Photo by Bill Streicher/ USA Today Sports

By RYAN TOLMICH

After being defeated by the Philadelphia Union just five days prior, New York City FC looked to be on the path to victory Thursday night against the very same opponent. That was until substitute C.J. Sapong was left free to strike.

Sapong scored an 86th minute equalizer, cancelling out an earlier Mehdi Ballouchy finish, to lead the Union to a 1-1 draw Thursday night at Yankee Stadium. The draw comes just five days after NYCFC were defeated by the very same Union, 2-1, on the road at PPL Park.

“I saw opportunity,” Sapong said of the goal. “I had a little drought within my own standards. I tried to focus extra today on going with the play. I think the last couple of days there were some tricklers that I had gotten to if I stayed with it, so that was my motto for the day was focus and concentration, and it fell for me and I just put it in the net.”

Down a goal with just minutes remaining, Sapong proved hero by leveling the score to earn his side a hard-fought point. On the receiving end of a headed pass from Maurice Edu, Sapong did the job via a volley, smashing a shot past Josh Saunders for the tying goal.

“It was just a hopeful ball in the box from them. You give them credit on the second ball situation,” Saunders said. “They were hungry and wanted to get to it. We didn’t necessarily make the play to get the ball out of the box. For me, I was just hoping he’d kick this straight at me.”

After floundering in the first half, Ballouchy blossomed in the second, providing the opening goal in the 57th minute.

After receiving a pass on the right side from Khiry Shelton, Ballouchy took off with a spectacular first touch and cut in to the left. The Moroccan proceeded to hit a left-footed curler right into the upper corner before taking off and removing his shirt in celebration of giving his side the 1-0 lead.

“Khiry had the ball and started driving at the back four and opened up,” Ballouchy said of the goal. I thought that he saw me. He played me through and I faked that I was going to go right, came back in to my left and fortunately I connected well and it ended up going in.”

Ballouchy’s finish came just moments after Union goalkeeper John McCarthy robbed Ned Grabavoy from close range, starting off what could have been a lackluster second half following the removal of David Villa due to injury which was confirmed to be a “slight hamstring” injury that will be looked at Friday.

The NYCFC midfielder’s night appeared to be heading toward disappointment when, in the 28th minute, Villa’s backheel flick found a wide-open Ballouchy, who smashed a shot over the wide open net in what proved to be the most clear-cut chance of the opening 45 minutes.

The NYCFC lead was called into question in the 73rd minute via a close range effort from Zach Pfeffer, but Saunders provided a spectacular save right on the doorstep to preserve the lead.

That lead looked set to hold true until the 85th minute, when Sapong stepped up to snag the Union a late point.

“It’s huge,” said Union head coach Jim Curtin of the result, which gives his side four points in less than a week. “We talked about that earlier that we didn’t want them to take three adn have it be kind of a wash. To take the four points was a huge one for us and one that we can build on to and look forward to New England, a very good team coming in on the weekend. WE’ll have to regroup, quick turn around and get three points on our home field.”

NYCFC return to action Sunday in a matchup with the Portland Timbers, while the Union host the New England Revolution that same day.

“I’ll take a quick turnaround any day,” Saunders said. “I’ll take a game coming up any day. Quick turnaround, three days away, whatever it is, I’ll take it.”