Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SANDY, Utah (AP) - Devon Sandoval and Khari Stephenson each scored in overtime to lift Real Salt Lake to a 3-2 victory over the Atlanta Silverbacks of NASL on Tuesday night.
Salt Lake improved to 6-8 all-time in U.S. Open Cup competition. The MLS team will host the Charleston Battery on June 12.
RSL lost to the Minnesota Stars 3-1 at home a year ago, and Atlanta rallied from an early deficit to force overtime this time. Kellen Gulley fired a high shot from the center of the penalty area. Goalkeeper Josh Saunders got his fingertips on the ball, but it bounced off his glove and hopped into the net for Gulley's first professional goal. He is on loan to Atlanta from the MLS's Chicago Fire.
Kyle Beckerman struck first in the third minute when he headed home a corner kick from Javier Morales to give RSL a 1-0 lead.
Sandoval put Salt Lake back ahead in the 98th minute and Stephenson scored three minutes later.
Sandoval's winner came when Joao Plata fed a cross into him. Sandoval slid forward and tapped the ball into the net.
Stephenson gave Salt Lake a two-goal lead when he unleashed a right-footed drive from the center of the box.
Pablo Cruz tacked on a goal for the Silverbacks in the final minute of overtime.
Atlanta initially struggled to answer Beckerman's goal, generating virtually no scoring chances. The Silverbacks had zero shots on goal in the first half and spent much of the first 45 minutes trying to repel RSL attacks. Salt Lake could not take advantage.
Morales blew a point-blank shot from about 14 yards in the 26th minute. Atlanta goalkeeper Joe Nasco denied a couple of early second-half shots, and Nasco's most impressive save occurred in the 51st minute. He stuffed a shot from Sandoval after Robbie Findley sent a cross into Sandoval.
Nasco came up big again in the 77th minute when he dived to prevent Plata from tapping in at the near post.
The Silverbacks played more aggressively both ways in the second half. They nearly tied it in the 61st minute when Jahbari Willis latched onto a bad pass and fired off a quick shot that sailed high and wide.
(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
