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PISCATAWAY, N.J. — Utah Royals FC, the newest franchise in the National Women’s Soccer League, was at risk of owning a dubious distinction Saturday night.
The Royals were seconds away from becoming the first team to lose to New Jersey-based Sky Blue FC, trailing 2-1 with the final seconds of stoppage time ticking away at Yurcak Field at Rutgers University.
With one kick — the final touch of the match — Amy Rodriguez put a stop to it.
Rodriguez scored the equalizer with her final touch of the night to salvage a 2-2 draw with still-winless Sky Blue, salvaging a point but severely hindering the NWSL expansion team's quest for a playoff bid.
The Royals (7-7-8, 29 points) out-shot Sky Blue 17-9, but trailed until the final seconds of stoppage time, when Rodriguez ripped a shot from the edge of the penalty area that sailed into the upper 90 for the draw.
Katlyn Johnson scored twice for Sky Blue FC (0-14-5, 5 points), which was also hurt by an own goal. Johnson battled into the penalty box and put one away past goalkeeper Nicole Barnhart that gave Sky Blue the 1-0 advantage in the 14th minute.
Raquel Rodriguez tapped a through-ball to Johnson for the score, which came after Utah defender Rachel Corsie had slid into a dangerous challenge.
U.S. star Carli Lloyd nearly doubled the advantage 10 minutes later, but her shot from the left side of the box skewed just wide of the far post.
Johnson gave the hosts a 2-0 lead just three minutes after halftime, doubling the advantage with Sky Blue’s second shot on target of the match.
The Royals took the deficit into a half-hour weather delay for lightning on the Atlantic coast — and then things slowly started to turn.
Second-half sub Taylor Lytle provided a spark for the Royals, including setting up a cross deep in Sky Blue’s box that was converted into an own goal by Sky Blue’s Dominique Richardson just before the hour mark.
Gunny Jonsdottir nearly equalized with four minutes remaining in regulation, but her header from Lytle sailed less than a foot over the crossbar. Christen Press had a chance of her own, but her deflected shot in the 88th minute was picked up by Kailen Sheridan.
The extra pressure set up Rodriguez’s game winner, a lightning bolt off a pass from Press in the fourth minute of stoppage time — after the fourth official had indicated a minimum of three minutes of stoppage time be played at rain-soaked Yurcak Field.
With the draw, Utah trails Chicago and Orlando by one point for fourth place in the NWSL standings. The Red Stars and Pride will play Saturday, Aug. 25 — one of two games in hand that Chicago holds on the Royals before the season finale Sept. 8 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Next up
Utah travels to face former BYU star Ashley Hatch and the Washington Spirit on Wednesday, Aug. 22. The match, which will stream live on KSL.com and the KSL TV app, is scheduled to kick at 5:30 p.m. MT.
