(AP photo/Douglas C. Pizac)
SANDY, Utah (Saturday, November 1, 2008) - Real Salt Lake's flair for the dramatic carried over into its MLS Cup Playoff debut on Saturday afternoon, as FW Yura Movsisyan scored in the 90th minute to lift RSL to a 1-0 victory over Chivas USA in Game One of their two-leg Western Conference Semifinal Series, played in front of 14,719 fans at Rio Tinto Stadium. RSL will carry its 1-0 advantage into the away leg of its aggregate goals series against Chivas USA, to be contested next Saturday, November 8, at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. (8:30 p.m. MT kickoff; LIVE on Fox Soccer Channel).
As he did last week to extend RSL's season, Movsisyan made the most of a golden opportunity in the game's waning moments, accepting a cross from 2008 RSL MVP Javier Morales with a first-touch back-heel that beat Chivas USA ‘keeper Zach Thornton to his right post. Real Salt Lake had the "Goats" on their heels from the onset, finishing the match with a 21-3 advantage in shots. RSL GK Nick Rimando had an easy night between the posts for the home side, making just one save en route to his sixth shutout in 13 postseason appearances (now 8-4-1 in MLS Cup Playoffs).
For the full MLSnet.com recap of today's contest, please click on the link below: http://web.mlsnet.com/news/team_news.jsp?ymd=20081101&content_id=201079&vkey=news_rsl&fext=.jsp&team=t121
Chivas USA (0-1-0) vs. Real Salt Lake (1-0-0) November 01, 2008 -- Rio Tinto Stadium Scoring Summary: RSL -- Yura Movsisyan 1 (Javier Morales 1, Robbie Russell 1) 90 Chivas USA -- Zach Thornton, Carey Talley (Bobby Burling 68), Jonathan Bornstein, Shavar Thomas, Francisco Mendoza, Alex Zotinca, Jesse Marsch, Paulo Nagamura, Sacha Kljestan, Justin Braun (Roberto Nurse 86), Ante Razov (Dejair 79), Substitutes Not Used: Jim Curtin, Jorge Flores, Daniel Paladini, Lance Parker Real Salt Lake -- Nick Rimando, Chris Wingert, Nat Borchers, Jamison Olave (Fabian Espindola 84), Ian Joy (Robbie Russell 63), Andy Williams (Robbie Findley 67), Kyle Beckerman, Javier Morales, Will Johnson, Clint Mathis, Yura Movsisyan. Substitutes Not Used: Tony Beltran, Kenny Deuchar, Dema Kovalenko, Chris Seitz
Real Salt Lake
Chivas USA
total shots:
21
(Yura Movsisyan 4)
3
(3 tied with 1)
shots on goal:
8
(Clint Mathis 2, Yura Movsisyan 2)
1
(Alex Zotinca 1)
fouls:
17
(Yura Movsisyan 6)
9
(3 tied with 2)
offsides:
0
1
(Carey Talley 1)
corner kicks:
6
(Javier Morales 6)
0
saves:
1
(Nick Rimando 1)
7
(Zach Thornton 7)
Misconduct Summary: RSL -- Andy Williams (caution; Reckless Foul) 29 RSL -- Kyle Beckerman (caution; Reckless Foul) 42 CHV -- Ante Razov (caution; Tactical Foul) 66 CHV -- Shavar Thomas (caution; Reckless Foul) 75 referee: Ricardo Salazar Referee's Assistants: Kermit Quisenberry; Paul Scott 4th official: Richard Heron time of game: 1:51 attendance: 14,719 weather: Partly Cloudy -and- 72 degrees All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
MLS CUP PLAYOFFS QUOTE SHEET REAL SALT LAKE 1 : 0 CHIVAS USA SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2008 RIO TINTO STADIUM - SANDY, UTAH
REAL SALT LAKE HEAD COACH JASON KREIS
On his approach to RSL's first-ever playoff game:
"One of our team mottos is ‘Fortune favors the bold.' We made some bold decisions in our line-up, we made some bold decisions tactically about how we were going to play. It's one of the first times I have seen the team play that aggressively for 90 minutes. I came in at halftime and asked the guys if we could keep this up for 90 minutes, and I got a lot of ‘absolutelies.' It makes me extremely proud of the effort."
On the play of FW Yura Movsisyan:
"I thought he really worked hard, he made things really difficult for their two center backs. He is a guy right now that is feeling good about himself, as we are feeling good about him. It's good to see that he is rewarded at the end for all his hard work with a tap-in finish."
On the similarities between last week's draw at Colorado and tonight's win:
"Similar only in the fact that we scored a late goal, because, for me, that was one of the best soccer games we've played all year, and it's interesting that it comes on the heels of one of the worst soccer games we played all year. But that goes to show you that our team can absolutely play the game and they are fun to watch."
