• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Red Bulls lose, MLS winless streak at 14

Aug 16, 2009 - 3:29 AM By JIM HAGUE STATS MLS Correspondent

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (STATS) - Zach Thornton has no ill feelings toward the New York Red Bulls, even though the franchise cast him aside twice during his stellar Major League Soccer career.

"They gave me my shot in this league and then later gave me another chance," said Thornton, who was a member of the old MetroStars from 1996-97 and had another brief stint with the franchise as the Red Bulls last year. "I have a lot of respect and love for that club. I have nothing but good things to say about them."

However, Thornton got the last laugh on his former employers Saturday night in a 2-0 win over the reeling Red Bulls.

Thornton turned aside four shots to earn the 66th shutout of his MLS career, good for a tie with Joe Cannon for second all-time behind Kevin Hartman, and his eighth of the season.

"I really don't pay attention to statistics," said Thornton, whose 0.80 goals-against average leads the MLS. "I don't even know where I stand when it comes to things like that."

Maykel Galindo scored off a brilliant feed from Chukwudi Chijindu in the 15th minute and Eduardo Lillingston added a goal late in added time in the win over the floundering Red Bulls.

Chivas USA (9-7-3) snapped a five-match losing streak and moved into a tie with Colorado for third place in the Western Conference.

The beleaguered Red Bulls, an MLS-worst 2-16-4 overall, have lost six straight and are winless in 14 consecutive MLS games - and 16 overall matches - dating back to May 8, when they defeated San Jose.

The loss also clinches the Red Bulls' worst season since 1999, when, as the then-MetroStars, they posted a 7-25 record.

"I cannot try to explain myself anymore," said a disgruntled Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio. "It's definitely not because of a lack of hard work or trying. I feel bad that we can't get a positive result. It's just been one bad thing after another."

Chivas USA got on the scoreboard when Chijindu made a fine run up the right flank and served a 30-yard crossing pass to the left foot of Galindo, who beat Red Bulls goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul to the left side of the goal. It was Galindo's third goal of the season.

"It was really important for us to score early, because we haven't been scoring much lately," Thornton said of his team's inability to score. Chivas USA entered the contest having scored just two goals in their last six contests. "Getting the goal took the monkey off our backs."

After scoring the early goal, Chivas USA played conservatively the rest of the way, not taking any major chances and focusing on the defensive side.

Lillingston, Chivas USA's leading goal-scorer, capped the scoring with his seventh goal of the season in the 92nd minute when he broke free on Coundoul and easily knocked home a pass from Michael Lahoud.

The Red Bulls had the better of the scoring chances, but came up empty each time. In the 32nd minute, Dane Richards fired wide of the goal. In the 67th minute, John Wolyniec made a steal of Carey Talley's back pass and moved in on Thornton, who came out of the penalty area to make a diving stop.

"He (Wolyniec) was pretty much in, so I came out to put some pressure on him," Thornton said.

In the 77th minute, Thornton made a two-handed diving save of a 30-yard free kick by Nick Zimmerman.

The Red Bulls, who have been ravaged by injury this season, played without leading scorer Juan Pablo Angel, who suffered a concussion two weeks ago in a CONCACAF Champions League game against W Connection of Trinidad and Tobago. They were also without playmaking midfielder Jorge Rojas (calf strain) and forward Macoumba Kandji (hamstring).

The injury situation got worse during the contest, as the Red Bulls lost midfielder Albert Celades early to a right thigh contusion and later lost defender Carlos Johnson with a lower back contusion.