Estimated read time: 4-5 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 Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information.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.
LOS ANGELES — In two meetings during the regular season, Real Salt Lake and LAFC combined for eight goals, with seven of them going to the Los Angeles side.
So when the two ran into one another in the knockout round of the MLS Cup Playoffs, goals were to be expected.
But not just from the Angelinos.
Damir Kreilach had two goals and an assist, and Jefferson Savarino scored the game-winner with just over 20 minutes remaining, as Real Salt Lake earned its first-ever win over first-year expansion side Los Angeles FC 3-2 Thursday night at Banc of California Stadium.
"It's emotional, because this was the most important game for us and for LAFC, too," Kreilach said. "It's normal. We got down a little bit, but that's normal.
"Now we just have to go to Salt Lake and prepare us for an important game against Sporting (Kansas City). But this was our chance."
Goalkeeper Nick Rimando made six saves for Real Salt Lake.
Mike Petke after a 3-2 win over LAFC ... https://t.co/gcZYkzXX4Z
— KSL Sports (@kslsports) November 2, 2018
#RSL_tweet
Real Salt Lake — left for dead nearly two weeks ago after a 3-0 loss at Portland, clinging to its playoff life — has advanced to the Western Conference semifinals, where it will open a two-leg series against Sporting Kansas City at 8 p.m. MT Sunday at Rio Tinto Stadium.
The winner of the aggregate-goals series will advance to face either Seattle or Portland for the right to go to MLS Cup.
"The system here is so good because you can finish the regular season in fourth, fifth or sixth place, and in the end, you can win the Cup," said Kreilach, who is in his first season with Real Salt Lake after an offseason move from Germany's Union Berlin. "It's different from Europe, but I am very excited about it."
Kreilach opened the scoring in the 21st minute, redirecting Brooks Lennon's cross into the back of the net to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
But the lead lasted barely more than 10 minutes.
Danilo Silva scored the first goal of his LAFC career, finishing off Carlos Vela's free kick from just outside the edge of the penalty area in the 31st minute to level the match.
LAFC out-shot Real Salt Lake 7-2 in the first half, but Rimando made two Herculean saves to keep the match level at the break.
"This LAFC team that we beat tonight is, for me, one of the best — if not the best — expansion teams," RSL coach Mike Petke said. "If you told me that they had been in the league for 10 years, my opinion wouldn't change. They are one of the best teams in this league.
"We worked a lot over the last 7-10 days, because we had that extra rest, on how the game would unfold and how we wanted it to unfold. We knew that we weren't going to have a bulk of possession, and that they special players like Vela, Rossia, Feilhaber and Nguyen ... We worked a lot on movement."
The home side looked for the go-ahead goal quickly into the second half. Rimando made a pair of saves, and Aaron Herrera stuffed a counter with a hard tackle (and foul) while riding a yellow card.
Christian Ramirez gave LAFC a lead less than 10 minutes into the half, finishing off a long-range counterattack started by Lee Nguyen with a goal that Rimando claimed was offside.
But the lead only lasted four minutes.
Corey Baird made a deep dive into the Los Angeles penalty area. Albert Rusnak ripped a close-range shot off a defender, and Kreilach doubled his tally with a one-touch effort, perfectly timing Rusnak's deflection with the edge of his boot and putting the ball off the far post for the 2-2 equalizer.
It was like something out of "The Karate Kid." Wax on; wax off, Daniel-san.
"I was just happy it hit the post and didn't pop out."
Just 10 minutes later, the lead changed hands again.
Savarino scored his eighth goal of the season, skipping a squib kick from inside the box that hopped past Miller and past the near post for the 3-2 advantage in the 69th minute.
"At times, it wasn't pretty. But that's what you have to do to get a result," Petke said. "I think maybe I lose this game last year or in my last job. But we pulled it out.
"The grit, the determination, and the goals that we scored tonight showed some you-know-what. I'm proud of this team."
