Daniel Royer gave the New York Red Bulls the lead in the first half, but a foul by Aurelien Collin led to Brayan Moya’s equalizing penalty for Olimpia of Honduras in a 1-1 draw in the opening leg of the CONCACAF Champions League Round of 16 Thursday night at Estadio Nacional in San Jose, Costa Rica.
The Red Bulls will certainly take the all-important away goal with them back to Red Bull Arena for the return leg next Thursday. But surely there will be disappointment for conceding an equalizer against the run of play.
It was a moment of brilliance that gave the Red Bulls a deserved 1-0 lead in the 31st minute. Michael Murillo intercepted a soft attempted clearance and the ball landed to Bradley Wright-Phillips, who turned and lobbed an inch-perfect pass into the box where Royer latched on and placed a glancing header inside the far post.
One minute earlier, Royer took a touch around Johnny Palacios, but put his shot just wide of the same post.
Felipe had a chance to double the visitors lead two minutes from halftime, but his full volley through traffic was just off the mark.
Olimpia was sharper and more dangerous in the second half and leveled after Collin cut down Michael Chirinos in the box, leaving Panamanian referee John Pitti no choice but to point to the spot. Moya took the kick and wrong-footed Luis Robles, slotting to the keeper’s left in the 73rd minute.
Marc Rzatkowski and Carlos Rivas both made their Red Bulls debuts off the substitute’s bench in the second half, but it was Olimpia, undefeated in nine matches in the Honduran Clausura, closest to the late winner when Kevin Alvarez headed just wide off a set piece in the first of three minutes of second-half stoppage time.