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Salt Lake Earn Draw To Advance Past Chivas USA
Real Salt Lake took only a one-goal lead into the final match of the MLS playoff quarterfinals versus Chivas USA and lost that when the home team scored first. However, the Utah squad battled back and will advance to the conference finals.
Nov 9, 2008 1:28:44 AM
CARSON, Calif. -- Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA entered MLS at the same
time, 2005, but they will exit the 2008 playoffs at different rounds.
Chivas once again suffered first-round playoff elimination to
less-fancied opponents. RSL came out ready to play both legs and scored
the goals necessary to advance in a thrilling match that included 4
goals and 7 yellow cards.
First Half
Chivas fans were the ones that have experienced playoff action before,
but the 19,265 who showed up weren't jaded. To start off the match, they showered Nick Rimando's goal mouth with so many streamers that a couple of his defenders had to help clear the area while Clint Mathis received treatment. He wasn't down long, and picked up a yellow on the
10th minute for a late tackle on Jonathan Bornstein. Real Salt Lake
made good on their promise to come out aggressive, and hounded every
loose ball or slack pass.
The pressure almost came good in the 16th minute when a Kyle Beckerman chip arced over the Chivas defense and Yura Movsisyan's leg bounced it over the goal.
Both teams spurned chances in the opening half hour. That's when
Chivas peppered Rimando's goal for a good 4 minute period, but kept
finding their shots deflected around for corners. On the second
corner, Ante Razov found some space in the edge of the penalty box and was brought down by playmaker Javier Morales.
The scintillating Sacha Kljestan bounded forward and curled the
resulting penalty kick into the top right corner, just above the
outstretched fingers of Rimando. The series was tied at one goal
apiece, and the tension palpable.
As Chivas pushed forward for an equalizer, RSL sprung a counter attack and Movsisyan found acres of space down the right wing where he showed impressive pace to outrun the covering Jim Curtin and fire a shot on goal. Zach Thornton was positioned well, however, and easily caught the ball at his feet.
Minutes later, in the 37th, Beckerman headed a Morales free kick
powerfully, but slightly wide.
It turned out to be a warning Chivas didn't heed, as Morales' next
cross proved more damaging. This one was from open play, and Dema
Kovalenko nipped ahead of his marker to head across Thornton and into the net. It was his first playoff goal since 2001, and it was a
crucial one.
Chivas thought they were ahead on the stroke of half-time when a Razov
deflected shot fell to diminutive Francisco Mendoza. However, the
assistant referee called offsides even before Rimando managed to parry
the close shot up and wide of the goal.
Second Half
Chivas knew they had to score to even have a chance of advancing, so
Head Coach Preki threw on striker Alecko Eskandarian for defender
Curtin at the start of the half.
It didn't pay off in the opening stages as RSL continued to have the
better of play. In the 52nd minute, Movsisyan powered through Shavar
Thomas, but his low raking shot was saved a startlingly quick Thornton
in full stretch.
Preki showed none of the patience or negativity of the first round,
and wasted no time in bringing in more attacking power. Utah native
Justin Braun, a burly striker, replaced right back Carey Talley in the
56th minute.
Movsisyan, tormentor of the Chivas USA backline, again nearly broke
through in the 64th minute. It may have been a case of too many cooks
as Chivas found themselves shorthanded on a counterattack led by
Morales. His short pass to Movsisyan did half the work, and the
striker's power and pace did the rest to set up a near-post drive
which just went the wrong side of the post.
In the 69th minute, Robbie Russell misjudged a through ball, and
Eskandarian burst through behind the defense. His low cross, however,
couldn't be turned in by Razov, and was bundled out of danger.
RSL immediately hit back with a dangerous opportunity of their own.
Some quick feet from Movsisyan on the half-way line allowed him to
send Morales through on goal. The Argentine only had to chip Thornton,
but his immense ball control skills couldn't guide the shot on target.
That wasn't the case in the 76th minute. A long ball found substitute
Robbie Findley outpacing Bornstein. The former Galaxy striker rode the
challenge from Bornstein and drew Thornton out of his goal, only to
turn and drop for Morales. This time Morales calmly passed it into the
bottom right hand corner for the lead.
Chivas continued to give a thrilling performance, regardless of the
two goal deficit overall. A mazy Mendoza run saw the winger poke the
ball through to Justin Braun, who calmly side-footed around a diving
Rimando to score. It was the 83rd minute, and the tie was perched on a
knife's edge. Both managers deployed their last substitutions in the
wake of the goal: Fabian Espindola for RSL and Alex Zotinca for
Chivas.
Chances fell to both sides, as they rushed back and forth. Findley had
another slicing sprint into the box, but his shot was parried by
Thornton. Kljestan then lofted a shot mere inches over Rimando and the
crossbar. Despite 5 minutes of injury time, the score ended 2-2.
In the end, the playoff newcomers took the series with a 3-2
aggregate. They were the braver side in the first leg, and continued
to attack even deep into injury time when away. Now RSL will advance
to the conference finals to play either Houston Dynamo or Red Bull New
York.
