Crew 1 - 1 Red Bulls
Final
  for this game

Late Balchan goal makes Crew ecstatic, for N.Y. it's problematic

Jun 5, 2011 - 1:55 AM Harrison, NJ (Sports Network) - Red Bull New York hadn't won a Major League Soccer game since April 30.

After 90-plus minutes of their clash vs. their Columbus Crew at Red Bull Arena on Saturday it looked like that winless streak was about to end.

Red Bull midfielder Mehdi Ballouchy scored the game's opening goal inside 10 minutes, which held up until second-half stoppage time.

That's when a defensive miscue by rookie Matt Kassel led to the Crew's equalizer, scored by Rich Balchan in the 92nd minute.

With New York clinging to the 1-0 lead, right back Kassel, who had come in as a substitute for the injured Jan Gunnar Solli in the second half, let his man Justin Meram cross a ball through the penalty area on the ground to Balchan, who slammed home for a share of the points.

The draw is the fifth in the last six games for New York, which hasn't won during that span.

Columbus is also winless in five, but the share of the points Saturday feels like a win, especially on the road.

Ballouchy's second goal of the season came when New York striker Luke Rodgers played a through ball to him, and he easily slotted home with a right-footed shot into the right side of the net.

The equalizing goal came when Meram burst down the left side and played a low cross into the center of the area that Balchan side into to knock home a minute from time.

New York (4-2-7) hopes to gain the full points when it hosts New England on Friday, while Columbus (3-3-6) hosts Real Salt Lake on Wednesday in its next MLS match.






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