Red Bulls rally by Timbers

HANS BACKE’S team started atrociously. So for the first time in his MLS career, the Red Bulls’ coach made a strategic substitution in the first 36 minutes.

The result? A comeback from a two-goal deficit, and a reiteration that the Red Bulls are a confident juggernaut at home.

Defender Heath Pearce headed in the game-winner in the 83rd minute of a 3-2 victory Sunday over the Portland Timbers as the Bulls (13-7-5) improved to 9-0-3 in Harrison, thanks to a controversial noncall and some stellar goalkeeping from Bill Gaudette.

The Red Bulls jumped ahead of DC United for second place in the Eastern Conference. “The way we played away we would have lost this game on the road,” Backe said. “But I think also being in this home stretch, winning most of the games, we have to kind of believe that you can win every game.”

There was disappointment in the locker room after the game, especially from Thierry Henry. The star sat in front of his locker with a towel draped over his head, declining to talk to the media. He didn’t have much of a presence in the game, and his team gave up goals to Bright Dike and Darlington Nagbe in the eighth and 32nd minutes, respectively. For a while, it appeared the Timbers (5-14-6) would pick up their first road win of the season.

But Backe subbed in striker Kenny Cooper for defender Roy Miller in the 36th minute, and the Red Bulls rode their offense and Gaudette’s three saves. Cooper scored six minutes after he came on. Tim Cahill then notched his first MLS goal on a controversial play, knocking in a loose ball after the referee blew his whistle. It tied the game, 2-2, just before the half.

Although it appeared Dax McCarty’s shot deflected off the hand of a Red Bulls player to prompt the whistle, referee Jason Anno told a pool reporter it was an advantage play, and he didn’t blow his whistle until after the goal.