UTRECHT, THE NETHERLANDS - Michael Bradley continued his goal charge, but Heerenveen let one slip away on the road as FC Utrecht fought back from a two-goal halftime deficit for a 2-2 draw on Sunday afternoon.

The US international added on to an early Danijel Pranjic goal before second half set piece strikes from Alje Schut and Sander Keller left the teams level.

The Nieuw Galgenwaard crowd barely had a chance to settle in their seats before a gaffe by Utrecht keeper Michel Vorm allowed Pranjic to put the visitors up in the opening minute.

After Jakob Poulsen was fouled just outside the area near the endline, Pranjic was able to sneak his free kick through the fumbling netminder on the short side.

Though the flukish tally quieted the singing home faithful, all were treated to a laugh in the fourth minute when Heerenveen manager protested a non-call with a big boot. After Vorm attempted to put out of bounds with Poulsen kicked down in midfield, the away manager emoted with an angry return half-volley.

The game became locked in midfield for a spell, with Geert Arend Roorda doing an especially good job disrupting the home attack.

Gerald Sibon broke into the area in the 11th minute, unleashing a low drive that was saved well by Vorm to initiate a pair of unsuccessful Heerenveen corner kicks.

Utrecht came to life in the 16th minute when Calvin Jong-A-Pin was forced to cede a corner to keep Loïc Laval from getting to a Leroy George cross.

The first restart saw Schut's header terrifically saved by Frisians starter Rob van Dijk, and the second pinballed around the area before falling lovingly for Rick Kruys. Though able to run onto the carom in stride, the Oranje Under-21 midfielder screwed his shot wide from 15 meters.

Moments later, a well-timed Kruys tackle kept Miralem Sulejmani from barging into the home area after some good combination work with Pranjic.

Even when the hosts were able to gain an attack posture, usually through clumsy Heerenveen turnovers, the rush fizzled quickly. At the midway point of the period, Tim Cornelisse crossed over everyone with time on the right flank, encapsulating Utrecht early futility going forward.

The best physical battle of the first half pitted Utrecht winger Laval against Jong-A-Pin. Predictably, the tussle eventually produced a yellow card, given to the Heerenveen defender for a 24th minute shirt tug - perhaps the tamest act between the two at that point.

With the Utrecht offense stuttering, Bradley & Co. were given opportunities to fast break and it was only a matter of time before the visitors doubled their lead.

Pranjic released the smart running Sulejmani down the left, and the Serbia youth international took his time to cut back for Bradley to fire with his left foot. The US midfielder dragged his shot behind the recovering Vorm, who could only get a piece of the ball as it rolled into the net.

The strike was Bradley's seventh of the league campaign, and it compelled Utrecht to ratchet up the attack. There would be no quick reply, however, with Henrico Drost blocking a close range Tom Caluwé try in the 31st minute.

Seven minutes later, Keller had a great look at goal on a far post corner serve, but fanned on the shot completely.

The teams traded half-chances in stoppage time, and Heerenveen went into the break up two. Whatever Utrecht boss Willem van Hanagem said in the locker room worked because his side came out for the second half with a clearly renewed spirit and quickly pulled a goal back.

The home side moved forward with some fine link play, eventually setting up Cornelisse for a shot that was tipped over by Van Dijk. Schut got to the end of the ensuing corner kick, and this time he found net with a looping header.

Utrecht were lifted by the goal and became even more predatory, launching wave after wave of attack. Near the hour, Cornelisse nodded over a moment before offensive sub Cedric van der Gun forced a good Van Dijk save.

The home faithful were rewarded on 68 minutes when a free kick offside trap failed miserably to leave Keller unmarked at the far post. The veteran chested down George's serve and slotted past Van Dijk to knot the match.

Now back to level, Utrecht's growing dominance in the air nearly provided a lead goal in the 74th minute when Schut headed a corner kick just wide from a good position.

Three minutes later, Heerenveen were given a golden chance to retake the lead after Cornelisse intentionally swatted down a Sibon bullet header. The striker then moved to take the spot kick, which was turned away by a sprawling Vorm.

In the 86th minute, Cornelisse did well to keep Bradley from reaching a low Sibon cross. After Gianni Zuiverloon alertly blocked a cheeky Robin Nelisse effort in added time, the match wound down slowly until the final whistle.

While under other circumstances the result would be enjoyable for Heerenveen to take home, Bradley says a second half malaise and increased intensity from the home team conspired to cost them two points on this day.

"Obviously, it was a pretty good first half," Bradley told American Soccer Daily after the game. "Anytime, you go into halftime up 2-0, you want to close it out and get your three points. That didn't happen today, so we're disappointed."

"They always having a 2-0 lead can be dangerous. They have to come out and try to get something from the game and we didn't start so well (in the second half). When you combine those things, a game that looks like three points turns into a crazy game."

ASD's Three Stars
#1 - Sander Keller
#2 - Geert Arend Roorda
#3 - Michael Bradley

Scoring
HEER - Danijel Pranjic 3 1'
HEER - Michael Bradley 7 (Miralem Sulejmani) 27'
FCU - Alje Schut 1 (Leroy George) 50'
FCU - Sander Keller 2 (Leroy George) 68'

Line-ups
FCU - Michel Vorm; Tim Cornelisse, Erik Pieters, Alje Schut, Sander Keller, Tom Caluwé (Lucian Sânmartean 66'), Gregoor van Dijk, Rick Kruys (Cedric van der Gun 46'), Loïc Loval, Leroy George, Robin Nelisse

HEER - Rob van Dijk; Gianni Zuiverloon, Michael Dingsdag, Henrico Drost, Jakob Poulsen, Calvin Jong-A-Pin (Timmi Johansen 46'), Geert Arend Roorda (Thomas Prager 66'), Michael Bradley, Danijel Pranjić, Miralem Sulejmani (Roy Beerens 81'), Gerald Sibon