SANDY, Utah – Dawn broke so promisingly on Tyler Miller’s 23rd birthday, the first light creeping over the Wasatch Range and bringing endless possibilities.
Miller travelled to Salt Lake City with the Sounders knowing he might be making his MLS debut. Official word came an hour or so before kickoff: Goalkeeper Stefan Frei was out with elbow inflammation, and Seattle was turning to its second-round 2014 SuperDraft pick.
For most of the match, Miller played nervously but competently. Real Salt Lake’s first goal wasn’t his fault, a bullet header Miller had no shot at.
But less than four minutes from second-half stoppage time, Burrito Martinez sliced an innocuous cross floating towards Seattle’s goal.