Reserve key to RSL comeback

Chris Brown has been waiting in the Real Salt Lake wings throughout the opening month of the season.

Brown, the MLS veteran, was in fantastic form during the preseason and has since carried that over to reserve matches.

Through it all, he's simply been hoping for a chance to see what he could do with the first-team squad.

He got that opportunity Saturday evening against New York — his first MLS appearance of 2007 — and he took full advantage. Subbed in at right midfield, Brown scored a sensational goal from the right side to help Real salvage a 3-3 draw.

"Chris Brown has had an absolute electric preseason for the team. He's been scoring goals for the reserve team every time he's on the pitch," said coach Jason Kreis, who managed Salt Lake for the first time Saturday. "He deserved his chance, and he took it."

"Tonight," Brown added, "things went our way and went my way."

Going into the game, Kreis said he had already made up his mind about what he would do if RSL needed to chase the game late. Rather than take off a midfielder or defender and replace him with a forward, Kreis instead determined he would move right midfielder Chris Klein to right back and slot Brown into Klein's right midfield position.

That's exactly how it played out, as Brown came on in the 67th minute.

"It's my belief — in order to get more attacking play — you don't always have to put more forwards on the field," said Kreis. "Sometimes I think coaches are too eager to put three or four forwards on the field at once, trying to chase a game. I don't think that's necessarily always helpful."

Real trailed 3-1 in the final minutes when Jeff Cunningham converted a penalty kick to pull a goal back. Moments later, Freddy Adu spotted Brown making a run down the right side.

Adu's ball found Brown behind the defense near the endline. He beat two defenders, cut in and unleashed an unstoppable shot off the upper-left corner and in.

Kreis — and Brown's teammates — have all seen his ability for a long time. Despite the fact that he hasn't played much recently, he's been stellar with the reserves and he's known for solid play in practice.

He said he has felt sharp since the preseason, and he finally got a chance to showcase that to the Real faithful.

"It was a little bit frustrating," he said of having to wait on the sidelines. "I felt like I was playing well. I felt like I deserved a shot, and I fancy myself as a forward...It was nice of Jason to at least give me a chance to show what I can do, and I have to thank him for that."

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E-mail: drasmussen@desnews.com