HARRISON, N.J. —Thierry Henry scored his first two goals of the Major League Soccer season in leading New York to a 4-1 victory over the Rapids in the Red Bulls’ home opener Sunday.
“The way we went out there was great,” Henry said. “We scored early and put a lot of pressure on them. We did what we needed to do in getting the first goal.”
The 34-year-old, who had three goals in seven games during a winter loan to Arsenal, scored in the third and 54th minutes. He assisted on a sixth-minute goal by Kenny Cooper, who also got a goal in the 89th off a pass from Roy Miller.
Henry has five goals in four MLS games against Colorado.
Omar Cummings scored the Rapids’ goal in the 77th, preventing rookie Ryan Meara from getting his first shutout.
Colorado (2-1) began the season with wins over Columbus and Philadelphia.
“The back line was uneven and not on the same page,” said Rapids defender Marvell Wynne Jr., a former Red Bulls player. “They made the most of their opportunities. We knew that they were going to come out hard, because it was their home opener and they came off two losses. We let them get off early and that was pretty much it.”
Henry scored his first goal when he ran onto a back pass from Ross LaBauex intended for goalkeeper Matt Pickens. Henry got the ball about 30 yards from the goal and scored on a left-footed shot that trickled past the keeper.
Three minutes later, Henry lofted the ball from midfield toward Cooper, who settled and scored with a right-footed shot.
Meara saved a goal with a diving punch in the 32nd minute and made another punching save in the 39th.
Henry made it 3-0 in the 54th when he controlled a long pass from defender Wilman Conde with a touch, and slid the ball past Pickens.
Cummings scored his first goal of the season from 30 yards after Rafa Marquez lost possession in his first match since a three-game suspension for throwing a ball at Landon Donovan in last year’s playoff against the Galaxy.Colorado01 —1New York22 —4
First half — 1, New York, Henry 1, 3rd minute. 2, New York, Cooper 2 (Henry), 6th.
Second half — 3, New York, Henry 2 (Conde), 54th. 4, Colorado, Cummings 1, 77th. 5, New York, Cooper 3 (Miller), 89th.
Goalies — Colorado, Matt Pickens; New York, Ryan Meara.
Yellow cards — Solli, New York, 32nd; Marquez, New York, 61st.
Referee — Jorge Gonzalez. Assistant referees — Greg Barkey. Chris Strickland. 4th official — Andrew Chapin. A — 21,024 (25,189).
