It’s hard to imagine a team playing a home opener under more pressure than the Red Bulls did Sunday.
It’s even harder to picture a squad rising to the occasion any better, a hard-working 2-0 smothering of archrival D.C. United.
Their fans doubted their team’s attack after Thierry Henry retired, and attacked their team’s front office after Mike Petke was fired. There were billboards, demands to sell, protests and even a planned march at a home opener that Dax McCarty said would set the tone for their season. And the tone was pitch-perfect.
The Red Bulls who had been doubted the most got a victory, as well as validation. Sporting director Ali Curtis — the target of profane ire on message boards and at a testy town hall meeting — watched as Bradley Wright-Phillips got a goal, an assist and proof he can play without Henry, who assisted on eight of his goals last season.
“It feels like a dream come true, honestly,’’ Curtis told The Post. “I know there’s been some offseason stuff, off-the-field stuff, and that’s what we’ve been dealing [with]. But I’m really proud at what happened tonight. They came out and they worked their tails off. We had great fan support. I’m really happy.
“I didn’t know how that was going to go, if I’m honest. We had great fan support today. It feels really good, and I’m so happy that everyone came out here — fans, staff, players — with the right attitude, the right execution, and the right thing happened. We’re here, we’re home, we won … against a rival. It feels really good.’’
Chances are it felt best for Curtis and Wright-Phillips, who scored in the 25th minute off a McCarty long ball, then assisted Lloyd Sam’s counterattack dagger in the 71st. Keeper Luis Robles (five saves) and the shorthanded defense — missing center back Ronald Zubar and left back Roy Miller — kept a clean sheet, and a win that soothed the fans’ ire.
The #RedBullOut movement rented billboards near the stadium to demand ownership sell, and the Empire Supporters Club scrapped plans to march but chanted Petke’s name, along with unfurling a banner that read, “Legends Deserve Better.”
“Is that what they were doing?” asked a wry Jesse Marsch, who saw his up-tempo team apply high pressure and use a direct Route 1 style that paid off.
After Wright-Phillips couldn’t muster a single shot in the opener, he took down McCarty’s long ball and beat keeper Bill Hamid. Then after Felipe made a nice tackle to start a counter, Wright-Phillips played the ball to Sam, who beat Hamid near post for his second goal of the year, and third goal in six games against D.C.
“It was important not just to get the win, but show the commitment we’ve got to the fans. … The work the players put in was unbelievable. If that don’t get the fans in the seats I don’t know what will,’’ said Wright-Phillips, who found questions about whether he could score sans Henry disrespectful. “I think so. It might answer their questions.’’
McCarty cleared a ball off the line, and — after Matt Miazga gave up a penalty kick — D.C. Chris Pontius skied a PK over the bar, and the shutout was complete.
“I’m not trying to win a popularity contest: I’m trying to coach a team to be the best in the league,” Marsch said. “That’s my sole mission. When we get there, a lot of people will appreciate the work that’s been done.’’
Dane Richards, second in club history in games, starts and minutes, came on in the 65th to cheers.
“I could’ve played 30 seconds, it would’ve been worth it [with those cheers],’’ said Richards, who turned down a Jamaica call-up to concentrate on Red Bulls duties.