After a match that couldn't be decided in regulation time, perhaps it was fitting that the penalty kick shootout would also need a little bit extra. Goalkeeper Nick Rimando made two saves and Robbie Russell buried the winning kick in the seventh round of the penalty kick shootout, and Real Salt Lake won the first trophy in club history, defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy 5-4 after a 1-1 draw.
Penalty kicks became necessary after the two teams finished 120 minutes deadlocked. Galaxy midfielder Mike Magee converted in the first half to put a capstone on a period of Los Angeles dominance, while Robbie Findley did the same for Real Salt Lake in the second half.
The title is the first in Real Salt Lake history, while Los Angeles fell in their sixth MLS Cup appearance.
Los Angeles made two changes from the team that took the field against Houston in the Western Conference Championship. Chris Klein and Dema Kovalenko were dropped from the lineup at the last minute for Chris Birchall and Jovan Kirovski. Real Salt Lake came out with the same lineup that bested Chicago in the other final, with Yura Movsisyan retaining his spot in the starting lineup ahead of Fabian Espindola. Will Johnson, who was suffering from food poisoning, found himself in RSL coach Jason Kreis' starting XI.
Both teams came out conservatively, with neither team committing players forward in attack. LA's Birchall sat just in front of the back four in a holding midfield role.
The first half-chance came in the ninth minute, with the Galaxy's Todd Dunivant crossing from the left in the vicinity of Buddle, but the forward's headed ball didn't threaten the goal.
Will Johnson picked up the first yellow card for impeding Landon Donovan's progress in the 14th minute. Just a few seconds later, RSL's Argentinean playmaker, Javier Morales, got caught on the business end of an aggressive David Beckham tackle and came up holding his left knee. After coming off the field for treatment, Morales attempted to play through but could not continue.
Kreis was forced to use a valuable substitution early, bringing in Clint Mathis in the 22nd minute. With Morales out, Los Angeles started to assert its will on the game.
Kirovski found some space from an Edson Buddle pass in the 25th minute, lashing a volley towards Nick Rimando's goal. After blocking the initial shot, Rimando was able to gobble up the rebound to keep the game scoreless.
On the other end, Real Salt Lake created their first real danger through the speedy Robbie Findley. The striker challenged Gregg Berhalter in a one-on-one situation, but the LA's veteran defender escorted the ball over the end line. However, Findley's speed caused the Galaxy defense real worry. Los Angeles tried to negate RSL's speed with a high defensive line, drawing Findley offside three times in the first half alone.
In the 28th minute, a Los Angeles corner kick bounced in the six-yard box before rebounding over the goal, with Omar Gonzalez getting the last touch. The first clear-cut scoring chance came in the 36th minute off a well-executed LA counterattack. Donovan fed a streaking Mike Magee on the left side. As he breached the RSL penalty area, the Galaxy midfielder took a touch and sizzled a low drive past Rimando's far post.
Los Angeles continued to press with Donovan's volley from an extremely tight angle going into the stands on the north side of the stadium. Another potentially dangerous situation was diffused by an offside call against Edson Buddle.
By this time RSL was reeling and perhaps unsurprisingly, the first goal final came in the 41st minute. With RSL's defense scrambling, Beckham played wide to Donovan. Given time to survey the field, Donovan lifted a gentle cross to Magee, who finished neatly at the far post.
RSL attempted to answer back before halftime. Andy Williams served in an enticing free kick to the far post after Beckerman was fouled. Nat Borchers, fighting off Berhalter, headed the ball directly into the hands of Donovan Ricketts, but at least RSL had answered. In the last notable play of first-half stoppage time, Movsisyan controlled and volleyed high as RSL showed a fighting spirit going into halftime.
At the break, Kreis burned another substitution, throwing Ned Grabavoy into the fray for Johnson in an attempt to regain control of the midfield. He almost needed to use a third as Findley and Ricketts collided just minutes in the second stanza.
