“I would love to get Thierry out in the 60th minute of many games to rest him with games coming up, but it shows having him on the field, he’s always a threat,” Red Bulls Coach Mike Petke said. “I mean his performance tonight, purely on scoring opportunities and assists, is world class and that’s why he is on the field game in and game out.”

Image Henry is now the club's career assist leader after providing three against Columbus.

The Red Bulls took the lead 17 minutes into the match when Eric Alexander led Henry into the Columbus penalty area with a pass on the left flank. Henry crossed with his left foot as he fell to the turf and stayed flat on his back as the ball found Wright-Phillips for a one-time finish.

Columbus, which is now coached by the New Jersey native Gregg Berhalter, drew even in the 39th minute when the Red Bulls’ young defender Matt Miazga, 18, misplayed a ball, which fell to Adam Bedell (an early substitute for the injured Jairo Arrieta) who beat goalkeeper Luis Robles.

“Like I said, you should always take better criticism when you win,” Henry said. “We found ourselves so many times in this very dressing room, crying because we conceded so many goals that we shouldn’t have conceded because we didn’t defend well as a team. We managed to escape today. Let’s all be happy about it, but let’s also go home and think about how we conceded that goal.”

Henry’s concerns appear to be well-founded. The Red Bulls, while tied for second in M.L.S. for most goals scored with 30, have also conceded 27. Petke continues to fiddle with his back line — the only veteran is Jamison Olave, who is surrounded by Miazga, the rookie Chris Duvall on the right and Ambroise Oyongo on the left. Left back Roy Miller has not returned from World Cup duty with Costa Rica and Kosuke Kimura has been inconsistent on the right side.

The Red Bulls grabbed back the lead just before halftime after Wright-Phillips was, in rapid succession, denied on a header by goalkeeper Steve Clark and then had a rebound stopped by defender Eric Gehrig. But the ball rolled to Henry on the left side, near the top of the penalty. He calmly and delicately struck the ball into the top-right corner of the goal. There was no celebration after his fourth goal of the season; Henry simply turned and walked back toward midfield.

Leading by 2-1 at the half, Henry was not satisfied and let his teammates know his feelings in the locker room.