The New York Red Bulls needed a last-gasp strike from Dema Kovalenko to top the USL First Division Charleston Battery 1-0 in Saturday's Carolina Challenge Cup nightcap.
A year ago, the Red Bulls lost to the Battery 1-0 to become the only MLS team to lose to the Battery in the four-year history of the tournament. The nearly full-strength Red Bulls struggled again this time around, but Kovalenko managed to pull them from the fire.
For Red Bulls coach Bruce Arena, the result was met with mixed feelings.
"We attacked well" he said. "It's still preseason ... but our finishing needs to be better, we should have walked away with two or three goals."
Battery goalkeeper Dusty Hudock was hands-down the man of the match, coming up big on several occasions, including a save on a Claudio Reyna penalty kick.
But the Red Bulls' speed up front proved to be too much for the Battery -- in their second week of preseason preparation -- when Kovalenko jumped on a rebound after Hudock made an initial save on a Dane Richards breakaway.
The Battery's game plan was obvious from the start: absorb the Red Bulls' repeated runs forward and counter. It worked, for the most part. The Battery had several chances utilizing the counterattack, but lacked the breakaway speed in the end to capitalize.
Despite the strong defensive effort, it looked as if the Red Bulls would pull ahead in the 61st minute when Battery midfielder Ian Fuller was called for a handball in the penalty area. Reyna stepped up hitting the spot-kick low and to Hudock's right. With a good jump on the ball, Hudock knocked the ball down and it was cleared away.
Richards, a 63rd minute substitute for Ansu Toure, increased the pressure on the tiring Battery back line, making several penetrating runs and forcing Hudock to make two good saves before his third run on goal, which Kovalenko finished.
On Wednesday the Red Bulls face Toronto FC on the second match day of the round-robin tournament at 6 p.m. ET followed by Charleston and Houston at 8:15.
Andrew Mosier is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
Saturday, March 24, 2007: Carolina Challenge Cup
Charleston Battery 0
New York Red Bulls 1
Charleston: Dusty Hudock, Tim Karalexis, Brandon Curran, Chris Gores, Anthony Catalano, Lazo Alavanja (Jordie Hughes 46), Armando Romero (Mike Richardson 46), Luke Vercollone (Ian Bennett 64), Ian Fuller, Byron Alvarez (Newton Sterling 46), Aaron King (Adam Acosta 63).
New York: Jon Conway, Marvell Wynne, Taylor Graham (Jeff Parkes 69), Carlos Mendes, Todd Dunivant, Dema Kovalenko, Seth Stammler (Sinisa Ubiparipovic 78), Ansu Toure (Dane Richards 63), Claudio Reyna, John Wolyniec (Jerrod Laventure 78), Jozy Altidore.
Scoring Summary:
NYRB - Kovalenko 90
Saturday, March 24, 2007: Carolina Challenge Cup
CHB - King (Caution) 36
NYRB - Graham (Caution) 36
CHB - Fuller (Caution) 62
CHB - Hughes (Caution) 86
Attendance: 3,183
All statistics contained in this box score are unofficial.
