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Red Bulls Charge into MLS Cup Final
Red Bull New York defeated Real Salt Lake to lift the Western Conference title in MLS Playoff action tonight.
Nov 15, 2008 11:37:21 PM
SANDY, UTAH—Red Bull New York managed to scrape by Real Salt
Lake in the Western Conference finals by the skin of an extra layer of paint on
the goalpost. An entirely enthralling game means Juan Carlos Osorio’s men claim
a slightly undeserved trophy from under the nose of the plucky RSL, who hit the
post three times. New York, they of the Eastern coastline, are the Western
Conference champions of 2008.
First Half
Both teams entered the game frantically, cheered on by a deafening sell-out crowd. In the opening minutes, RSL twice used Yura Movsisyan’s pace to slice down the left of NY’s defense. The second time resulted in a cross to Clint Mathis whose shot was blocked.
In the 8th minute, NY borrowed RSL’s strategy of chipping balls in behind the back, and John Wolyniec rushed onto the lob to slam his shot into Nick Rimando. From the resulting corner, Juan Pablo Angel headed into Rimando’s arms. It was end-to-end stuff, and off another breakaway in the 11th, Wolyniec volleyed wide from a Dane Richards cross. Then, from a smart Javier Morales release, Will Johnson tumbled in the box under a Diego Jimenez tackle. The referee was close behind, however, and was giving nothing away easily.
After the quarter-hour mark, the game took a slight downturn in pace as the teams struggled to keep up with the frenzy of the opening minutes. From there the passion took a more cynical turn as the midfields snipped at each other. The center of the pitch would take on a new dynamic, however, when Jorge Rojas replaced Sinisa Ubiparipovic, who had passed a late fitness test, but could not continue past the 21st minute due to a left hamstring injury.
Movsisyan almost took advantage of a reorganizing NY team when he danced with the ball atop the box and sizzled in a low drive that Danny Cepero only barely managed to finger wide of the mark. Minutes later, Movsisyan flicked on a slicing Dema Kovalenko pass, but went down holding his face in the box. Again, the referee waved play on.
Through the very next play, New York opened the scoring. Dave van den Bergh played in the lively Wolyniec behind the right of RSL’s defense and his low cross bounced out to van den Bergh who easily side-footed home. It was the quietest the rambunctious fans had been all night. Despite an obvious dip in crowd volume, they did manage to roar when Kovalenko whizzed in a cross which Movsisyan could only poke wide, and Morales couldn’t collect on the touchline.
They were quickly back in full voice shortly after, in the 38th, when a Morales free-kick eluded everyone to ricochet agonizingly off the post. On the stroke of halftime, Goldthwaite brought down Morales to earn the game’s first caution, but RSL couldn’t take advantage of the confusion caused by a smoke bomb in the box to find an equalizer.
The score ended 1-0 at half, but with RSL still firmly in the game thanks to their tenacious high press and aggressive attitude.
Second half
The next 45 started slowly, mostly due to Johnson clashing heads with Chris Leitch in the opening seconds and two more smoke bombs within the first 10 minutes. The latter prompted a terse reminder from the loudspeaker that throwing objects onto the field results in removal from the stadium, just as Robbie Russell launched an audacious chip with the outside of his boot that brought the best out of Cepero.
Unwilling to wait any longer with the conference title on the line, Jason Kreis threw on the speedy Robbie Findley for Kovalenko in the 59th. Four minutes later it was almost the pace of Richards instead that counted. He ran onto a ball the RSL defense had left for dead, kept it in bounds, and sent in a deflected cross. RSL whiffed two clearances, but the ball wouldn’t fall correctly for Angel to finish.
On the other side of the pitch, Rojas brought down Morales to earn a yellow. Beckerman got on the end of the free-kick, but Cepero recovered brilliantly to parry. Continued pressure led to another glorious spurned opportunity. Morales passed to Findley who laid off for Jamison Olave. One-on-one with Cepero, the defender arched his shot just over the bar from 6 yards.
It was New York spurning heart-thumping chances a couple minutes later. A slick Rojas pass played Richards in behind, and he used his pace to power away. However, from a tight angle, he thwacked the ball behind for a goal kick.
In a similar move, Movsisyan powered past his marker to win a chipped ball, but nailed his shot past the far post with Cepero stranded. Will Johnson fell to his knees and clutched his face in despair. Kreis responded to yet another miss by throwing on the veteran Andy Williams for defender Olave. The move almost paid off immediately as Williams volleyed a long corner, but the deflections couldn’t take it past Cepero.
In the 79th, another substitute in Findley pulled back from the sideline to free up Morales in the box, but the playmaker scuffed his shot high from 5 yards. They came even closer in the 81th. Movsisyan pushed a Williams ball through to Findley, whose tame shot skidded past Rimando into the path of Johnson. The former Heerenveen player, however, could only push the ball onto the post from one yard with the entire goal gaping. It was looking like it might not be Real’s night.
The game continued to gather momentum, imitating the opening minutes. Nat Borchers found himself up high and headed a curling cross two feet wide. Salt Lake simply would not release the pressure with their season on the line, and the rollicking sell-out crowd was back to full voice.
Four minutes were added just as Cepero dived to deny another corner from bundling in. Kreis looked to force one of those opportunities in by throwing on target-man Kenny Deuchar for Mathis. In yet another unlucky bounce, Javier Morales slammed a half-volley into the post.
