The Salt Lake Sting aren't about to start calling Derks Field "Home Sweet Home" yet.
The Sting, who have picked up three victories on the road this year, are still winless at home after the Colorado Foxes took a 2-0 victory Saturday night.The loss dropped the Sting to 3-3 in the WSL North and left them alone in fifth place, while Colorado improved to 5-3. In their two previous home appearances the Sting lost to San Francisco 4-2 and tied F.C. Dallas 1-1 in an exhibition game.
"I don't know what it is - we don't seem to play like this on the road," said a frustrated Sting Coach Laurie Calloway. "Maybe it's a nervous thing or something. Our players are so keen to please the people, maybe that's part of it."
The Salt Lake "people" showed up again in large numbers as 6,344 were on hand on a blustery evening that included drizzly rain off and on throughout the game.
In the early going, Salt Lake had a couple of chances to take command. Mike Foscalina and Steve Sengelmann each had clean shots at the goal, which were stopped by Mark Dodd. Meanwhile Colorado only managed two shots in the whole first half.
Then nine minutes into the second half, Colorado's John Kline took a crossing pass from Chris Foster just outside the penalty area and fired a low shot through a crowd and past Sting goalkeeper Paul Parkinson.
"I lost sight of it," said Parkinson. "It came across and nobody cleared it. I saw him start to kick it, but I didn't see the ball until it was about 12 yards out. It came at an awkward spot and I couldn't get it."
The goal served as sort of a wake-up call for the Sting, who got three good chances to score in the next seven minutes.
First Dzung Tran hit Derek Sanderson with a perfect pass just in front of the goal. But Sanderson's header shot went just left of the net.
"That's got to be a goal," said Calloway. "We created a good scoring opportunity and it would have been 1-1."
But a minute later, the Sting apparently scored when Tran hit George Pastor at nearly the same spot and Pastor headed it into the net. However, he was quickly ruled offsides on the play, nullifying the goal.
"I thought no way I was off (sides)," said Pastor. "I saw their guy right next to me battling for the ball. I was really surprised when they called offsides . . . I guess when we see the tape we'll know."
Calloway questioned the call also, but said, "I don't want anyone blaming the referee for the game."
About 10 minutes later, the Sting had a couple of more shots, both by Foscalina. The first caromed off the top of the goalpost and the second flew about four feet over the top of the goal.
It looked like the defensive-minded Foxes would take another 1-0 victory, like three of their previous four wins. But with just under 10 minutes left in the contest, Mike Wright got loose on the right side and knocked one past Parkinson when he came out to challenge.
Although the Sting put in some extra firepower in the final minutes, they couldn't score. They outshot their opponents 22 to 8 on the night, but could never get one past Dodd.
Colorado Coach Emilio Romero was a little defensive about the fact that his team is known as a defensive team.
"We're very solid with on the back and in the goal. But we have a good offense. We just haven't found the net much and now we're creating our chances."
Salt Lake will need to figure out a way to win at home because their next four games are at home, beginning with a contest against the California Emperors Friday at Derks Field at 7 p.m.