SANDY, Utah -- Amid dreams of opening its new stadium in grand fashion, Real Salt Lake came away with a result that felt less than satisfying -- especially for a team trying to reach the playoffs for the first time.
For the second week in a row, RSL earned one point instead of three, battling to a 1-1 draw with the New York Red Bulls at Rio Tinto Stadium on MLS Primetime Thursday.
The honor of scoring the first goal in the latest soccer-specific stadium fell to New York's Dave van den Bergh, who put the Red Bulls ahead in the 31st minute. But Jamison Olave knocked home a corner kick late in the first half for the equalizer. The Red Bulls were forced to play the final seven minutes a man down after Juan Pietravallo was sent off.
The tie left both teams with 36 points, and each sitting in fourth place in their respective conferences -- but with the rest of the league still to play over the weekend.
RSL had its first good scoring opportunity in the seventh minute on a free kick by Javier Morales. The kick was set up when Seth Stammler was shown a yellow card for tugging on the back of the shirt of Yura Movsisyan as he threatened to break away. Morales had a clean look at the net and had enough power behind his shot, but the ball rocketed just to the right of the far post.
Morales tried to get something going off a free kick again in the 17th minute. This time his shot was perfectly on frame, but Red Bulls 'keeper Jon Conway wrapped up the ball anyway.
New York didn't enjoy much early success in their offensive third either.
Mike Magee drilled a shot with his right foot off a throw-in by Kevin Goldthwaite. RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando came up with a nice catch to keep it from turning into anything important.
Magee then came up with a nice header after setting things in motion with a corner kick during the 23rd minute, but Rimando was in perfect position to a fantastic sprawling save and tip the ball wide of the post.
The Red Bulls finally took the lead in the 31st minute when van den Bergh capitalized on a corner kick. The ball was sent into the box and Stammler put his header right on target, beating Rimando's dive. Kyle Beckerman was perfectly placed to head it off the line -- but sent it right to van den Bergh, who rocketed a full-blooded drive on the rebound into the back of the net.
Movsisyan tried to answer on the other end. Beating the high Red Bulls defensive line, he raced in alone on goal, drawing out Conway while he dribbled around in the area. He rounded the goalkeeper and sent his shot toward goal, but it bounced off the shin of New York defender Jeff Parke who had slipped in behind the Red Bulls 'keeper.
With the sellout crowd at Rio Tinto Stadium desperately waiting for a reason to explode, the moment finally came in the 42nd minute. Morales swung a corner kick toward the center of the area. The ball took a bounce and Olave put a foot onto it and looped it over Conway into the back of the net.
It marked the 15th career assist for Morales in an RSL uniform, which helped him surpass teammate Andy Williams as the club's all-time assists leader.
RSL's first solid chance at taking a second-half lead came in the 54th minute when Morales found Will Johnson on the run. Morales laid it down to Johnson just as he penetrated into the far side of the area. Johnson uncorked a strong right-footed shot, but Conway knelt down to make the save.
Morales then had back-to-back corner kicks in the 56th minute. Both times, the ball bounced back his way instead of traveling to the intended teammate in front of the six-yard box.
Several shots for RSL as the second half moved on increasingly were off frame. Movsisyan, Johnson and Clint Mathis each took a turn going either wide left or wide right for Real.
The most stinging of these off-frame misses had to be Beckerman's would-be dagger in the 71st minute. After Morales and Movsisyan had difficulty creating a shot in the penalty area, the ball was cleared back out to Beckerman. He launched a line-drive rocket from 25 yards out, but the ball sailed just inches over the crossbar.
While RSL struggled to finish, the Red Bulls struggled to even create shots. Real held New York in check throughout the second half. They gave up no shots on goal after allowing five during the initial 45 minutes.
The task became even tougher in the 83rd minute when Pietravallo was sent off by referee Terry Vaughn after his high kick in midfield caught the top of Clint Mathis's head and left him bloodied and in need of medical attention on the touchline. But RSL were not able to break through.
RSL will play their second game in their new home next Saturday, when they play host to FC Dallas. The Red Bulls return home where they will take on the Columbus Crew.
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