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HOUSTON — Real Salt Lake lost 4-3 in penalties in a winner-take-all Game 3 after a 1-1 draw in regulation at Shell Energy Stadium in Houston, Texas, Saturday.
It was the second penalty shootout in the last two matches for RSL, with Diego Luna winning it last week for RSL at America First Field. The 20-year-old had his attempt saved in Houston, with Danny Musovski missing the final kick to set up a game-winning penalty from Houston's Griffin Dorsey.
"Disappointment is the one emotion in my head," Luna said after the game. "I think we worked hard, coming away from home two times and working our butt off; but I guess that's how soccer is, there's ups and downs."
Luna was the only reason RSL made it to penalties in the first place, finding a second-half equalizer to give RSL a chance in what was the final match of the season.
Corey Baird, a former RSL player, opened the scoring with a goal for Houston in the 28th minute. The home team entered halftime up 1-0 in the decisive Game 3, but help was on the way for RSL as Chicho Arango warmed up on the sideline.
The star striker entered the game after halftime and helped push the RSL attack further upfield, resulting in a cross from Bryan Oviedo in the 65th minute that could have fallen to any of the three attackers in the box before it eventually found the head of Luna, who bounced it home for his fourth goal in five games.
"I think what (Diego's) been able to do in about a year and change with the group has been amazing," head coach Pablo Mastroeni said. "I think he's committed so much to his craft, and I think it's on display every game we played. As a young player, not scoring your PK in the moment seems monumental to overcome, but if there's one guy that can brush it off and get back to work, it's Diego Luna."
Both teams were held scoreless over the final 25 minutes of regulation despite 25 total shots between them over the course of the match, resulting in a penalty shootout after 90 minutes, as is the format for the first round of the MLS playoffs.
"I kind of found myself just shocked that we were there again," goalkeeper Zac MacMath said of facing penalties again. "It seemed like just such a mirror of what we did the other week, and, unfortunately, we came out on the wrong side tonight."
It marks the second season in a row RSL has been eliminated in the first round of the MLS playoffs in a penalty shootout after losing last year in Austin.
