GUATEMALA CITY, Guatemala (CMC) – An injury-time header from substitute Micah Lewis snatched a late 1-1 draw for Joe Public in a tense CONCACAF Champions League clash with Municipal here Thursday night.
Trailing 0-1 and reduced to 10 men after Jevon Morris was red-carded in the 81st minute, Joe Public stuck to their attacking game plan and it paid off three minutes into stoppage time.
On a blustery, rain-soaked evening at the Mateo Flores Stadium, the visiting Trinidad and Tobago Pro League unit seemed headed for defeat with time ticking away at the end when Lewis headed home Trent Noel’s cross.
Joe Public’s heroics dashed the hosts’ hopes of grabbing their first win in the tournament, after they had taken a 77th minute lead through Mario Rafael Rodriguez.
The result left both sides at the bottom of Group B with one point, two behind Columbus Crew and five behind group leader Santos.
Playing in soggy conditions after rain left the pitch water-logged, Municipal enjoyed the better of the chances but goalkeeper Marvin Philip kept Joe Public in the match with several spectacular saves.
The Guatemalans were also let down by poor finishing with Juan Jose Castillo and Guillermo Ramirez missing a couple of chances from close range as the score remained nil-all at halftime.
After the break, Municipal snatched the lead with 13 minutes to go. Rodriguez benefited from a partially saved shot that fell to his feet on the edge of the Joe Public six-yard box for him to slip his crisp low drive past the floundering Philip.
With the skies continuing to open, the inspirational Lewis managed to negotiate several puddles in the soggy outfield before arriving to meet Noel’s cross at the far post.
He made no mistake in nodding home with inch-perfect precision, beating despairing Municipal custodian Jaime Penedo low to his left for a share of the points.