Jeff Parke has been in this predicament too many times in his professional career. It seems that every October, whether they're the MetroStars or the Red Bulls, the New York-based MLS team spends the final days of the regular season in a mad scramble to make the playoffs.
"I've been here for five years now and we've had every year like this," Parke said. "It's difficult that we keep putting ourselves in these spots, but I like our chances."
The Red Bulls suffered their third consecutive loss -- and second in a row at home after losing just once in their first 11 games at Giants Stadium -- dropping a 3-1 decision to Toronto FC Saturday night.
The comfortable cushion the Red Bulls had a few weeks ago is gone. Now the club is one point in front of FC Dallas and Colorado for one of the two wild card berths. The only thing that went New York's way Saturday was the other results around the league.
"We've got to look within ourselves and we're definitely going to need some points," Mike Magee said. "There's three or four teams all within grasp of getting into the playoffs so we need to look inside ourselves and get a result either here or on the road."
For a third game in a row, the Red Bulls conceded three or more goals and will now play two of their last three games on the road where they've won just once in their first 13 games away.
"We put ourselves in this situation, we put our backs against the wall," Parke said. "We had our chances to separate ourselves from the rest of the division below us. We haven't come to play and that's all of us. It's tough for me to go home and keep thinking about these games we're losing."
After being substituted at halftime against Colorado in a 5-4 loss last weekend, Venezuelan international Gabriel Cichero struggled again against Toronto FC. His attempted header back to Jon Conway after a Danny Dichio flick was picked off by Chad Barrett, who beat him in a foot race and chipped Conway.
"It was a difficult ball since I was the last man and I had the forward in front of me I just saw the goalkeeper was the closest man to get it," Cichero said. "When it bounced, instead of going forward I just stood there. It's a scenario that you have to not do it again because I think we were playing well in the first minutes and that goal killed us a little bit."
Added Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio: "He was doing OK, in my opinion, until the goal, but then after that it probably got stuck in his mind and was probably was doubtful on some plays. We all are responsible."
Conway was caught at the top of the 18-yard box when Barrett flicked the ball in with the back of his right foot from 22 yards out.
"I think his first decision was to go out, then he stopped and then he tried to go again and that probably took him out of the play," Cichero said. "It was a personal mistake, but you just have to grow up and keep your head up."
Dane Richards equalized and the Red Bulls were in a position to take the lead with a free kick 26 yards from goal. But moments after the set piece deflected off the TFC wall, former Red Bulls fullback Marvell Wynne burst down the left sideline.
He ended his 60-yard dash with a well-weighted cross into the box that was tapped in by Barrett, who scored his second brace of the year at Giants Stadium. His first came in a Chicago Fire uniform on May 25.
"I'm very disappointed," Osorio said. "I think we're panicking too much. We don't play to our potential. We're looking for somebody to make big plays and at the moment it's not happening for us."
With the Red Bulls pushing up for the equalizer, Johann Smith found space down the left and found Abdus Ibrahim, who beat Cichero to the back post and headed in an insurance goal four minutes from full time.
"I've done some mistakes," Cichero said, "but I'm a professional and I know that the errors you commit you have to improve on them and try to not do it again."
Dylan Butler is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
