Tim Howard makes return against Red Bulls

Tim Howard will made his first start since November on Saturday as the visiting Colorado Rapids lost 1-0 to the New York Red Bulls.

Howard had been sidelined since suffering a right adductor in the World Cup qualifying match between the U.S. national team and Mexico on Nov. 11.

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The injury cost him the remainder of the 2016 MLS playoffs and left him unavailable to start the Rapids 2017 opener, a 1-0 win over the New England Revolution with Zac MacMath between the sticks for Colorado.

Howard returned against the team he began his MLS career with, as the goalkeeper played with the then-MetroStars from 1999-2003.

He made several good saves to keep the Rapids in the contest, denying Bradley Wright-Phillips multiple times. The Red Bulls scored from an Eric Miller own goal in the first half. 

Howard’s return should put him in the mix for a spot on the U.S. national team in its upcoming qualifiers against Honduras and Panama on March 24 and 28, respectively. U.S. coach Bruce Arena said in a Facebook chat Wednesday that if Howard is “healthy and continues to make progress, he’ll obviously get strong consideration for the call-ups in March.”