Mauricio Gonzalez scored his first career MLS goal in the 93rd minute as Minnesota United rallied for a 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake on Saturday afternoon in Saint Paul, Minn.
Gonzalez, a 21-year-old forward from Colombia who came on as a substitute for Anthony Markanich in the 77th minute, headed in a long curling free kick by Joaquin Pereyra inside the far right post and past goaltender Rafael to salvage a point for the Loons (6-5-4, 22 points).
Zach Booth scored a goal for Real Salt Lake (8-4-2, 26 points), which had a two-match win streak snapped and fell to 1-3-2 on the road.
Minnesota United, playing without top goal-scorer Kelvin Yeboah (eight goals) who was benched after missing practice on Friday for what the team termed “an internal matter”, appeared to take a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute when Mamadou Dieng netted a right-footed shot from the middle of the box. However, the play was flagged for being offside.
Three minutes later, Zavier Gozo hit Booth with a crossing pass at right edge of the box, and Booth then roofed a right-footed shot into the top right corner over the outstretched hand of a leaping Minnesota goalie Drake Callender for his first goal. The 19-year-old Gozo picked up his fifth assist of the season.
Once again, Dieng appeared score in first-half stoppage time with a header in the middle of the box, but once again the goal was overturned after a VAR review for being offside.
Minnesota defender Morris Duggan nearly tied it in the 80th minute, but his header from the middle of the box off a Pereyra crossing pass flew over the top of the crossbar.
Minnesota finished with an 11-8 edge in shot attempts and 56.1 to 43.9%age advantage in possession.
Rafael was credited with one save in the contest, while Callender did not record a save.
Minnesota is now 2-0-4 in the last six match-ups with Real Salt Lake, but the draw did snap a two-game winning streak for the hosts.
–Field Level Media
