June 30, 2012
TYING ONE ON
Red Bulls, Toronto play to 1-1 tie

Jan Gunnar Solli scored the Red Bulls' lone goal. Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images

TORONTO -- With both teams connecting for goals in the opening seven minutes, it looked like it was going to be a high-scoring game between the Red Bulls and Toronto FC on Saturday night.

But it wasn't meant to be as they battled to a 1-1 draw in Major League Soccer action before a packed house at BMO Field.

The Red Bulls, who entered the night tied with D.C. United for the Major League Soccer lead, moved to 9-4-4 and 31 points. Toronto, which had lost its first nine matches, moved to 2-10-3 and nine points.

"We should have won the game 1-0," Red Bulls right fullback Brandon Barklage told MSG.

Midfielder Jan Gunnar Solli, who hadn't found the back of the net in his first 42 Red Bulls appearances, made it back-to-back games in which he tallied . He lifted the visitors into the lead in the fourth minute on a play that was started with a long ball by goalkeeper Ryan Meara. The ball eventually came to right fullback Brandon Barklage, who sent the ball into the area to Solli, who slotted it home.

It turned out to be the Red Bulls' lone shot on goal.

"It was a great cross from Brandon and I was working to get into the box," Solli was quoted by MSG.

However, only four minutes later, Toronto equalized on some poor and forgettable marking by the Red Bulls. On a Torsten Frings corner kick, Dutchman Danny Koevermans found some room and himself free from seven yards as he headed home for a 1-1 tie.

"I'll take my blame for the goal," Solli said. "Koevermans is a tough man to cover."

Added coach Hans Backe: "It was sloppy defending from the kickoff."

Midfielder Dax McCarty, however, was more emphatic.

"It comes down to heart," he told MSG. "IF I am being frank, I think we are a little bit soft in the box on set pieces."

And that was it for the scoring, believe it or not.

Both teams had close encounters just before the end of the half.

Midfielder Joel Lindpere banged a shot from the right side off the left post in the 44th minute and moments later an open Koevermans came close to scoring his second of the match as he sent a three-yard shot wide right.

Thierry Henry came close to giving the Red Bulls a 2-1 advantage four minutes into the second half as he launched a 30-yard effort that just sailed wide right of the net.

During the game's waning minutes, the Red Bulls replaced both of their central defenders. Stephen Keel replaced Wilman Conde, who recovered to have a fine game after a shaky start, in the 83rd minute. Heath Pearce came out of the match a couple of minutes into stoppage time after he was holding his right leg. Costa Rican international Roy Miller replaced him.


Scoring Summary:

NY: Jan Gunnar Solli 2 (Brandon Barklage 3, Dane Richards 3) 4’
TOR: Danny Koevermans 8 (Torsten Frings 1) 6’

Disciplinary Summary:
TOR: Terry Dunfield (caution) 32’
NY: Dane Richards (caution) 47’

New York Red Bulls (9-4-4, 31 points) – Ryan Meara (GK), Brandon Barklage, Wilman Conde (Stephen Keel 82’), Heath Pearce (Roy Miller 93’+), Connor Lade, Dane Richards, Dax McCarty, Joel Lindpere (Victor Palsson 79’), Jan Gunnar Solli, Kenny Cooper, Thierry Henry

Substitutes Not Used: Jeremy Vuolo (GK), Jonathan Borrajo, Tyler Ruthven, Jhonny Arteaga

Toronto FC (2-10-3, 9 points) – Milos Kocic (GK), Jeremy Hall, Richard Eckersley, Logan Emory, Ashtone Morgan, Terry Dunfield, Torsten Frings, Reggie Lambe (Nick Soolsma 67’), Eric Avila (Julian de Guzman 80’), Danny Koevermans (Luis Silva 86’), Ryan Johnson

Substitutes Not Used: Quillan Roberts (GK), Miguel Aceval, Aaron Maund, Matt Stinson

Referee: Ricardo Salazar
Referee’s Assistants: Craig Lowry, Claudio Badea
4th Referee: Tyler Ploeger
Attendance: 20,071