Real Salt Lake Go The Distance Over Galaxy For MLS Cup

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON -- It took 120 minutes and 14 penalties but Real Salt Lake won the 2009 MLS Cup by defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy. More than 46,000 fans -- many wearing the light green of the Seattle Sounders -- packed the Qwest Field and saw only the second final ever to go the whole distance. In the end, RSL goalkeeper and match MVP Nick Rimando saved Edson Buddle's seventh round attempt while Robbie Russell scored and this proved to be the only difference between two evenly matched teams.

FIRST HALF

Robbie Findley had the first half-chance of the match in the seventh minute when RSL captain Kyle Beckerman played the streaking striker but Greg Berhalter was able to clear the ball out to the sideline before Findley could poke it toward Donovan Ricketts' cage.

Moments later, a nice run of Galaxy possession led to a Todd Dunivant cross from the left wing. Edson Buddle leaped and connected with the ball, but his headed attempt flew wide of Rimando's right post.

Will Johnson earned the first card of the game, seeing yellow from referee Kevin Scott after hip checking Landon Donovan as the United States Men's National Team star streaked up the left flank.

RSL suffered a blow in the 22nd minute when Javier Morales had to be replaced, moments after suffering a foul at the hands of Beckham that resulted in a knee-to-knee collision. The Argentine gamely attempted to continue, but the left after the LCL sprain proved to be too much. Jason Kreis brought on Clint Mathis in Morales' place.

With the Galaxy enjoying their share of the ball, Kirovski found himself free from 20 yards out, but his shot didn't trouble Rimando who bobbled it momentarily but recovered before any harm could come.

Beckham's third corner of the match resulted in the best chance for either team to that point. A flick-on at the near post skipped through the box and found Omar Gonzalez. The 2009 MLS Rookie of the Year stretched, but just barely touched the ball and it went flying over the bar.

RSL didn't manage their first shot until the 32nd minute, when Andy Williams' attempt rolled harmlessly wide.

The Galaxy nearly scored the match's first goal in the 36th minute. In a counterattack that involved a nice interchange between Donovan and Buddle, Mike Magee received a pass at the top of the 18-yard box. His well-struck shot stayed on the ground and crossed the face of Rimando's goal before rolling across the touchline past the goalie's left post.

Birchall saw yellow in the 39th minute after a hard challenge on Mathis.

It was another L.A. counterattack that drew first blood. Beckham charged through the midfield before leading Donovan into the box. The American striker could have taken a shot, but opted to show off his deft passing touch as he lofted a ball across to Magee. All the first-year Galaxy midfielder had to do was touch the ball into the net and he didn't make a mistake.

Nat Borchers nearly evened the match in injury time but his header off of Andy Williams' free kick fell straight to Ricketts.

SECOND HALF

At halftime, Ned Grabavoy replaced Will Johnson who battled a case of food poisoning throughout Saturday night.

Both Findley and Ricketts went down hard in the 47th minute. Movsisyan released the striker to space and he drove towards the net. L.A.'s keeper came out to meet the hard-charging player and the duo slammed into each other while both were relatively defenseless. After a three-minute break, both stood up and walked off the collision but Rickett's appeared to still be suffering the aftereffects.

RSL enjoyed more possession in the early stages of the second half, but failed to create any real chances.

The Galaxy earned a free kick 20 yards out in the 58th minute after Jamison Olave put his massive shoulder into Donovan, knocking the striker to the turf. Flashbulbs exploded as Beckham stood over the ball, but his attempt slammed into the wall and flew out of bounds.

RSL appealed for a penalty as Movsisyan appeared to be recklessly tackled in the box but replays showed Scott was correct in keeping the whistle in his pocket. 

In the 64th minute, the side from Utah found the equalizer when Movsisyan's blast from close range bounced off a Galaxy defender and fell to Findley. The striker, who tallied a dozen goals during the regular season, kept his left-footed shot true.

Following the goal, Ricketts came off holding the hand he injured in the collision and Josh Saunders replaced the Jamaican. It was the first substitution of a goalkeeper in MLS Cup history.

Movsisyan should have made it 2-1 in the 71st minute, but the attacker's touch abandoned him as he entered the box and the subsequent shot found itself deep in the stands behind the cage.

In the 75th minute, Kreis brought on Fabian Espindola for Movsisyan who earned a well-deserved hand from the 1,000 RSL fans who made the trip to Seattle.

The Galaxy finally strung a series of passes together in the 75th minute, ultimately earning a corner. Beckham's service was quality, but no man in white could rise above the mass of bodies to claim the ball.

Klein came on for Birchall in the 79th minute.

Buddle forced a solid save from Rimando four minutes later but the California native was up to the task and his backline cleared the rebound.

The Galaxy pressed, throwing six attackers in the box, but Beckerman and his RSL teammates were quicker to the ball time and time again.

A.J. DeLaGarza became the last substitution of the night when he replaced Gonzalez in the 89th minute.

With the end of regulation looming, the pace of play quickened as both sides searched for a winner. Neither could convert on a couple of half-chances, however, and 90 minutes ran out with the match square at one.

EXTRA TIME

Findley nearly put RSL in front on 94 minutes when he found the deflection of Ned Grabavoy's shot. While he was spinning the striker shot towards the net but a sliding DeLaGarza made sure it wouldn't reach Saunders.

Four minutes later, Findley almost had another goal after receiving a beautiful lead pass from Mathis but a blast from inside the 18-yard box hit the wrong side of the netting.

After a reckless challenge by Beckham led to a free kick 25 yards from goal, Mathis stood over the dead ball. The former U.S. international hit a true strike, but once again it landed on the outside of the cage.

The Galaxy had a chance at the death of the first overtime period after Donovan unleashed a wonderful cross-field ball to an onrushing Klein. The substitute had time to strike a good cross, but RSL's defense headed the ball away from harm.

With players from both squads obviously tiring, no one could create any solid chances during the first half of the second overtime period. RSL, which was able to make three substitutions for field players to the Galaxy's two, controlled a bit more of the possession but couldn't solve L.A.'s defense on the rare occasions when they have the ball in their opponent's final third.

In the 116th minute, Olave fouled Donovan and gave L.A. a dangerous free kick but Rimando easily punched away Beckham's curving ball.

RSL almost won the 2009 MLS Cup with seconds remaining, but an extremely tired Williams didn't have the legs to reach Mathis' pass as it rolled into the six-yard box and the match went to spot kicks.

PENALTIES

Beckham (Galaxy) -- goal

Mathis (RSL) -- goal

Berhalter (Galaxy) -- goal

Findley (RSL) -- goal

Kirovski (Galaxy) -- miss (save)

Beckerman (RSL) -- miss (save)

Donovan (Galaxy) -- miss (over the net)

Grabavoy (RSL) -- goal

Magee (Galaxy) -- goal

Williams (RSL) -- miss (save)

Klein (Galaxy) -- goal

Wingert (RSL) -- goal

Buddle (Galaxy) -- miss (save)

Russell (RSL) -- goal

Noah Davis, Goal.com

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