As the next move was cleared over the line, the ref called an end the game. Juan Carlos Osorio lifted his arms in celebration, having guided his unlikely New York in the MLS Cup final.
RSL players could only limp off the field, having left everything on it. Very seldom will fans see such a thrilling, yet frustrating, 1-0 game.
--Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com
First Half
Both teams entered the game frantically, cheered on by a deafening sell-out crowd. In the opening minutes, RSL twice used Yura Movsisyan’s pace to slice down the left of NY’s defense. The second time resulted in a cross to Clint Mathis whose shot was blocked.
In the 8th minute, NY borrowed RSL’s strategy of chipping balls in behind the back, and John Wolyniec rushed onto the lob to slam his shot into Nick Rimando. From the resulting corner, Juan Pablo Angel headed into Rimando’s arms. It was end-to-end stuff, and off another breakaway in the 11th, Wolyniec volleyed wide from a Dane Richards cross. Then, from a smart Javier Morales release, Will Johnson tumbled in the box under a Diego Jimenez tackle. The referee was close behind, however, and was giving nothing away easily.
After the quarter-hour mark, the game took a slight downturn in pace as the teams struggled to keep up with the frenzy of the opening minutes. From there the passion took a more cynical turn as the midfields snipped at each other. The center of the pitch would take on a new dynamic, however, when Jorge Rojas replaced Sinisa Ubiparipovic, who had passed a late fitness test, but could not continue past the 21st minute due to a left hamstring injury.
Movsisyan almost took advantage of a reorganizing NY team when he danced with the ball atop the box and sizzled in a low drive that Danny Cepero only barely managed to finger wide of the mark. Minutes later, Movsisyan flicked on a slicing Dema Kovalenko pass, but went down holding his face in the box. Again, the referee waved play on.
Through the very next play, New York opened the scoring. Dave van den Bergh played in the lively Wolyniec behind the right of RSL’s defense and his low cross bounced out to van den Bergh who easily side-footed home. It was the quietest the rambunctious fans had been all night. Despite an obvious dip in crowd volume, they did manage to roar when Kovalenko whizzed in a cross which Movsisyan could only poke wide, and Morales couldn’t collect on the touchline.
They were quickly back in full voice shortly after, in the 38th, when a Morales free-kick eluded everyone to ricochet agonizingly off the post. On the stroke of halftime, Goldthwaite brought down Morales to earn the game’s first caution, but RSL couldn’t take advantage of the confusion caused by a smoke bomb in the box to find an equalizer.
The score ended 1-0 at half, but with RSL still firmly in the game thanks to their tenacious high press and aggressive attitude.
Second half
The next 45 started slowly, mostly due to Johnson clashing heads with Chris Leitch in the opening seconds and two more smoke bombs within the first 10 minutes. The latter prompted a terse reminder from the loudspeaker that throwing objects onto the field results in removal from the stadium, just as Robbie Russell launched an audacious chip with the outside of his boot that brought the best out of Cepero.
Unwilling to wait any longer with the conference title on the line, Jason Kreis threw on the speedy Robbie Findley for Kovalenko in the 59th. Four minutes later it was almost the pace of Richards instead that counted. He ran onto a ball the RSL defense had left for dead, kept it in bounds, and sent in a deflected cross. RSL whiffed two clearances, but the ball wouldn’t fall correctly for Angel to finish.
On the other side of the pitch, Rojas brought down Morales to earn a yellow. Beckerman got on the end of the free-kick, but Cepero recovered brilliantly to parry. Continued pressure led to another glorious spurned opportunity. Morales passed to Findley who laid off for Jamison Olave. One-on-one with Cepero, the defender arched his shot just over the bar from 6 yards.
It was New York spurning heart-thumping chances a couple minutes later. A slick Rojas pass played Richards in behind, and he used his pace to power away. However, from a tight angle, he thwacked the ball behind for a goal kick.
In a similar move, Movsisyan powered past his marker to win a chipped ball, but nailed his shot past the far post with Cepero stranded. Will Johnson fell to his knees and clutched his face in despair. Kreis responded to yet another miss by throwing on the veteran Andy Williams for defender Olave. The move almost paid off immediately as Williams volleyed a long corner, but the deflections couldn’t take it past Cepero.
In the 79th, another substitute in Findley pulled back from the sideline to free up Morales in the box, but the playmaker scuffed his shot high from 5 yards. They came even closer in the 81th. Movsisyan pushed a Williams ball through to Findley, whose tame shot skidded past Rimando into the path of Johnson. The former Heerenveen player, however, could only push the ball onto the post from one yard with the entire goal gaping. It was looking like it might not be Real’s night.
The game continued to gather momentum, imitating the opening minutes. Nat Borchers found himself up high and headed a curling cross two feet wide. Salt Lake simply would not release the pressure with their season on the line, and the rollicking sell-out crowd was back to full voice.
Four minutes were added just as Cepero dived to deny another corner from bundling in. Kreis looked to force one of those opportunities in by throwing on target-man Kenny Deuchar for Mathis. In yet another unlucky bounce, Javier Morales slammed a half-volley into the post.
As the next move was cleared over the line, the ref called an end the game. Juan Carlos Osorio lifted his arms in celebration, having guided his unlikely New York in the MLS Cup final.
RSL players could only limp off the field, having left everything on it. Very seldom will fans see such a thrilling, yet frustrating, 1-0 game.
--Zac Lee Rigg, Goal.com
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