Franco Fragapane scored in the third minute of stoppage time to give Minnesota United a 1-1 draw with the New England Revolution on Saturday night in Saint Paul, Minn.
It was the first MLS goal of the season for Fragapane, who took a pass from goaltender Dayne St. Clair, who was brought up as an extra attacker on a corner, and then fired a spinning right-footed shot from the left side of the box into the far right corner of the goal for the equalizer on the final play of the game.
St. Clair finished with three saves for the Loons (9-8-10, 37 points).
Carles Gil scored his first MLS goal since June 17 for New England (13-5-9, 48 points) which moved into sole possession of second place in the Eastern Conference with the draw. Earl Edwards made five saves for the Revs, who left Minnesota with a point despite being outshot 27-7 and finishing with a 15-1 disadvantage in corner kicks.
The Loons dominated the first 35 minutes of action, attempting 10 shots to just one for New England but couldn’t find the net. Emanuel Reynoso, who whistled a left-footed shot from outside the box over the crossbar in the seventh minute, and Hassani Dotson, who had a clean header from the middle of the box in the 28th minute that went over the goal, had the best chances for Minnesota.
New England then took a 1-0 lead in the 38th minute when Gil buried a crossing pass from brother Nacho Gil into the middle of the box with a one-touch right-footed shot into the top right corner of the net for his eighth goal of the season.
Tomas Chancalay, who had a brace in New England’s 2-2 draw with Austin FC a week earlier, nearly made it 2-0 in the 42nd minute but his right-footed shot from the left side of the box clanged off the crossbar.
The Loons then peppered the Revs with a handful of shots in the second half with Edwards making a highlight-reel diving stop on a Ismael Tajouri-Shradi left-footed shot from outside the box in the 64th minute and Jan Gregus grazing the crossbar in the 73rd minute with a right-footed shot from the center of the box before Fragapane’s dramatic game-tying score.
–Field Level Media
