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Red Bulls win third straight, beat Dynamo

Aug 25, 2008 - 3:33 AM EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey (Ticker) -- Mike Magee is starting to live up to expectations.

Magee scored once and set up another goal as the New York Red Bulls extended their winning streak to three games Sunday with a 3-0 victory over the Houston Dynamo.

"We are extremely pleased and proud of the effort of (our) team against a very good team," Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio said.

Hampered by injuries and illness since being selected fourth overall in the 2003 draft, Magee recently has started to find his form.

"The last couple of games, we've been scoring early and keeping our foot on the gas, keeping the pressure on them," Magee said.

The striker made an early impact on a sun-drenched afternoon at Giants Stadium, sending a cross into the box to Juan Pablo Angel, who headed a shot past goalkeeper Pat Onstad in the eighth minute. It was Angel's eighth goal.

Magee found the back of the net for a third straight game in the 60th minute, gathering the ball with his left foot in the box and ripping a shot into the upper corner for his fourth goal, giving the Red Bulls a 3-0 advantage.

Last season, Magee played fewer than 150 minutes and failed to score.

Sparked by the recent play of Magee, the surging Red Bulls (7-7-7) evened their record and improved to 3-0-2 in their last five matches.

"Defensively, we look like a team now," Osorio said. "We look like a very well-balanced team. We can attack, we have some threat on the flanks. We can defend properly against tough teams, and now offensively, we can score goals.

"Hopefully, we will continue to grow as a team and the spirit of the last three games will continue for the rest of the season."

The Red Bulls continued their winning ways despite playing without starters Jeff Parke (sprained ankle), Gabriel Cichero (suspension) and Jorge Rojas (visa issues).

"That was the most pleasing thing," Osorio said. "Three very important players were missing and the guys made the most of it. That's what this whole game is about."

Dane Richards provided a highlight in the 26th minute with his first goal of the season. The Jamaican forward dribbled down the right side and chipped a shot past Onstad.

The Red Bulls also displayed a suffocating defense, which frustrated the Dynamo for much of the match. Jon Conway finished with four saves.

Playing uninspired and without passion at times, the Dynamo (8-5-8) had a four-game winning streak stopped and a seven-game unbeaten run halted. Houston still is in first place in the Western Conference with 32 points.

"I'm trying to block it out already," Onstad said. "It was one of those (games) that, for us, is pretty rare. It happens maybe once or twice a season, if that. We were poor, from myself all the way up to the front. Nobody really had a good game."