BURN BATTLES COLUMBUS TO 2-2 TIE

Teams Combine for Four Goals in Final 15 Minutes of Match

COLUMBUS, Ohio  - The Dallas Burn conceded a goal in the 90^th minute and drew 2-2 with Columbus this afternoon at Crew Stadium.  With the tie, the Burn (6-6-4, 22 points) retains a two-point lead over the third-place Crew in the Central Division.

After a scoreless first 75 minutes of the match, the two teams exploded for four goals in the final 15 minutes of the match.  Dallas struck in the 75^th minute on a play that started on the Burn's own half of the field.  Ariel Graziani stole the ball just shy of midfield and brought the ball into Columbus' half of the field.  Graziani played the ball to Jorge Rodriguez in the center of the pitch.  Rodriguez found Joselito Vaca alone on the right side of the box, with Vaca playing the ball back into the box for Rodriguez.  Rodriguez one-timed a left-footer that was redirected into the net by Chad Deering.  Columbus answered six minutes later after the Burn was unable to clear the ball out of their penalty area.  An initial Crew shot was blocked by Burn defender Ryan Suarez and the rebound bounced around at the top left corner of the box and eventually fell to John Wilmar Perez.  Perez hit a right-footer that curled into the upper right corner of the goal. 

Just one minute later, the Burn struck for the go-ahead goal.  Suarez played a ball to Graziani down the left flank.  Graziani beat his defender into the box and sent a low, driven cross into the box.  The cross was initially stopped by Crew defender Tenywa Bonseu, but Jason Kreis was there to knock the ball into the net from about one yard out.  Columbus evened the score in the 90^th minute, again after the Burn had several chances to clear the ball out of danger.  After the ball caromed around inside the box for quite a while, Jeff Cunningham lofted a ball over the defense to Edson Buddle.  With Burn 'keeper Matt Jordan charging off of his line to attempt to punch the ball away, Buddle got to the ball first and headed it over Jordan and into the open net for the final 2-2 score.

SCORING SUMMARY:
DAL - Deering - 1 (Rodriguez - 2, Vaca - 3) - 75^th minute
CLB - Perez - 4 (UA) - 81^st minute
DAL - Kreis - 4 (Graziani - 7, Suarez - 1) - 82^nd minute
CLB - Buddle - 3 (Cunningham - 6)

Cautions:
DAL - Graziani (43^rd minute)
DAL - Deering (61^st minute)
DAL - Pareja (71^st minute)
CLB - Perez (71^st minute)
CLB - Cunningham (76^th minute)

Attendance: 18,937

Referee: Brian Hall     Referee's Assistants: Glenn Prechac, Steven Davidson