The Red Bulls saw their team-record, five-game winning streak snapped in a 1-1 tie last night with Chivas USA, and it felt more like a loss. Feeling frustrated, their stars, Thierry Henry and Rafa Marquez, boycotted the media yet again.
The draw at home in front of 13,919 left the Red Bulls (8-3-2, 26 points) two points clear of D.C. United in the East. They were held to a draw despite outshooting Chivas 18-7 behind Henry, who returned last night after missing essentially all of the winning streak following an April 28 hamstring injury.
It took Kenny Cooper’s 56th-minute equalizer to cancel out Juan Pablo Angel’s score and salvage a point — albeit with two dropped, a failure that led to a heated locker room.
“The locker room, we’re not happy with that result at all,’’ said midfielder Dax McCarty. “Obviously we’re frustrated to come out of here with two dropped points. We had chances. . . . Maybe [it was] a rust, with some of the guys coming back, not being on the same page. But we should’ve definitely finished the game out and gotten three points.’’
Angel’s 62 goals in all competitions are a club record. When the Red Bulls let him go after the 2010 season he left as one of the most popular players in club history, and he was clearly emotional when the South Ward unfurled a banner that read “Gracias Juan Pablo, Siempre New York.’’
It’s a testament to his popularity that some of the most raucous fans in MLS politely cheered him when he scored in the 47th minute, volleying in Rauwshan McKenzie’s header on a quasi-bicycle kick past a helpless Ryan Meara. But classy as always, he refused to celebrate.
“Out of respect, absolutely,’’ Angel said.
Nine minutes later, Cooper equalized. Brandon Barklage split two defenders with a through ball that Dane Richards sprinted onto. The Jamaican laid a perfect low cross across the goal-mouth that Cooper ran onto and tapped in for his MLS-high tying 11th goal.
“Brandon did a great job played a great ball through to Dane, and he got onto it,’’ said Cooper. “They did all the hard work, fortunately I didn’t mess it up for them.’’
The Red Bulls outshot Chivas USA 10-1 after Angel’s score, but couldn’t find the winner. They don’t play another MLS game until June 17 in Chicago, but play a US Open Cup game Tuesday in Charleston, S.C.