Frustrating draw for Bulls

In the unique world of the CONCACAF Champions League, the Red Bulls needed to be on top of their game while in preseason mode.

Instead, they delivered an uneven performance filled with miscues, although they did avert disaster in the opening leg of the quarterfinals by earning a 1-1 draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps at Red Bull Arena on Wednesday night.

Bradley Wright-Phillips’ equalizer in the 62nd minute on a blast into the upper right corner of the net, pulled the Red Bulls even, but their failure to find another goal with the Whitecaps down a man could prove costly during the second leg on March 2 in Vancouver.

“It shapes up for another interesting game because I think there will be a certain tentativeness with each team,” Red Bulls coach Jesse Marsch said.

The Red Bulls controlled possession and continually created chances. Each push up the field, however, was met by lost execution in the final third.

First there was newly crowned captain Sacha Kljestan firing a near-side blast at net just wide in the fourth minute. Then it was Wright-Phillips and Daniel Royer heading efforts just over the bar.

But none was more egregious than Kljestan failing to convert a penalty kick early in the second half. Like clockwork, the missed opportunities came back to hurt the Red Bulls.

In between, Vancouver converted a corner kick off the head of Kekuta Manneh for a 1-0 lead in the 39th minute.

“I just think we need to be a bit cleaner around the box,” Wright-Phillips said. “We got into some good positions and maybe the cross wasn’t good enough or the connection wasn’t good enough, but this was our first game.”

And as such, there is a need for improvement — and fast. Another uneven performance could mean the end of the road in the Red Bulls’ first appearance in the quarterfinal round.