Team-mate Juninho, meanwhile, feels the Brazil v England quarter-final could well produce the tournament winners.
But against Lyon, they were well contained until Henry's goal that levelled the game after Juninho's opening goal.
Darren Williams came on to plug the gap, but Butler still had to stop another Juninho run as half time beckoned.
Diminutive Brazilian Juninho failed to produce any of his dazzling form that was so evident during his first term at the Riverside.
Cahill managed to get behind the wall of Galaxy defenders to perfectly head home a crossing pass from Juninho for the game winner.
Henry scored 15 goals last season and will again be the team's top scoring threat, though Cahill and Juninho should help shoulder the burden.
Crew goaltender Andy Gruenebaum seemed to preserve a win in the 83rd minute, stopping a bullet shot by Juninho from the top of the box.
Heath Pearce's attempt off Juninho's free kick was deflected by Perkins to the top of the box, where Luyindula chipped it over the bar in the 38th minute.
Cahill scored just once in 12 appearances last season, but was a regular scorer for Everton in England, while Juninho is regarded as one of the world's finest free-kick takers.
Juninho had just cleared off the line when Scholes picked up the ball 25 yards out and launched a breathtaking swerving shot that found the top right corner, leaving Schwarzer for dead.
Ronaldo set up Brazil's second goal 11 minutes later when he played a one-two with Juninho which allowed the former Middlesbrough player to run and place the ball beyond the Malaysia keeper.
Henry sent the ball right back to Juninho, who whipped in a shot that was redirected first by Brandon Barklage before Olave slotted it past Hamid into the back of the net.
Olympique Lyonnais, arguably the strongest of their three opponents, had recently finished a disappointing third in Ligue 1 and, over the summer, had sold the outrageously talented Karim Benzema and playmaker Juninho.
Sunderland emerged for the second half in positive mood, but it was the home side who looked the more dangerous, with Juninho and Deane firing over as their side opted for all-out attack.
For now, the Red Bulls' championship hopes will still rest on their contingent of overseas stars, led by Henry, Cahill and newly acquired Juninho Pernambucano, the 38-year-old Brazilian midfielder who formerly starred for Lyon in France.
And pretty soon, they were up 3-1, and then midfielder Juninho was probably dancing the samba -- (laughter) -- the MLS Cup belonged to L.A. for the second straight year, and that was the fourth in Galaxy history.
The match finished with a cheeky solo effort by Juninho, who again capitalised on loose man-marking by the Manchester defence to squeeze off a shot from the top left edge of the area that beat Bosnich at the right post.
Federico Higuain converted the penalty kick and for the next 16 minutes it seemed like the game winner, especially after Columbus goaltender Andy Gruenebaum stopped a hard shot by Juninho from the top of the box in the 83rd minute and defender Kevan George cleared a header by Olave off the goal line minutes later.
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