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(AP Photo/Deseret News, Michael Brandy)
SANDY, UTAH (Saturday, April 11, 2009) - It took Real Salt Lake (2-1-0, 6 pts.) just three games to accomplish a feat it failed to pull off all of last year, as MF Javier Morales' 80th minute goal lifted RSL to a 2-1 victory over D.C. United (1-1-2, 5 pts.) this afternoon at Rio Tinto Stadium. The result gave Real Salt Lake a long-awaited winning streak - its first in League play since September of the 2007 campaign - and ended United's three-game undefeated stretch to begin its 2009 season.
Real Salt Lake would get behind in the late stages of the first half after United striker Luciano Emilio found the back of the net for the third consecutive contest in the 38th minute, as he headed home an opportunity created by a skilled set of passes in and around the area by FW Chris Pontius and MF Fred. The D.C. lead wouldn't last long however, as just two minutes later Real Salt Lake DF Jamison Olave stayed up on a failed corner kick opportunity and got his head on the end of a cross from MF Will Johnson, the Colombian's shot beating United ‘keeper Louis Crayton to equalize things heading into the halftime break.
For the complete MLSnet.com recap of today's contest, please click on the link below:
http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls\_news.jsp?ymd=20090411&content\_id=238441&vkey=news\_mls&fext=.jsp
D.C. United (1-1-2) vs. Real Salt Lake (2-1-0) April 11, 2009 -- Rio Tinto Stadium
Scoring Summary: DC -- Luciano Emilio 3 (Chris Pontius 1, Fred 1) 38 RSL -- Jamison Olave 1 (Will Johnson 1, Robbie Findley 1) 40 RSL -- Javier Morales 1 (Robbie Findley 2, Kyle Beckerman 1) 80
D.C. United -- Louis Crayton, Bryan Namoff, Dejan Jakovic, Marc Burch, Fred (Devon McTavish 69), Christian Gomez (Francis Doe 76), Andrew Jacobson, Clyde Simms, Rodney Wallace (Santino Quaranta 82), Chris Pontius, Luciano Emilio.
Substitutes Not Used: Brandon Barklage, Milos Kocic, Ange N'Silu, Anthony PetersBrandon Barklage, Milos Kocic, Ange N'Silu, Anthony Peters
Real Salt Lake -- Nick Rimando, Tony Beltran (Raphael Cox 59), Nat Borchers, Jamison Olave, Chris Wingert, Clint Mathis (Ned Grabavoy 74), Kyle Beckerman, Javier Morales, Will Johnson, Robbie Findley (Andy Williams 89), Yura Movsisyan.
Substitutes Not Used: Jean Alexandre, Luis Miguel Escalada, David Horst, Chris SeitzJean Alexandre, Luis Miguel Escalada, David Horst, Chris Seitz
Real Salt Lake D.C. United
Total Shots: 15 (4 tied with 3) 6 (Luciano Emilio 2)
Shots on Goal: 8 (4 tied with 2) 2 (4 tied with 1)
Fouls: 12 (Kyle Beckerman 4) 9 (4 tied with 2)
Offsides: 0 2 (4 tied with 1)
Corner Kicks: 4 (Javier Morales 4) 7 (Christian Gomez 7)
saves: 1 (Nick Rimando 1) 6 (Louis Crayton 6)
Misconduct Summary: RSL -- Javier Morales (caution; Unsporting Behavior) 15 RSL -- Chris Wingert (caution; Tactical Foul) 25 RSL -- Nat Borchers (caution; Tactical Foul) 35 DC -- Christian Gomez (caution; Dissent) 39 DC -- Marc Burch (caution; Tactical Foul) 75 DC -- Devon McTavish (caution; Reckless Foul) 91+
Referee: Kevin Stott Referee's Assistants: Philippe Briere; Peter Balciunas 4th official: Tyler Ploeger Time of game: 1:49 Attendance: 11,793 Weather: Cloudy -and- 53 degrees
All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial
MLS POST-GAME QUOTE SHEET
SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2009
REAL SALT LAKE 2 : 1 D.C. UNITED
RIO TINTO STADIUM - SANDY, UTAH
REAL SALT LAKE HEAD COACH JASON KREIS
On the result:
"I just told the guys in the locker room that I had a coach tell me once before, ‘It is the very best teams who can win ugly.' So that must make us one of the best teams, because that was ugly. I thought the second half was a lot cleaner for us defensively, but I think some of that was D.C. might have played that second half a little bit like they wanted a draw.
On grinding out the three points:
"We are historically a team that would have gone into that game and had difficulty, and may have walked away with a draw or even a loss. But we ended up finding a way to win it, so I think our guys should be proud of that."
On starting a winning streak:
"It's huge. We set it out for them at the beginning of the season, and I reminded them again yesterday that it was an opportunity to win two games in a row, which we didn't do all of last year. I think the guys are very happy that they have won two in a row, and now they want three."
REAL SALT LAKE DF JAMISON OLAVE
On his first-half equalizer:
"It was a cleared corner that Will [Johnson] shot into the box, and I was able to approach it and convert it past the keeper."
On getting the win:
"We won as a team, playing the full game, and the important thing was getting the three points. We didn't want to leave here with a tie."
REAL SALT LAKE MF JAVIER MORALES
On getting back-to-back MLS wins for the first time since 2007:
"It's very important for our team because last year we weren't able to convert (winning streaks) and this year we are able to, so it helps us move up the standings."
On how the game-winning goal developed:
"I wasn't waiting for (the ball) … I thought Robbie [Findley] was going to go for it. But then it came to me, so I took it."
RSL MF KYLE BECKERMAN
On getting back-to-back wins this early in the campaign:
"It was huge for us. We really put a lot of importance on this game to kind of get over the hump. We believe we're a championship team, and to do that you're going to have to win two games in a row. We wanted to get another win, so now we go on the road to try and get three in a row."
D.C. UNITED HEAD COACH TOM SOEHN
On Javier Morales' game-winning goal:
"It was a good goal on their part. We retreated and dropped too far, they pulled off a good play and he finished a ball that was quality."
On giving up the quick equalizer after going up 1-0 in the first half:
"Looking back, it looked like it was right at him [GK Louis Crayton] and that's something he needs to save. I don't know how Olave got so free to get a head on it."
D.C. UNITED GK LOUIS CRAYTON
On RSL's first tally:
"I think it was off a deflection … I was in motion. I tried to get it at the goal, but the ball came at me full speed at right into the net."
On the disappointment of dropping points late:
"I think we worked hard, so hard as a team. Everyone worked and unfortunately we didn't come out with a better result. It was an unfortunate result."
