Ahead by a goal, even though they were down a man, the New York Red Bulls knew what was coming in the second half on Saturday night at Arrowhead Stadium.
They were in the lead thanks to an eighth-minute goal from Juan Pablo Angel, and despite Clint Mathis being sent off for a second time this season, they had successfully stopped Eddie Johnson and the high-powered Kansas City Wizards attack for 45 minutes.
But seconds after the restart, Johnson got behind the Red Bulls defense and found the back of the net to pull his team level.
"We had the go-ahead goal and we played with 10 [players], we came into the locker room knowing what we could expect," said Red Bulls midfielder Dave van den Bergh. "Thirty seconds in, it ended up in the back of our net and that kind of took it out of us.
"It shouldn't have, but it gave them a whole lot of momentum. Then they waltzed right over us in the first 15 minutes of the second half."
Johnson and the Wizards exploded for three second-half goals, as the U.S. international scored a hat trick, his second in two matches. Johnson became the first player in MLS history to score hat tricks in two consecutive matches.
"We defended very poorly to start the second half," said Red Bulls coach Bruce Arena. "We were caught. Give Kansas City credit. They did a good job of finding Eddie Johnson getting behind us."
A number of balls beat the Red Bulls defense over the top. A key turning point was the red card issued to Mathis, ejected after elbowing Wizards midfielder Kerry Zavagnin in the 36th minute.
"Obviously playing with 10 players certainly helped our opponent, although that's not an excuse," Arena said. "But obviously that is one of the differences."
Dema Kovalenko scored a late goal for the Red Bulls, but the mountain was just too high to climb. Still, Angel continued his goal-scoring run for New York -- the first-half goal his fourth goal of the season.
"I think the goal was a good movement by the team," Angel said. "I managed to hit it well and I think it was a good finish. But I think from then on, it was all uphill."
Angel is still getting used to his new environs with the Red Bulls. Yet he's reluctant to make any quick observations about the club.
"I think it's been too early for me to give a proper assessment of the league. I'm enjoying it at the moment -- it's been really good so far," he said. "I think it's very competitive, it's not as easy as people think it is. And I think it's going to get better and better in the future."
Thomas Foote is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