Chivas, for their part, will have little to begrudge but their own
performance. A negative outlook cost them in the first leg, and
despite the spirit shown at home in a flowing and entertaining match,
the players find themselves on an undesired vacation.
Zac Lee Rigg is Associate Editor of Goal.com USA
First Half
Chivas fans were the ones that have experienced playoff action before,
but the 19,265 who showed up weren't jaded. To start off the match, they showered Nick Rimando's goal mouth with so many streamers that a couple of his defenders had to help clear the area while Clint Mathis received treatment. He wasn't down long, and picked up a yellow on the
10th minute for a late tackle on Jonathan Bornstein. Real Salt Lake
made good on their promise to come out aggressive, and hounded every
loose ball or slack pass.
The pressure almost came good in the 16th minute when a Kyle Beckerman chip arced over the Chivas defense and Yura Movsisyan's leg bounced it over the goal.
Both teams spurned chances in the opening half hour. That's when
Chivas peppered Rimando's goal for a good 4 minute period, but kept
finding their shots deflected around for corners. On the second
corner, Ante Razov found some space in the edge of the penalty box and was brought down by playmaker Javier Morales.
The scintillating Sacha Kljestan bounded forward and curled the
resulting penalty kick into the top right corner, just above the
outstretched fingers of Rimando. The series was tied at one goal
apiece, and the tension palpable.
As Chivas pushed forward for an equalizer, RSL sprung a counter attack and Movsisyan found acres of space down the right wing where he showed impressive pace to outrun the covering Jim Curtin and fire a shot on goal. Zach Thornton was positioned well, however, and easily caught the ball at his feet.
Minutes later, in the 37th, Beckerman headed a Morales free kick
powerfully, but slightly wide.
It turned out to be a warning Chivas didn't heed, as Morales' next
cross proved more damaging. This one was from open play, and Dema
Kovalenko nipped ahead of his marker to head across Thornton and into the net. It was his first playoff goal since 2001, and it was a
crucial one.
Chivas thought they were ahead on the stroke of half-time when a Razov
deflected shot fell to diminutive Francisco Mendoza. However, the
assistant referee called offsides even before Rimando managed to parry
the close shot up and wide of the goal.
Second Half
Chivas knew they had to score to even have a chance of advancing, so
Head Coach Preki threw on striker Alecko Eskandarian for defender
Curtin at the start of the half.
It didn't pay off in the opening stages as RSL continued to have the
better of play. In the 52nd minute, Movsisyan powered through Shavar
Thomas, but his low raking shot was saved a startlingly quick Thornton
in full stretch.
Preki showed none of the patience or negativity of the first round,
and wasted no time in bringing in more attacking power. Utah native
Justin Braun, a burly striker, replaced right back Carey Talley in the
56th minute.
Movsisyan, tormentor of the Chivas USA backline, again nearly broke
through in the 64th minute. It may have been a case of too many cooks
as Chivas found themselves shorthanded on a counterattack led by
Morales. His short pass to Movsisyan did half the work, and the
striker's power and pace did the rest to set up a near-post drive
which just went the wrong side of the post.
In the 69th minute, Robbie Russell misjudged a through ball, and
Eskandarian burst through behind the defense. His low cross, however,
couldn't be turned in by Razov, and was bundled out of danger.
RSL immediately hit back with a dangerous opportunity of their own.
Some quick feet from Movsisyan on the half-way line allowed him to
send Morales through on goal. The Argentine only had to chip Thornton,
but his immense ball control skills couldn't guide the shot on target.
That wasn't the case in the 76th minute. A long ball found substitute
Robbie Findley outpacing Bornstein. The former Galaxy striker rode the
challenge from Bornstein and drew Thornton out of his goal, only to
turn and drop for Morales. This time Morales calmly passed it into the
bottom right hand corner for the lead.
Chivas continued to give a thrilling performance, regardless of the
two goal deficit overall. A mazy Mendoza run saw the winger poke the
ball through to Justin Braun, who calmly side-footed around a diving
Rimando to score. It was the 83rd minute, and the tie was perched on a
knife's edge. Both managers deployed their last substitutions in the
wake of the goal: Fabian Espindola for RSL and Alex Zotinca for
Chivas.
Chances fell to both sides, as they rushed back and forth. Findley had
another slicing sprint into the box, but his shot was parried by
Thornton. Kljestan then lofted a shot mere inches over Rimando and the
crossbar. Despite 5 minutes of injury time, the score ended 2-2.
In the end, the playoff newcomers took the series with a 3-2
aggregate. They were the braver side in the first leg, and continued
to attack even deep into injury time when away. Now RSL will advance
to the conference finals to play either Houston Dynamo or Red Bull New
York.
Chivas, for their part, will have little to begrudge but their own
performance. A negative outlook cost them in the first leg, and
despite the spirit shown at home in a flowing and entertaining match,
the players find themselves on an undesired vacation.
Zac Lee Rigg is Associate Editor of Goal.com USA
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