Real Salt Lake 1 : 0 Columbus Crew

A late goal by Robbie Findley three minutes from time gave RSL a narrow advantage to take to Ohio for the second leg. Johnson flicked in a cross from the RSL left beyond Will Hesmer’s despairing dive. It was RSL’s tenth home win in 16 home games and their second home victory over the Crew this season.

Columbus Crew coach Roberto Warzycha surprised many this afternoon by relegating designated player, Guillermo Barros Schelotto to the bench for the first leg against Real Salt Lake in Sandy, Utah. He also dropped Alejandro Moreno who along with Schelotto had scored 16 goals this season as a forward line. Emilio Renteria and Stephen Lenhart were selected to start in the Crew frontline.

Clint Mathis and Yuri Movsisyan were the best known RSL bench warmers as the on form Robbie Findley took the starting nod from coach Jason Kreis.

Brian Caroll and Kyle Beckerman have been shown yellows in a goalless first half, where neither goalkeeper has been unduly troubled. William Hesmer’s 23rd minute save from Salt Lake’s Andy Williams has been the closest either side has come to scoring. Both Eddie Gaven and Stephen Lenhart fired shots straight at Salt Lake keeper Nick Rimando in the run up to half time to give the home side some hope.

Until the goal, the second half was mostly punctuated with increasingly embarassing attempts to cone referee Marc Geiger into awarding penalty kicks. It’s to be hoped the two matches tomorrow bring something more edifying than this game, although the late goal leaves the tie very interestingly poised.

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