OGDEN — Penalty-kick misses have haunted the Ogden Outlaws throughout their inaugural season, and that problem struck again Saturday evening.
Ogden was tied 2-2 with Abbotsford when it won a penalty kick in the 82nd minute. With a chance to win the game and vault past Abbotsford into second place in the Northwest Division of the Premier Development League, Dustin Bybee blazed the ensuing spot kick over the bar.
It was the Outlaws' fourth penalty-kick miss of the season and, when neither team scored after the errant shot, the game finished in a 2-2 draw.
"I think it's the jinx of Ogden High School," said coach Mike Hickman.
All four penalty misses have come at home, and three of the four have come when the Outlaws were playing toward the south end.
Saturday's result leaves Abbotsford in second place at 14 points. Ogden remains one point back at 13.
After being largely outplayed in the first half, Ogden sprang to life after halftime. Hickman has employed a 3-5-2 formation, rather than a 4-4-2, during the Outlaws' last two home games, and Bruno Baca led Ogden's five-man midfield in the second half.
Trailing 2-1 midway through the second half, Baca equalized for the Outlaws. When the ball was played to him deep inside the six-yard box, he smartly clipped the ball over Abbotsford's goalie and into the net.
Baca created a number of dangerous opportunities for his squad after halftime.
"He played well through the midfield," said Hickman.
Abbotsford initially went ahead 1-0 when Jason Jorgenson headed home a Simon Crocker cross in the 15th minute. Kenneth Hickman equalized for the Outlaws just before halftime.
Mike Riehl had the Rangers' other strike.
Now Ogden turns its attention to its first-round U.S. Open Cup game at Sonoma County of California this Wednesday. Just qualifying for the nationwide tournament was a big accomplishment, but will the Outlaws have any specific goals for the competition?
"Just take it one game at a time," said Hickman.
OGDEN 4, CASCADE 0: Kenneth Hickman scored twice as the Outlaws knocked off the Cascade Surge of Oregon Friday evening. Leading 1-0, Ogden reeled off three second-half goals to put away the Surge.
Armin Serdarevic and Noah Sharpsteen each added a goal.