Clint Mathis struck twice and Claudio Reyna got his first MLS assist, but the New York Red Bulls saw a tenacious Real Salt Lake put on a frantic late-game rally, scoring two goals after the 89th minute to leave the teams with a 3-3 tie Saturday evening at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Dane Richards also scored for the Red Bulls, but a penalty kick from Jeff Cunningham in the final minute and a stunning stoppage-time goal from Chris Brown gave Real the tie, though the Red Bulls still remain undefeated on the season.
From the opening whistle New York went at its hosts. In the eighth minute, Dave van den Bergh worked his way diagonally through the RSL defense just outside the top of the penalty area. Just as he entered the box he sent a low cross to Mathis, whose first-time chance went well wide of the goal.
In the following minute RSL countered with a scoring chance of their own. Cunningham muscled his way past a Red Bulls defender and though he had only goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus to beat, he sent his low drive wide of even the six-yard box.
Then on a counterattack in the 12th minute, Richards put the Red Bulls on the scoreboard. Mathis sent the first-year professional on the run with a quick chip over the RSL defense. Richards flashed past his marker and chipped an onrushing Chris Seitz for his first professional goal.
Seth Stammler nearly doubled the score a few minutes later. The Red Bulls midfielder received the ball just inside the restraining arc and blasted a rocket inches over the bar.
Another scoring chance, in nearly the same area as Stammler's shot, fell to Jozy Altidore. A loose ball squirted out of a pack of players that Altidore pounced on and fired on goal, requiring a diving stop from Seitz.
The guests found net again in the 28th minute after Mathis, a major pickup in Real's inaugural season, notched his second goal of the year. Van den Bergh picked the pocket of Mehdi Ballouchy at midfield and calmly advanced downfield. As the Salt Lake defense began to swarm, the Dutchman sent a smart pass out wide that found Mathis all by himself on the wing. Racing into the area, Mathis slipped an easy shot past Seitz and into the far side netting.
Just before the break Reyna created a promising chance for New York, battling inside the penalty area to reach the endline and send a dangerous cross in front of the RSL net. Seitz pushed the pass into traffic with a dive and the deflection was cleared away by Eddie Pope.
A volley from Mathis on just the other side of the intermission narrowly missed the goal frame. Mathis brought a high ball down 15 yards from goal and rifled a volley just to the wrong side of the post to his right.
Mathis continued to create chances for his teammates. In the 59th minute a Mathis corner found the head of Altidore on the back post, but the young striker placed his shot just high of the crossbar.
New York then allowed its first goal of the season in the 61st minute on an incredible strike from Chris Klein. The RSL midfielder had the ball about 20 yards out and retreated a few yards to create some room before unleashing a tremendous shot that found the side-netting just behind the far post.
Just a few minutes later a close-range header from Carey Talley had to be palmed over the bar by Waterreus.
Things got heated around the 68th minute when a long pass out of the midfield was retrieved by Waterreus, and the RSL players passionately argued he handled a back pass. RSL captain Eddie Pope received a yellow card during the discussion and had to be held back by team mates.
On the play, which required the New York 'keeper to sky over Cunningham to grab the ball, Waterreus injured his left ankle. He had to leave the match a few minutes later and was replaced by Jon Conway.
As the rain descended late in the second half, Mathis nabbed his second tally of the night for the Red Bulls. In the 83rd minute, Reyna sent a smooth pass out wide to second-half sub Dema Kovalenko, who whipped in a cross that was nodded in at the near post by a streaking Mathis.
In the 89th minute, Jeff Parke sent a high elbow to the head of Talley inside the penalty area and referee Ricardo Salazar pointed to the spot. Cunningham stepped up and converted for the home side to make the scoreline 3-2 in favor of New York.
Real Salt Lake then evened the score two minutes into stoppage time on a wicked blast from second half substitute Brown. The play was setup by Freddy Adu, who slotted the ball wide to Brown. He whipped around and hit an off-balance shot that perfectly struck the upper corner of the goal past Brown, reminiscent of Klein's earlier goal, this time to give Jason Kreis some degree of success in his first game as head coach.
Scott McAllister is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
