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CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Joao Plata scored in the 80th minute, Nick Rimando stopped Robbie Keane's penalty kick in stoppage time and Real Salt Lake opened with a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday night in Jeff Cassar's head coaching debut for the Utah club.
Plata, open in the middle of the Galaxy box, scored off Kyle Beckerman's pass four minutes after Luke Mulholland's apparent goal was ruled offside.
Keane, the Galaxy captain, had a chance to tie the score in the 93rd minute after Tony Beltran undercut Rob Friend as he leaped for a long ball from Omar Gonzalez. Rimando, who included several spectacular stops among his nine saves, dived to his right to deny Keane at the post.
Keane hit the right post and Landon Donovan was denied on a 1-on-1 opportunity in the first half for Los Angeles, which had a 27-9 advantage in shots.
The game was a rematch of a Western Conference semifinal series last year that was one by RSL, which fell to Sporting Kansas City in the MLS Cup final.
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