It has taken a long time, but Real Salt Lake can at last lay claim to Western Conference supremacy.
RSL made good on its fourth chance to take over first place by toppling the Columbus Crew 2-0 behind a resurgent offense on Saturday night at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Javier Morales and Robbie Findley each chipped in a goal to get RSL its sixth win of the season.
RSL offered a different look in an attempt to get something going on offense. Real coach Jason Kreis elected to go with Yura Movsisyan and Tino Nunez as the starting forwards in place of usual starters Findley and Kenny Deuchar.
As it turned out, RSL got its coveted early offensive jolt from the midfield in the form of Morales.
Morales converted a direct free kick into a 1-0 lead for Real in the fourth minute when he faked out Frankie Hejduk and forced him to jump the wrong direction -- creating an opening in the Crew's defensive wall.
It stood out as the quickest goal of the season for RSL and seemed to inject plenty of energy into its attack.
Morales tried to create a second goal in the 16th minute when he fed the ball to Nunez in the middle of the field. Nunez let pass between his legs to Kyle Beckerman and he settled the ball and tried to find the range from long distance, but his shot sailed just wide of the right post.
The Argentinean midfielder followed up by attempting to inflict damage on another free kick in the 20th minute. Working this time with an indirect free kick, Morales dropped the ball to Nat Borchers near the six. Borchers uncorked a solid header, but it sailed over the crossbar.
RSL had another golden opportunity in the 25th minute when a Crew defender blocked a shot by Nunez and the ball bounced to the feet of Andy Williams. Williams lobbed the ball over Nunez and two Columbus defenders, but his shot grazed the wrong side of the crossbar.
The Crew struggled with a listless attack during the first 45 minutes. Columbus managed its only shot on goal on a header by Brad Evans in the 13th minute. Evans was on target but he put little power behind the ball -- giving goalkeeper Nick Rimando an easy catch.
Columbus looked to have another potential shot on goal in the 31st minute when Alejandro Moreno fired on the run while one-on-one with Borchers. He could not bend it around Borchers, however, who blocked the ball with his shoulder.
The Crew seemed to have an easier time creating chances for themselves in the second half, but the results stayed the same.
Guillermo Barros Schelotto rifled the ball from the edge of the area in the 49th minute only to have his shot bounce off the post. Tony Beltran tried to clear it away, but Robbie Rogers latched onto the ball. Rogers ensuing putback attempt went wide.
Rogers tried to create something for Columbus off a corner kick in the 77th minute, swinging the ball to Chad Marshall in the center of the area. But Marshall popped a header up and over the crossbar.
On the other end, Findley made life tough on the Crew defense after entering as a second-half substitute.
Findley gave an indication he was going to make something happen when his shot off a feed from Morales just went wide in the 70th minute. He finally delivered in the 78th minute when he punched in an insurance goal to put RSL up 2-0.
Deuchar, who also entered the match in the second half, set up Findley with a lob pass into the center of the penalty area. On the run, he scooted around Columbus 'keeper William Hesmer and set up a one-on-one battle with defender Danny O'Rourke. Findley hooked the ball around O'Rourke and blasted it home into an empty net.
John Coon is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
