bulls wore black armbands to mourn youth program coach Michael Jones, murdered in New York on Oct. 7.