High-flying Red Bulls, RSL finish deadlocked at RBA
October 9, 2010 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
HARRISON, N.J. - The New York Red Bulls and reigning league champions Real Salt Lake played out a tentative scoreless draw on Saturday afternoon at Red Bull Arena. The result slowed RSL's race toward the Supporters' Shield while padding New York's slim lead atop the Eastern Conference.
The last time these two teams met on Sept. 4, Real Salt Lake rode a dominating midfield performance and a goal in the sixth minute to a 1-0 win. On Saturday, however, the two midfields bogged one another down for a plodding battle between two sides who have already booked their tickets for the postseason.
The Red Bulls created five chances in a first half in which they enjoyed the run of play. But it was the visitors who had the better scoring opportunities, twice coming close in the first period.
Real Salt Lake tallied the first chance of the match in the ninth minute. Finding some space on the left side of New York's box, Robbie Findley threaded a pass to Andy Williams in the center of the area. Turning with the ball, Williams fired a shot with his right foot that beat Greg Sutton in New York's goal but hit the far right post.
Then, in the 25th minute, Robbie Russell pounced on a rebound off a set piece, but his 20-yard shot once again found that right post.
The Red Bulls dodged a bullet in the 43rd minute. Streaking on goal with the ball at his feet, Ãlvaro SaborÃo was seemingly clipped inside the penalty area by New York's Roy Miller, but referee Jair Marrufo deemed that the contact was made just outside the area. The resulting Real Salt Lake free kick proved fruitless.
The Red Bulls had no answer for a RSL midfield and backline that stayed compact and tight, daring New York to play with some imagination. The issue was compounded by the fact that winger Dane Richards was away on international duty, and without the speedy midfielder, New York lacked a player who could get behind the visitors' defense.
The second half produced little in the way of offense as both teams played the majority of the final 45 minutes near the midfield circle. It was the visitors again who had the better of the chances in the second half. In the 81st minute, New York's Sutton parried away Javier Morales' free kick.
Major League Soccer Stories from October 9, 2010
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- High-flying Red Bulls, RSL finish deadlocked at RBA - MLS
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