Sports

Henry leads Red Bulls over D.C. United

WASHINGTON — Thierry Henry scored in his first start in a month, and defender Jamison Olave added a goal in the Red Bulls’ 2-0 victory over D.C. United last night.

Henry, back at full strength after a knee injury, opened the scoring in the 29th minute, and Olave scored in the 36th to help the Red Bulls (2-3-2) win for the first time in their last five tries at RFK Stadium dating to April 2011. The teams played to scoreless draw March 16.

United dropped to 1-4-1. The Washington club has scored just two goals and been shutout four times. It has lost two straight at home after a 17-game unbeaten run.

On the opening goal, Dax McCarty created space, and found Henry outside the box. The Frenchman faked to his right, cut back left, came back to his right and slotted a perfect ball into the bottom right corner. United goalie Bill Hamid dove to his left but it was too late.

“I took my decision pretty quickly. I tried to execute it and the ball went in,” Henry said about his second goal of the season.

After starting the first three games of the season for the Red Bulls, Henry didn’t play in their 1-0 loss to Montreal. The former Arsenal star came off the bench in a victory over Philadelphia and loss to Chicago, playing a combined total of 60 minutes. Henry did, however score his first goal of the season in that win over the Union.

The Red Bulls had four corner kicks in the first half, using the third to double the lead.

Taking a short corner, Juninho played the ball to Henry. Henry sent the ball right back to Juninho, who whipped in a shot that was redirected first by Brandon Barklage before Olave slotted it past Hamid into the back of the net. It was the defender’s third goal of the season and second in two games.

“More importantly than the goal is the three points,” Olave said through a translator.