SALT LAKE CITY - As ties are wont to do, Saturday's 1-1 tie between Real Salt Lake and the New York Red Bulls brought out mixed emotions in the players.
RSL's players experienced a mix of relief and disappointment. Despite the team's ongoing 15-game winless steak, the players were glad to earn their first point of the season. At the same time, with how well they played, they were crestfallen to come away with a knotted result.
"As usual, the soccer gods are out to get us right now," forward Andy Williams said. "Everyone goes through it; we'll take it. But by the end of the season, the ball will be bouncing off our knees and going in."
With the tie, RSL has its first point of the season and is 0-2-1. Both New York and RSL are winless against each other, having played to a draw twice last season. The Red Bulls are 0-0-3 on the season.
In contrast to RSL's first two games, the team had numerous shots on goal. Coming in to the game, RSL had managed only five shots on frame; Saturday, they were on target eight times. Only the outstanding play of New York goalkeeper Tony Meola kept RSL out of the net until the final minute of regulation.
Like he did many times last season, coach John Ellinger said Saturday that just one lucky bounce could turn the team around. After seeing RSL's intensity against the Red Bulls, Ellinger seemed encouraged.
"Now, it's just a matter of getting more, better shooting opportunities," Ellinger said. "When we do finally get it together, I think we're going to explode for a lot of goals."
But Ellinger also had mixed emotions.
"We were close a lot tonight," Ellinger said. "It's frustrating because I thought we played great today, and we cut down on our mistakes."
In the first half, even when RSL was not putting shots on frame, the team still came within inches a number of times. Prior to New York's earning a 1-0 lead, RSL's closest opportunity came on a shot by Jeff Cunningham in the 62nd minute. Although marked tightly by two defenders, Cunningham was able to give the ball a weak poke that got past Meola. The shot, however, had little pace and was cleared before going in.
After coming so close so many times, New York's goal in the 77th minute struck hard at RSL's morale. Edson Buddle found himself with a one-on-one with RSL goalkeeper Scott Garlick. He made the initial point-blank save, but could not stop Amado Guevera from sticking home the rebound. But RSL battled back.
"It was a good thing that we kept our heads in it," forward Jason Kreis said.
Kreis put his head on the ball in the 89th minute to force the tie and score his 101st career goal, still the best mark in Major League Soccer. Chris Klein sent a free kick from the right corner to Kreis, right in the heart of the penalty area. The header zipped inside the left post and made it 1-1.
The goal was an outlet for Kreis, who spent the latter part of the 2005 season and the entire offseason rehabilitating an ACL injury.
"There was six months worth of emotion wrapped up into one goal, one head shot," Kreis said.
A second-half substitution for Mehdi Ballouchy, Kreis must have been a low priority for New York's defense considering Cunningham had started and Williams had made his presence known all game.
"They were pretty loose on me," Kreis said. "I found myself with a lot of space, which is pretty rare."
Doubtless, Kreis is ready to put the injury behind him.
"I would like to stop talking about my knee now," Kreis said. "It's over and done with for me in my mind; I'm looking forward, not looking back."
RSL showed its best effort of the season in earning its best result; if the team keeps the pace up, both Ellinger and the players believe the season will be nothing like last year's debacle. Kreis said Douglas Sequeira and Williams were falling over with exhaustion after the game.
"With that kind of work, we're going to be a successful team this year," Kreis said.
Peter Richins is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