After a Los Angeles turnover, Movsisyan played Findley through down the right side. After a touch, Findley attempted to pass back to Movsisyan with Ricketts blocked the ball as the two players came together. The striker and goalkeeper stayed on the turf for about three minutes before play resumed, with both able to continue.
As the second half continued, Los Angeles played in a more defensive stance, content to concede possession to their opponents as long as they stayed in their own end.
Beckham got a chance to bend in a free kick in the 58th minute after a foul by Jamison Olave. His attempt from about 25 yards went directly into the defensive wall, which Beckham thought had encroached.
On the other end, Real Salt Lake had a penalty appeal turned down in the 60th minute. Some quick passing between Beckerman and Ian Russell found Movsisyan free in the penalty area. Birchall made some contact with Movsisyan, but not enough for match referee Kevin Stott to award a penalty.
Nevertheless, the play fired up the Claret-and-Cobalt and soon after, the equalizer came. After a Movsisyan shot was blocked in the penalty area, Findley latched onto the loose ball and put it home with his left foot. On the play, Ricketts was injured and had to be replaced by in goal by Josh Saunders. It marked the first time a goalkeeper had been substituted in MLS Cup history.
Real Salt Lake kept the pressure on, with Grabavoy finding Movsisyan streaking, only to have the striker's shot fly out of play. This stage of the game belonged completely to RSL. In complete contrast to the first half, Beckerman or one of his cohorts seemed to win every loose ball in the midfield. Kreis looked to push the advantage with fresh legs, bringing in Espindola for Movsisyan.
Los Angeles pressed forward in its own right. During one possession, six white shirts laid in wait in the RSL penalty area for a series of Beckham crosses. Another injury used the last substitution. In the 89th minute, Los Angeles coach Bruce Arena was forced to bring in A.J. DeLaGarza for a cramping Omar Gonzalez.
Real Salt Lake had more chances to win the match in the latter stages of regulation, with a Mathis free kick from distance being plucked from the goal's top corner by Saunders. Williams crossed in to the back post, with DeLaGarza just barely heading the ball away. After a long period of stoppage time, the match entered the 30-minute extra time period.
Real Salt Lake continued to control the match, with the midfield ably keeping possession. Grabavoy took a first-time shot from Espindola, which was knocked down by an LA defender. Findley's quickness got him to the knockdown first, but a sliding DeLaGarza probably saved a goal with his legs. Findley nearly scored again in the eighth minute of overtime, skimming the net on the near side with a powerful effort.
Mathis touched that same side netting with a free kick, narrowly missing after Beckham awkwardly brought down Beckerman.
As the second overtime period got underway, Los Angeles took more initiative to get forward. But again it was the midfield quartet of Mathis, Grabavoy, Beckerman, and Williams who controlled the game as Beckham's injured ankle seemed to hamper him. The English midfielder did have a chance in the 24th minute of overtime, swinging in another free kick that was punched away by Rimando.
In the end, neither team scored and the match went to penalty kicks. While six championship games have gone to overtime, only one other MLS Cup was decided on penalty kicks, when Houston bested New England in 2006. Neither side looked willing to bend early.
Beckham and Mathis converted the first round of penalties, followed by Berhalter and Findley. Rimando, who had made three saves in the Eastern Conference final, made the first big play, diving to his right to deny Kirovski. Saunders answered by saving Beckerman in a near carbon copy of the previous kick.
Donovan stepped up. Normally deadly in these situations, the LA captain's shot went over the bar. Grabavoy seized the momentum with a coolly taken goal. Magee's successful effort kept Los Angeles alive. RSL's Williams calmly strode to the spot to seal the win, but Saunders dove left to make the save.
Now into the sixth round, Klein and Chris Wingert both tallied. Rimando came up with another big save on Buddle, leaving Philip F. Anschutz Trophy in defender Russell's hands. This time the shot went in, going low to the left with Saunders diving the other way. Russell immediately dropped to his knees as Rimando and the rest of the squad raced in to create the celebratory dogpile.
Andrew Winner is a contributor to MLSnet.com
