Sandy's Brecken Mozingo scores 1st NWSL goal in wild 3-3 draw for Utah Royals in Washington

WASHINGTON — The Utah Royals and Washington Spirit set an NWSL record with four goals scored in the opening 22 minutes of Saturday's match at Audi Field.

Utah took a 3-2 lead on an own goal 14 minutes later and led for the majority of the match until Casey Krueger got the equalizer in the final minute of 13 minutes of stoppage time in a 3-3 draw.

The tie breaks a three-game losing streak for the Royals and moves their record to one win, six losses and two draws on the season.

Washington nearly tied the game at the end of regulation on a penalty kick by BYU alum Ashley Hatch, but Mandy McGlynn stopped the shot to end Hatch's streak of 11 consecutive penalty makes for the Spirit.

The opening two goals for Utah were both scored off of rebounds, with Sandy native Brecken Mozingo getting her first NWSL goal in the ninth minute off a shot by Janni Thomsen, and Cece Kizer scoring her first goal as Royal off a Mozingo rebound in the 22nd minute.

As Kizer ran back to the Utah side of the field after her goal — the fourth in 22 minutes — the referee said, "Wow, this league is crazy," to which Kizer responded, "Yeah, keeps you on your toes."

Mozingo's opener was Utah's first non-penalty goal in six matches, dating back to March 22, and it was the first three-goal performance for the Royals since October. The team almost equaled its season total of four goals coming into Saturday in the first half alone.

"You never know who's going to win on any given day," Kizer said. "I think that we gave quite a performance in the first half. Putting together goals and getting balls in the back of the net is obviously the end goal, and something that we're really determined to do. So really proud of the team for that."

Washington came into Saturday as the heavy favorite at home as a top-five team in the NWSL and last year's championship runner-up to the Orlando Pride.

The point on the road required a herculean effort from McGlynn, who tied her professional career-high with nine saves on the night, including the 90th-minute penalty.

"I think I was really looking for a game where I came up big," McGlynn said, "I think we had spells, and I just wanted to marry up possession and big saves; and I feel like I can walk away saying I did that."

McGlynn figures to be in the mix, once again, for the USWNT as head coach Emma Hayes looks to narrow down the starting goalkeeper position in a pair of friendlies against China and Jamaica on May 31 and June 3.

The Royals return home next for a final match before the international break on Friday, May 23 at 7:30 p.m. MDT against reigning champion Orlando.

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