KapitanSparrow
10-26-2008, 11:02 AM
You could not ask for a better screenplay in that game. Being down, being whooped at Colorado, and then scoring in the 89th minute!
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - You might want to sit down, for this one.
Real Salt Lake pulled out the greatest finish in its history at the most implausible and important moment, qualifying for the Major League Soccer playoffs for the first time after four trying seasons when striker Yura Movsisyan scored in the 90th minute to give it a 1-1 draw with the rival Colorado Rapids in the regular-season finale on Saturday night. Just when RSL appeared doomed to blow its big chance after a night of listless soccer, Movsisyan knocked home a rebound of teammate Andy Williams' desperation shot and sent his teammates into a wild celebration in front of 16,047 fans at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
"This only happens once or twice in your life," Movsisyan said. "I'm happy it happened today."
He was far from the only one.
While most of the fans fell quiet, the flag-waving RSL fans who packed one corner of the stadium erupted when Movsisyan's shot found the back of the net, and the players and coaches on the bench threw up their hands and leaped into each others' arms. The Rapids collapsed in disbelief.
"I couldn't believe it," RSL coach Jason Kreis said. "I thought we played poorly, really, to be completely honest. I thought overall it was probably one of our worst games all season. . . . I kept telling myself on the bench that it was going to come, it was going to come. But I don't know that all of me really believed that."
Nobody did.
Before lightning struck, RSL was as good as on the flight home. Needing only a draw to advance to meet Chivas USA in the playoffs starting next weekend, it had played poorly from the start - and has always been the kind of team that has allowed crushing goals in the final moments, not scored them.
The Rapids had run RSL over in the midfield, controlled the game and created myriad scoring chances - taking a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute when striker Conor Casey chipped the ball softly over goalkeeper Nick Rimando's head after Rimando had come off his line.
Things improved only briefly in the second half, after Williams and defender Robbie Russell came on as substitutes near the hour mark.
"I don't think the soccer necessarily got better," Kreis said.
No matter.
The RSL players kept pushing, and caught their big break when Russell headed the ball ahead to Williams in the box. Desperate for a shot, Williams just did get his foot on the ball, but goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul made a terrific save diving to his left. The deflection fell right to Movsisyan, however, and Coundoul was helpless to do anything.
"Yura just cleaned up the mess," Williams said.
The draw capped a stunning stretch run for a team that was one loss away from last place midway after two months of the season. Now riding a five-game unbeaten streak, RSL came back twice to win at San Jose three weeks ago and mitigate a potentially fatal home loss to Chivas, then scored three unanswered goals in a crucial home victory over FC Dallas to set up the dramatic finale against its fiercest rival.
"Honestly - and I haven't said this publicly - before the season, I don't think there was anybody even in our own staff that would have said we were going to make the playoffs," Kreis said. "So I think it's full credit to the players, because they've come together better than any group of players I've ever been around."
:2thumbs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73MJ84HTmDo
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - You might want to sit down, for this one.
Real Salt Lake pulled out the greatest finish in its history at the most implausible and important moment, qualifying for the Major League Soccer playoffs for the first time after four trying seasons when striker Yura Movsisyan scored in the 90th minute to give it a 1-1 draw with the rival Colorado Rapids in the regular-season finale on Saturday night. Just when RSL appeared doomed to blow its big chance after a night of listless soccer, Movsisyan knocked home a rebound of teammate Andy Williams' desperation shot and sent his teammates into a wild celebration in front of 16,047 fans at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
"This only happens once or twice in your life," Movsisyan said. "I'm happy it happened today."
He was far from the only one.
While most of the fans fell quiet, the flag-waving RSL fans who packed one corner of the stadium erupted when Movsisyan's shot found the back of the net, and the players and coaches on the bench threw up their hands and leaped into each others' arms. The Rapids collapsed in disbelief.
"I couldn't believe it," RSL coach Jason Kreis said. "I thought we played poorly, really, to be completely honest. I thought overall it was probably one of our worst games all season. . . . I kept telling myself on the bench that it was going to come, it was going to come. But I don't know that all of me really believed that."
Nobody did.
Before lightning struck, RSL was as good as on the flight home. Needing only a draw to advance to meet Chivas USA in the playoffs starting next weekend, it had played poorly from the start - and has always been the kind of team that has allowed crushing goals in the final moments, not scored them.
The Rapids had run RSL over in the midfield, controlled the game and created myriad scoring chances - taking a 1-0 lead in the 19th minute when striker Conor Casey chipped the ball softly over goalkeeper Nick Rimando's head after Rimando had come off his line.
Things improved only briefly in the second half, after Williams and defender Robbie Russell came on as substitutes near the hour mark.
"I don't think the soccer necessarily got better," Kreis said.
No matter.
The RSL players kept pushing, and caught their big break when Russell headed the ball ahead to Williams in the box. Desperate for a shot, Williams just did get his foot on the ball, but goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul made a terrific save diving to his left. The deflection fell right to Movsisyan, however, and Coundoul was helpless to do anything.
"Yura just cleaned up the mess," Williams said.
The draw capped a stunning stretch run for a team that was one loss away from last place midway after two months of the season. Now riding a five-game unbeaten streak, RSL came back twice to win at San Jose three weeks ago and mitigate a potentially fatal home loss to Chivas, then scored three unanswered goals in a crucial home victory over FC Dallas to set up the dramatic finale against its fiercest rival.
"Honestly - and I haven't said this publicly - before the season, I don't think there was anybody even in our own staff that would have said we were going to make the playoffs," Kreis said. "So I think it's full credit to the players, because they've come together better than any group of players I've ever been around."
:2thumbs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73MJ84HTmDo