FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Last Sunday was disappointing for the Red Bulls, and this season has been disastrous forꦏ Tim Cahill. But on Saturday, they have chance to rebound and their high-priced, low-production star h♒as a shot at redemption.
The Red Bulls lost 2-1 to New England in the home leg of the Eastern Conference final, and lost record goal scorer Bradley Wright-Phillips to suspension in the process. When ꧋they play Saturday’s road leg at Gillette Stadium, Cah♛ill is the logical replacement, afforded a golden opportunity to step off the bench and into the role of lone striker.
Will he play the role of hero as well?
“People know what they’re going to get from me. If I don’t score, someone around me will, because I’m going to create as much havoc as♍ possible.
More importantly, we know the game plan. We have to win by two,’’ said Cahill, whose lack of positional discipline saw him benched in central midfiel🌃d for Eric Alexander.
“If you tell me we don’t believe tomorrow, I wouldn’t agree. This team is very relaxed and looking [to win]. It’s put us in a different situation, with nothing to lose. … A few 𒉰of us have played on big enough sta✃ges to know how to play tomorrow.’’
Cahill’s Red Bulls outplayed New England at home, but coughed up a late counterattack goal on which he was out of position and partly culpable. Now to advance they have to win by two goals (or by a single goal but
scoring at least three times.)
The Red Bulls already won 2-0 at Gillette earlier in t🌄he season. but both teams were different then, before the Red Bulls’ switch to a 4-2-3-1 and the Revolutions’ acquisition of Jermaine Jones and recent 12-1-1 hot stre🐼ak. This time, said Thierry Henry — who could be playing his last game if the Red Bulls are eliminated — the task is simple if not easy.
“We have to win 2-nil. That’s all,’’ the 37-year-old said. “We know what we have to do. That’s the situation we’re in right now. We put ourselves in that situation. … That’s just th𝔉e way it is. It’s going to be very difficult, but it’s time for whoever is going to come and step up.
“Obviously Bradley’s been more than amazing for us the whole season. Hopefully we can do it for him and [have him] available for the final. … We have to take it away from New England.’’
To do that they may need Cahill at his best, an aerial target for crosses. He was MLS Best XI last year with 11 goals and ranked 13th overal🦂l in the league’s Castrol Index. But this year he has struggled with just two goals and is ranked 229th despite a $3.5 mill⭕ion salary.
“When Tim’s around, you know what he brings. He’s a committed pla🦩yer, he puts his head where I wouldn’t even put my foot in. Hopefully he’s going to do that tomorrow. His presence in and around the box can make anybody scared in any league in the world,’’ Henry said. “If he can be the hero tomorrow, so be it.’’