RSL DOWNED 2-1 BY D.C. UNITED IN EXTRA TIME
RSL Misses Out on U.S. Soccer’s National Championship
for Fourth Time in as Many Years;
No Time for Rest as Rematch in League Play Looms
Saturday Night at RFK Stadium
WASHINGTON, D.C. (Wednesday, June 2, 2010) – Real Salt Lake saw a late equalizer go for naught in its Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup MLS Play-in qualifying contest at D.C. United, as substitute MF Andy Najar’s goal at the start of the second extra added time period stood to down the defending MLS Cup champs 2-1 atRFK Stadium. The two sides traded penalty kicks in the final 15 minutes of regulation to set up a scramble to the finish that spilled over into the added extra time sessions. It would be United that would ultimately survive and advance, as last year’s tournament runner-up claimed MLS’ remaining berth in U.S. Soccer’s National Championship competition.
The first half was a choppy 45 minutes, with
the makeshift line-ups feeling each other out – and adjusting to a revamped
4-2-3-1 formation in the visitors’ case. While Real Salt Lake would hold the
better of the possession, it was United gaining the two best chances of the
stanza off of lightning-fast counter-attacks, but GK Kyle Reynish made a
stellar tip save of FW Luciano Emilio’s 35-yard effort in the 14th
minute to keep D.C. off the board, while late pressure from DF Tony Beltran
and a hard-charging Reynish would combine to force MF Thabiso Khumalo to
push his 1-v-1 on goal just wide of the left post.
The second half began in similar fashion with
RSL holding possession well, but things would start to even out just past the
hour mark with the introduction of dangerous attackers on both sides, RSL
inserting the influential trio of FW Álvaro Saborío, MF Javier
Morales and FW Fabian Espíndola, while United subbed in FW Chris
Pontius and MF Santino Quaranta. However, the scoreboard wouldn’t
change until the 75th minute when, after Reynish slid in well to
stop a shot at his right post, the ball popped up to Pontius, whose bicycle
half-chance was deemed handled by MF Collen Warner. Emilio would sneak
his low shot just past Reynish and inside the left post to put the home side up
1-0 with a quarter-hour to go.
But the lead would be short-lived, as Real
Salt Lake would earn a PK of its own six minutes later after Espíndola’s cross
from the left side of the area clipped the hand of DF Barry Rice on the
way past. MF Will Johnson stepped up to bury the spot kick into the
right side of goal in the 81st minute, setting up a frantic final 10
minutes of regulation. Both sides would have fine chances to avoid added extra
time, but nothing else would find the back of the net, resulting in 30 more
minutes of bonus soccer to decide who would advance.
While the attacking intensity ratcheted up
for both sides, it became evident that it might take an individual effort to
break down the defenses – and that would be supplied by the fresh legs of Najar
just moments after his insertion between the two added time halves. In the 107th
minute, the United rookie confidently split a pair of RSL defenders in the
right side of the area before slotting low under an onrushing Reynish to give
United the advantage once again. Real Salt Lake would throw everything it had
on goal from there on out, but despite coming close on numerous occasions –
including seeing a pair of shots cleared off the line by Rice – it couldn’t
recreate the late-game magic that helped even up its first Play-in contest at
San Jose six weeks ago.
Real Salt Lake Notes
·There will be little time to rest for both squads, who will meet up this Saturday, June 5, again at RFK Stadium, this time in League play. Real Salt Lake will look to improve upon its club-record five-game winning streak in MLS play when it squares off with United for a 5:30 p.m. MT kickoff (live on KUSG 2.2, KALL 700 Sports, ESPN Deportes 1600-AM and Homero 106.1-FM).
·With tonight’s result, Real Salt Lake’s overall record in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and tournament qualifying play dropped to 3-6-1. Since MLS teams went to the “Play-in” format to settle the last two of its eight berths in 2007, Real Salt Lake has failed to qualify, coming within one game of doing so each of the last two seasons.
·Tonight’s match saw the official RSL debut in League or Cup competition for a pair of rookies. DF Chris Schuler was plugged into the starting XI on the left side of the RSL backline and went 63 minutes on the evening, while 16-year-old Luis Gil entered following regulation and played an active 30 minutes during the added extra time sessions.
D.C.
United v. Real Salt Lake
Lamar
Hunt U.S. Open Cup “MLS Play-in” Qualifier
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
RFK
Stadium – Washington, D.C.
Scoring
Summary:
DC – Luciano Emilio (penalty kick) 75
RSL –
Will Johnson (penalty kick) 81
DC –
Andy Najar (unassisted) 107
Misconduct Summary:
RSL – Tony Beltran
(caution, Reckless Foul) 70
RSL – Collen Warner
(caution, Handball) 73
RSL – Jean Alexandre
(caution, Reckless Tackle) 77
DC – Kurt Morsink
(caution, Reckless Foul) 92+
DC – Julius James
(ejection, Violent Conduct) 123+
Real Salt Lake – GK-Kyle Reynish; DF-Robbie Russell, DF-Nat Borchers (capt), DF-Rauwshan McKenzie, DF-Chris Schuler (Fabian Espíndola 63); MF-Tony Beltran, MF-Ned Grabavoy (Javier Morales 63), MF-Collen Warner, MF-Jean Alexandre, MF-Will Johnson; FW-Pablo Campos (Álvaro Saborío 63)
Substitutes not Used: Nick Rimando, Jamison Olave
Statistics: Shots: 17; Shots on Goal: 8; Saves: 6; Fouls: 15; Offsides: 1; Corners: 9
D.C. United – GK-Troy Perkins; DF-Jordan Graye, DF-Julius James, DF-Barry Rice, DF-Devon McTavish; MF-Thabiso Khumalo, MF-Stephen King, MF-Kurt Morsink, MF-Christian Castillo (Chris Pontius 63); FW-Luciano Emilio, FW- Jamie Moreno (capt) (Santino Quaranta 63)
Substitutes not Used: Bill Hamid, Juan Manuel Pena, Clyde Simms
Statistics: Shots: 19; Shots on Goal: 8; Saves 6; Fouls: 10; Offsides: 4; Corners: 8
Referee: Mark Kadlecik
Referee’s Assistants: Jason Cullum, James Conlee
Fourth
Official: Andrew
Chapin
Time of Match: 2:29
Weather: Clear and 88 degrees
Attendance: 3,074
All statistics
contained in this boxscore are unofficial
