Salt Lake Crowned Champions after Penalty Shoot out Win
Robbie Russell Scores Winning Kick in Dramatic Finale
Real Salt Lake Receive the MLS Trophy
Real Salt Lake became the 2009 MLS Champions after a dramatic penalty shoot out win. The match finished 1-1 after 90 minutes and there were no further goals in extra time. Mike Magee had put the Galaxy ahead in 41 minutes before Robbie Findley equalised in the 64th. Clint Mathis, Robbie Findley, Ned Grabavoy, Chris Wingert, and Robbie Russell scored the vital penalties and Nick Rimando made two vital saves. A disappointing performance for league MVP was typified by Landon Donovan’s penalty. He ballooned his over the bar, and was the only one of the 14 players to miss the target completely.
This was RSL’s first ever MLS title in only the second final to go to penalties, and Russell, the player scoring the decisive penalty, all the more unlikely as he had failed to find the net all season. Although Nick Rimando eventually won the MVP award for the game, probably for his second consecutive bout of penalty heroics, it has to be said that Kyle Beckerman stood like a colossus around every aspect of this soccer match. With the ball at his feet, it often seemed stuck to his boot as he controlled it and on the end of a piece of string as he caressed it around the pitch. He won key defensive headers, came out on top in every one-on-one, tackled like a lion, marked like superglue and commanded the field like it was his kingdom.
David Beckham was probably highly disinterested before the game but the unwelcome attention of Beckerman pushed him even further back into his shell and he was a virtual passenger, seemingly more intent on not being tackled than anything else. In fact his biggest contribution on the night was to make the tackle that put Javier Morales out of the game very early on. It was in truth a sad end to his MLS career, were he not to return.
Bruce Arena had earlier sprang a big surprise picking Joran Kirovski and Chris Burchall and relegating Chris Klein and Dema Kovalenko to the bench. RSL threatened first in a mostly dour first half hour and Greg Berhalter was forced into a tackle to deny Robbie Findley a shot on goal after seven minutes. In the ninth, Todd Dunivant worked well to put a cross on Edson Buddle’s head, but Buddle headed wide of Nick Rimando’s goal.
LA began to open up and Canadian Will Johnson received a yellow for barging Landon Donovan off the ball on the half way line, as he attempted to break down the left wing. Seemingly as an act of revenge, Beckham lashed out at Javier Morales who couldn’t shake off the effects of the foul, and after about six minutes of limping finally admitted defeat. He was replaced by Clint Mathis, a left LCL sprain being the problem. RSL heads went down and they seemed very disoriented by the loss of a star player.
Jovan Kirovski’s long range shot provided the first save of the day but it was easily grabbed at the second attempt by Rimando on 24. Nat Borchers had to be smart to nip in and intercept Donovan’s through ball before Robbie Findley ran out of real estate at the other end. The game had gone through an initially quiet and unimpressive period.
Omar Gonzalez was the first to connect with a Beckham corner after a flick on in the 27th as LA started to press, but stretching his leg out, he could only fire over. It was only after 31 minutes RSL had their first shot when Andy Williams drove tamely well wide of Ricketts’ goal.
Mike Magee had the best chance so far when Donovan found him wide on the left. He had a clear shot on goal but drilled it wide. Jovan Kirovski then found an over the top ball that Donovan drove over. LA were gaining a dominance that was soon to pay dividends. Birchall was booked for a foul on Morales’ replacement, Mathis, in the 39th minute in a game that was yet to take off fully.
LA now seemed to have the upper hand and Buddle found himself clean through on Rimando but was called offside. It was a warning of danger RSL didn’t heed. Donovan crossed from the right and Magee was well placed to tap in at close quarters unmarked and unseen. Galaxy narrowly deserved the lead and the signs had been there.
Magee Scores the Opening Goal for LA
RSL showed some belated punch at the end of the half. Borchers shook off Berhalter at a late Williams free kick and made Ricketts work for the first time. Yura Movsisyan threatened next and managed to turn on a sixpence in the LA penalty area, but was already leaning back when he came to shoot, and fired over.
Ned Grabavoy came on at half time for Will Johnson who had been suffering from food poisoning. Ricketts foiled Findley through on a Movsisyan pass just into the second period as RSL, though trailing, started the brighter. Both players were hurt in a collision requiring several minutes of treatment, thereafter.
