E. RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- It was all there for the New York Red Bulls. They were five minutes from earning a 1-0 win against the two-time defending MLS Cup champions in the opening leg of the Western Conference Semifinal Series.
But then second-half substitute Kei Kamara struck for the equalizer in the 85th minute and the Houston Dynamo escaped the opening leg with a 1-1 draw Saturday at Giants Stadium, dashing the hopes of New York's first playoff win since 2005.
"I think we did just enough to have won the game against a very, very tough team," Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio said. "(I'm) very proud of the boys today. We competed and we limited them to a very few chances and at the end, I think there are more positives than negatives in this game."
Upset at the performance of several regular starters in a 5-2 regular-season ending loss at Chicago, Osorio changed his lineup and rolled the dice, starting relatively inexperienced players Sinisa Ubiparipovic and Luke Sassano in the center of the park. Osorio also went with a hunch and played veteran John Wolyniec up front with Juan Pablo Angel.
"I thought last game, we were way too easy to play against," Osorio said.
That wasn't the case on Saturday. A Red Bulls team decimated by suspensions, injuries and inconsistent play by starters, came out and fought against a Houston team that came into the series heavily favored.
"The disappointment is there for us because we felt we should have won it," Angel said. "But it's a 180-minute game. We already played the first half and we have the other half to play. Everything is there to play for."
Angel gave the Red Bulls the lead three minutes into the second half, beating Eddie Robinson to Wolyniec's quick cross from the left corner and heading it past Pat Onstad for his first career playoff goal.
The Red Bulls were unlucky not to get a second goal, but Dane Richards' long-range shot that had Onstad beat was cleared off the line by Richard Mulrooney in the 53rd minute.
Moments after Dwayne De Rosario rolled a shot wide from 14 yards out, Houston coach Dominic Kinnear brought on Kamara for Jaqua and the Red Bulls struggled with the Sierra Leone international's pace. According to Wolyniec, the Red Bulls went into a defensive shell too early.
"It was a bit early to start hitting long balls and I know myself I dropped in a bit and when you do that you give teams a lot of space to come forward," Wolyniec said. "That type of team, if you give them too much field to play with, they're going to put balls in the box and that's what they did."
Kamara toe-poked a touch by Stuart Holden, who was also a second-half substitute, past Danny Cepero five minutes from full time. Cepero made three saves, doing well to control his 18-yard box and couldn't do anything about the equalizer.
"It was kind of a mad scramble in front of the goal," Cepero said. "The ball was getting batted around a little bit and it was unfortunate for us. But fortunately for them, it fell to Kei Kamara's feet and he was able to slip it between Diego (Jimenez's) legs. It's a big mess in front and all of a sudden, the ball is shooting out."
Wolyniec nearly provided the late-game heroics for the home fans, but he was denied by Onstad, who dived to his left to make the 90th-minute save.
"I didn't even see it because I really thought I got fouled," Wolyniec said. "I had a good turn and a good look, but I got hit from behind a little bit and still hit it pretty well. I guess that's why Onstad is still in the net."
The Dynamo were pleased to leave Giants Stadium with a draw, especially heading to Robertson Stadium where they have a 10-1-4 record during the regular season.
Despite the Red Bulls' poor away form during the regular season -- one win in 15 road games -- New York players are confident about getting something out of the second leg provided they bring the same effort and play with the same passion next Sunday in Houston.
"If we bring the fight and we sharpen up a bit," Wolyniec said, "I think we have a great chance."
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