Returning home after three consecutive three goal victories, few expected the New York Red Bulls (3-2-0) to roll over the San Jose Earthquakes (4-1-0) in a similar fashion. New York's inability post a shutout in their first five matches, combined with the ever-present danger of Earthquakes star Chris Wondolowski equalled a tough challenge at Red Bull Arena. With a back-and-forth goal flurry in the first half and a defensive struggle for NY in the second, the teams battled to a 2-2 draw, a result that left neither side happy.

New York did not make any changes to the lineup that featured in the 4-1 win in Columbus. Defensive veteran Wilman Conde was expected to return this week, he re-aggravated his groin injury during practice on Thursday and was ruled out for a month. San Jose was missing notorious striker Steven Lenhart as well as Alan Gordon; Khari Stephenson filled in up top for the visitors.

As has become traditional, NY got on the board early, and it was again the result of Kenny Cooper and Thierry Henry linking up. Five minutes into the match, Thierry threaded a pass to Kenny Cooper, who was just a step ahead of defender Victor Bernardez. With San Jose's defense screaming for an offside call, Cooper found himself in space, and easily put the ball past goalkeeper Jon Busch. His seventh of the season would be countered ten minutes later, as Wondolowski and Stephenson connected some brilliant passes together that ripped apart the RBNY defense, allowing midfielder Rafael Baca to easily put one past Ryan Meara.

New York would pull in front again, with Dane Richards playing a cross that took a slight touch off Kenny Cooper before falling to Dax McCarty. The plucky midfielder one-timed a volley for a beautiful goal, his first since joining the Red Bulls in July of last year. But the lead was again short-lived: an unmarked Chris Wondolowski soon played spoiler with an unmarked diving header to level the game at 2-2.

The first half closed with some dangerous play during a San Jose corner kick. As a corner was being taken, NY's Rafa Marquez grappled with Shea Salinas, bringing him to the ground and in the process kicking him near the face. No foul was called and no card was issued. As play continued and with Salinas on the ground, goalkeeper Ryan Meara clashed hard with Victor Bernardez. Initial reports indicate that Salinas suffered a broken left collarbone, while Bernardez was hit with a sprained ligament in his knee. Given the MLS Disciplinary Committee's constant handing out of suspension and fines to dangerous challenges, it will come as no surprise if Marquez faces a suspension for his rough play.

While New York is no stranger to bouncing back from a 2-2 halftime score, they failed to pick up any energy or inspiration, and were instead bossed around by the Quakes for almost the entire second half. The home side held 55.5% of possession in the first half, but only 42.9% and a single attempt on goal in the second. The draw may have been preserved by the power of RBNY's rookies: Ryan Meara denied Wondolowski more than once, and defender Connor Lade made his debut and brought a high-energy defensive effort to the left wing. San Jose comes away from the game disappointed they could not secure a win, while the Red Bulls will be left trying to answer why they could not string together a decent attack in the second half.

The draw moves RBNY to 3-2-1, still holding onto 2nd place in the Eastern Conference. The team travels down I-95 for yet another chapter in the historic rivalry with DC United (2-2-2) next Sunday.

POST-MATCH REACTIONS

Coach Hans Backe, on the match: "Attacking wise, first half is good. But it's very easy to see our defense must improve. Second half, in a way, nothing happens from either team. It looked quite lost. Not one of our better performances, that's for sure."

Striker Thierry Henry, on whether missing Conde made a difference: "No excuses, no excuses. That's enough now. Conde, whoever wasn't playing - whatever. Every time, we concede goals...you have to give credit to San Jose, cause we didn't touch the ball in the second half. If one team deserved to win, it looked like San Jose was going to nick it at the end. I might be off in what I'm saying, but San Jose gave us a lesson in football today."

Midfielder Dax McCarty: "I think San Jose outplayed us tonight. I think they high-pressed us all over the field, and to be completely blunt, we didn't know what to do with the ball...at the end of the day, I think we're too casual. It's just casual defending, is really what it is...We have that killer instinct going forward, most of the time. Most of the time, when we get in the box, we have that killer instinct, to finish off chances. But in the other box, we don't have that killer instinct. We don't have that will and that fight to want to clear the ball out, we don't want to win our individual battles. So when teams comes in like San Jose, they're big, they play with a target striker with Wondo running off, and we couldn't figure it out tonight."

Goalkeeper Ryan Meara: "I don't think it was our best performance. I think everyone on the team would agree. Just the two goals we gave up, a little sloppy, especially after we go up 1-0...you like to shut them down, at least for a little bit, and enjoy the lead and push for that second one. But we kind of let them back in it twice, and it's just frustrating giving up leads at home."

Defender Stephen Keel, on the performance of the defense: "It's too soft back there. I think we said it before, we're not going to score 4, 5 goals like we have been. We're going to have to win 1-0, 2-0 - that's what championship teams do. That's what we want to be. So we're going to have to start cleaning up back there."

Defender Connor Lade, on his debut: "It feels really great, finally. When you put in a lot of work, to finally step on the field, it's a great experience. There's a lot of things I can take and build on, but I'm just grateful I got a chance to step in there and show what I can do."

Defender Marcus Holgersson, on adopting to the MLS style of play: "It's more difficult, because the players are a little bit better. In the key moment, the players are better. When you drop the concentration, or you are not in the right position, they are there, and they score. So you have to be there all the time."

Next Match: April 22nd 6PM, Away at DC United (TV: ESPN2)