Ismael Tajouri-Shradi battles for the ball in first half action. (Chris Bergmann/USA TODAY Sports)
By Michael Lewis
FrontRowSoccer.com Editor
BRONX — They might have to re-sod left field at Yankee Stadium before the Yankees return home, given what New York City FC did Saturday afternoon.
In desperate need of a goal, City essentially laid siege to the Atlanta United goal for virtually the entire second half, peppering shots at Brad Guzan.
The U.S. international goalkeeper was up to the task and then some, holding the hosts scoreless with a super-human performance before proving to be mortal.
That’s when center back Alexander Callens’ diving header in the 77th minute knotted things up at 1-1, which wound up as the final score.
Maxi Moralez tried for the game-winner deep into stoppage time, but his shot from the left side rattled off the left post, the third time NYCFC hit the woodwork.
Despite its second-half domination, NYCFC failed to jump over the visitors into first place in the Eastern Conference as it did not register a home win for the first time in seven games here.
Atlanta (9-3-3, 30 points) remained atop of the heap before night games as City (28) moved to 8-3-4.
City had a golden opportunity to break the ice in the 28th minute as Maxi Moralez stripped the ball from an Atlanta player in the attacking third and went in alone on Guzan. The veteran goalkeeper, however, judged the play perfectly and knocked the ball away from Moralez.
Three minutes later, Guzan came up big again, parrying David Villa’s blast from atop the penalty area.
Atlanta broke through in the 48th minute as Julian Gressel’s right-wing cross found the head of Josef Martinez, who powered a shot into the ground that bounced past goalkeeper Sean Johnson into the right corner for a 1-0 lead.
Guzan had some help keeping NYCFC out off the scoresheet in the 54th minute as Villa drilled a shot off the right post.
Villa continued to shoot and Guzan continued to make saves. First, he denied the Spanish international with a close-range attempt in the 60th minute before punching away the NYCFC captain’s free kick in the 61st.
Guzan continued to frustrate the hosts, punching away Ismael Tajouri-Shradi’s shot in the 65th minute, saving Villa’s header two minutes later before his kick save denied Anton Tinnerholm from close range at the right post in the 68th.
Don’t go away. Guzan produced some more heroics in the 74th minute as he punched away Villa’s close-range attempt.
Finally, in the 77th minute, NYCFC proved that Guzan was mortal as it knotted up the game at 1-1.
There might have been only one soccer game scheduled for the stadium Saturday, but it was a double-header goal that tied it. Villa headed Maxi Moralez’s corner kick to Callens, whose diving header at the far right post beat Guzan.