Ricketts then denied Russell a clear shot on target after Berhalter cleanly tackled Movsisyan despite penaly claims from RSL.
But the Utah side deservedly equalised when Robbie Findley ended a move involving Grabavoy and Movsisyan, a goal received quite rapturously by the large RSL contingent, and many in the neutral Seattle crowd. Worse was to follow for Los Angeles as Ricketts injured his right hand in the melee and Josh Saunders replaced him in goal in the 66th, just two minutes after the goal. Ricketts became the first keeper taken off in a final due to a right hand contusion. It was Saunders first appearance since August 19th when he played against Chicago.
In the 70th minute, Movsisyan missed a crucial opportunity. Ned Grabavoy lobbed a superb through ball across to the right, and Movsisyan in great space volleyed over. Eight minutes from time, Rimando produced a great save from Buddle down low. A poor Beckham short pass was intercepted by Williams who found substitute Espindola who made incredible space to shoot around two defenders but Saunders palmed it out to safety. Espindola fired a half chance over the bar.
Clint Mathis who had proven an excellent substitute bent a long distance free kick that Saunders had to be smart to prevent it going all the way into the net as the game entered injury time. But Kevin Stott’s whistle went to signify the end of the 90 minutes, and a final 30 needed to be played.
The first period of extra time was dominated by the Salt Lake side. Ned Grabavoy was foiled by AJ Delagarza with a superb interception although Saunders in fairness was well positioned at the start of the first period of extra time.
Findley hit the side netting from 25 yards in the 97th minute from a Mathis pass as tired legs meant the players with a little more energy left than others found more space. Clint Mathis then also hit the side netting from a free kick after Beckham had fouled Beckerman. But fifteen minutes elapsed with no goals and the final remained at 1-1 at half time. There were very few chances created in a fatigue ridden second period of extra time. Penalties arrived and 1-1 was the final score. The last final to be decided this way was in 2006 when Houston defeated New England.
On to penalties and it was the game’s most illustrious passenger, David Beckham, who stepped up first.
THE PENALTY SHOOT OUT
1. Beckham scored the first for LA, with Clint Mathis equalising without drama.
2. Berhalter went second for LA and hit a superb second to reclaim the lead. Findley also hit well though Saunders guessed right, but couldn’t prevent the score becoming 2-2.
3. Nick Rimando’s moment came next as he saved Kirovski’s but Saunders saved his blushes when he saved Beckerman’s poor penalty.
Josh Saunders Tried His Best but Couldn't Save LA in the Shoot out
5. Magee scored to leave Andy Williams the chance to win the cup for RSL. However substitute keeper Josh Saunders saved it to increase the drama and prolong the shoot out.
6. Chris Klein then scored for LA and Chris Wingert had to score to keep RSL in the cup. He did coolly.
7. Edson Buddle stepped forward for LA. Rimando saved superbly, and gave Robbie Russell the full back the chance to win it for RSL, which he did to spark joyous celebrations.
LA Galaxy: Donovan Ricketts (Josh Saunders 66′); Sean Franklin, Gregg Berhalter, Omar Gonzalez (AJ Delagarza 88′), Todd Dunivant; David Beckham, Mike Magee, Chris Birchall (Chris Klein 79′), Jovan Kirvoski; Edson Buddle, Landon Donovan
Substitutes: Alan Gordon, Dema Kovalenko, Eddie Lewis, Yohance Marshall
Real Salt Lake: Nick Rimando; Robbie Russell, Nat Borchers, Jamison Olave, Chris Wingert; Andy Williams, Kyle Beckerman, Javier Morales (Clint Mathis 21′), Will Johnson (Ned Grabavoy 45′), Robbie Findley, Yura Movsisyan (Fabian Espindola 75′)
Substitutes: Chris Seitz, Jean Alexandre, Tony Beltran, Pablo Campos,
Attendance 46,011
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Personally I thought the MLS Cup Final was played quite cowardly. Too many times did I see 9 players on defense in between the ball and the goal. The entire overtime felt like both teams were playing to keep the draw. I’d say that there was maybe 20-30 minutes that were played as if a team wanted to actually win. I suppose I’m glad that it was a 1-1 draw and not a 0-0 draw. Still, the halftime Guitar Hero contest between Montero & Conrad with the Massive Monkeys acting out Beat It was more entertaining than most of the actual match. Seattle fans should have booed them off the field after OT.