It's been said that a 2-0 lead is the most dangerous lead to have in soccer. The MetroStars found that out the hard way in their first visit to Rice-Eccles Stadium to play Real Salt Lake on Monday night.
The MetroStars held the 2-0 lead against a 10-man Real Salt Lake team into the 79th minute on goals from Ante Razov and Mike Magee, until a Seth Trembly goal and a last-minute Jason Kreis penalty kick left the teams with a 2-2 deadlock.
Amidst the fireworks of the Independence Day celebration the Red-and-Black dominated the home side for the majority of the match. Their efforts paid off in the waining moments of the first half.
In the 44th minute Sergio Galvan Rey ripped a shot right at D.J. Countess. Not able to hang on the the ball, Countess deflected right to an oncoming Razov who crushed his shot into the open net to put the visitors up 1-0.
"[Sergio] got the ball and got running with it and hit the ball on goal," said Razov. "I just followed the shot, like they say all the time."
The Red and Black broke into the second half just as they finished the first. Magee was tallied his first goal of the season after receiving the ball from Razov.
"It was good to get a goal," said Magee. "We needed to come out in the second half and get one and we did that."
With a 2-0 lead the Metros seemed to take their foot off the gas. The visitors still held the majority of possession, but spaces began to open up for RSL.
The Metros defense weakly cleared a steal from Andy Williams in the 79th minute. Trembly ended up with the ball at the corner of the box and curled a shot around an outstretched Zach Wells into the far netting. The goal set the home crowd into a frenzy, but was frustrating to the Red and Black.
"You open the door a bit when you can't clear out a good ball and Trembly gets a good shot," said MetroStars coach Bob Bradley.
RSL leveled the score in the 89th minute when Jason Kreis was adjudged to have been fouled in the box. Kreis stepped up to the spot and popped in his 97th career goal.
The intense finish was disappointing to the Metros who played well for much of the match.
"[It's a] disappointing result, obviously," said Bradley. "A two-goal lead and chances to get the third goal -- I don't think we did a good enough job at being disciplined in a way we went about going for the third goal."
Scott McAllister is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story wasnot subject to the approval of Major League Sccoer or clubs.
