IMAGE, MATT KREMKAU FOR EMPIRE OF SOCCER

by DAVE MARTINEZ

It’s not a good season to be a New York Red Bulls centerback.

Just as French veteran Ronald Zubar returned to the lineup this weekend against Colorado, the limping Red Bulls have endured another injury scare – this time to fellow centerback Karl Ouimette.

“Karl Ouimette picked up an injury so hopefully he’s not too bad,” head coach Jesse Marsch offered after the match.

While he was forced out of the match, the injury does not seem that serious — but it does follow suit with a run of ailments at the middle of defense.

The injury comes just as veteran backline leader Zubar returned in strong fashion, nailing the goal that ended New York’s 337 minute scoreless streak. Zubar himself limped off the pitch, but seems to have avoided any further damage to a nagging hamstring injury.

“It was good to get him back,” Marsch said. “I thought he had a good performance. It was good to have two actual centerbacks play centerback for us, so that was a good thing.

“It was nice to have a steady presence back there,” defender Chris Duvall added. “He’s a veteran and he’s got so much experience so it was good to have him back.”

There is no update on the status of Ouimette. The Red Bulls, however, are encouraged by the play of Zubar. That and the potential return of Gideon Baah and Gonzalo Veron this week has the team feeling hopeful that their injury issues are behind them.

So long as Ouimette escapes his scare unscathed.

“That’s sort of been the story in the first seven games of this season, guys are picking up injuries that are preventing us from really finding a rhythm and finding a flow,” Luis Robles said. “And listen, guys are hurting. It’s not as if it’s a very flippant or whimsical attitude towards being 1-6. The guys in that locker room, they’re hurting because when we look at the way we play, maybe we’re missing a little quality, maybe we’re not as sharp-but the fight’s there and these guys are really busting their butts too, to make sure that for 90 minutes we’re going to be fighting and stay on top.

“I don’t think we have the answers right now,” Robles continued. “But I do believe if we can learn from these failures, it’s going to enable us to not only be a successful team, but a championship team. So right now is critical, but I have a lot of belief in the guys and a lot of belief in the leadership.”