On discouragement creeping in towards the end of the match:
"I just kept a little bit of an upbeat attitude about it and really, really felt like tonight it was going to come, there was no doubt in my mind. Last week there was some doubt, but this week there was no doubt. In the end I think it's really good for soccer, because this quite easily could have been another game when a team takes it to the other and walks out of here with nothing but a draw. So in the end I think soccer won tonight."
RSL FORWARD YURA MOVSISYAN
On RSL's continued late-game heroics:
"Like I said to the guys, maybe we should start playing the last five minutes of every game and then the next 85. We just seem to get it done. We've got great guys in the locker room and everyone put the effort in, and I was able to score a lucky goal."
On the 90th minute game-winner:
"I was kind of hoping that Javi (Morales) would get a ball across because he had a guy on him. And fortunately for us he did a great job of shielding the ball and knocking the ball across. It came to me and I thought, ‘You can control it or backheel it,' and I guess I made the right decision. I never thought in my career that this would ever happen to me. I always thought I was going to earn every goal I score. But I guess you've got to have some luck too, and this is the right time to get lucky."
On his goal today compared to last weekend's equally dramatic 90th minute finish:
"Last week is never going to be repeated, just with the amount of pressure on us and the amount of expectations. But we've exceeded everybody's expectations, and now we're looking to do more special things."
On the team's mindset heading into the away leg next Saturday:
"In the beginning we kind of had a hard time playing away, but we've improved week in and week out, and we can do it anywhere - home or away - as long as we play good soccer."
RSL CAPTAIN KYLE BECKERMAN
On RSL's possession game dominating play tonight:
"When we're passing good we're getting a lot of chances early and often, and we're capable of doing that. Even when we were tied, I was pleased with the way we were playing. If we can play like that, the way we're capable of, the goals will come. It was important for us to get back to the way we play."
On lessons from last weekend's game at Colorado that can carry over to Leg Two at Chivas USA:
"We definitely know what we are up against. [Chivas] is going to be desperate, coming out to get us. And I think that we learned we needed to relax a bit more. We needed to kill the game last week and that's what we're going to try and do [at Chivas]. Let's get on the ball and try to go after it and get the second [goal], but let's concentrate on playing good soccer and being relaxed."
RSL MIDFIELDER JAVIER MORALES
On once again getting a result in the last minutes:
"I like to win - at the beginning of the game or at the end of the game, it's the same. Luckily we were able to find the play in the very last part of the game."
On setting up the game-winner:
"I just barely noticed the defender open his legs. I saw the opening and was just able to kick it in, and Yura took care of the rest."
On his first MLS Cup Playoff experience:
"A very good experience, because it was a great game and we were able to obtain a win. They are very strong feelings, knowing that we are so close to being champions."
CHIVAS USA HEAD COACH PREKI
On nearly keeping things even on the road:
"For a moment it was going to be one of those days where we escape, not conceding a goal and putting ourselves in a good spot going home. But one play off of the throw in, we fall asleep for a second, and it's one-nothing."
On facing a deficit going back to The Home Depot Center:
"We're in the same spot as we were last year. We're going home and hopefully this time it will be a little different for us. Even if it was 0-0 here we'd have to go home and win, so we have to win no matter what."
On GK Zach Thornton's performance:
"I thought Zach was solid. He made some big saves for us and kept us in the game on a couple of occasions."
CHIVAS USA CAPTAIN JESSE MARSCH
Thoughts on the contest:
We didn't play great, by any means. [Real Salt Lake] came after us pretty hard. Around the 65th minute it calmed down a little bit, and we had chances to play and created a little bit more, but we were two minutes away from accomplishing what you set out to do when you come on the road. It's unfortunate and we're disappointed and upset, but it's halftime right now. We're going home and you have to score a goal to advance anyway. So we're going to take it to them at home like they took it to us here."
On tonight's difficulties containing Real Salt Lake:
"They came after us hard. They pressured us hard, and the elevation becomes a factor because you get tired when you're chasing the game the whole time. We weren't sharp enough. We couldn't get things going enough until midway through the second half, but sometimes that's how playoff games look. You have to battle and fight and do everything you can to come out ahead, and we were close to doing it."
CHIVAS USA FORWARD JUSTIN BRAUN
The Salt Lake City native on playing his first postseason contest in front of friends and family:
"The emotions were going, but I was just trying to keep them under control. Just stay relaxed and play like it was any other game. It's always exciting to come to the hometown and play and I wanted to play well, but I just tried to keep the emotions to the minimum."
On if the midfielders had problems linking up with himself and fellow forward Ante Razov:
"I don't think there was a problem. Salt Lake did a good job of taking those options away. I think we were alright. I think we can go back to our place and play our game we can come out with a win.
CHIVAS USA MIDFIELDER SACHA KLJESTAN
On the result:
"Things didn't go our way. Hopefully next weekend we'll get some guys back, get our regular line-up going, but there are no guarantees. The only thing we need to do is play our game, try to create as many chances as we can early on in the game against Salt Lake at home. That's all we can ask for."
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