Keyword Search:
text size: A | A | A
Rsl Upsets Defending Champions Crew, Advances To Eastern Final
posted 11/05/09 11:10 pm
ABC 7 News - Rsl Upsets Defending Champions Crew, Advances To Eastern Final
Stay on top of breaking news!
Sign up for ABC 7 News e-mail alerts.
Your Email:  
Follow ABC 7 News on Twitter
Follow ABC 7 News on Facebook
related stories:
(Sports Network) - Real Salt Lake upset the defending Major League Soccer Cup champion Columbus Crew, 4-2, on aggregate in their Eastern Conference Semifinal Series thanks to a 3-2 win at Crew Stadium on Thursday night.

RSL (2-0-0) headed into the match up one in the total goals, home-and-home series thanks to a late Robbie Findley tally in the first leg this past weekend, and closed it out on the road on Thursday night.

The Crew's Guillermo Barros Schelotto scored the game's first two goals inside 35 minutes to give the Supporters' Shield winners the advantage, but three unanswered goals by RSL ensured there would be a new MLS Cup champion in 2009.

Schelotto, who was held out of the first leg because of lackluster play down the stretch, opened the scoring in the 19th minute after his long-range free kick bounced in the RSL area and into the far-post side-netting. It was his first goal in his last five MLS Cup playoff matches.

Schelotto doubled the home side's advantage in the game and put them up one in the series in the 35th minute when he took control of a bad turnover by RSL defender Robbie Russell in the offensive third, cut to the top of the area, and fired a shot just inside the far post.

But RSL midfielder Javier Morales answered less than two minutes later to tie the series at two when midfielder Kyle Beckerman capped off an impressive RSL buildup in the offensive third with a chip pass into the area to Morales. Morales made no mistake on the chance, slotting it past goalkeeper Will Hesmer.

Findley converted a penalty kick just before the break to tie the game at two and put RSL up one in the series after Crew defender Frankie Hejduk took down RSL striker Fabian Espindola, who was making a diagonal run through the area on a free kick.

RSL closed out the scoring and the series in the 74th minute when Andy Williams took a short corner from Morales, drove toward the area, and fired a laser through traffic inside the far post.

RSL will now take on the winner of the New England/Chicago series in the Eastern Conference final next week. New England hold a 2-1 advantage after the first leg, with the deciding leg on Saturday at Chicago's Toyota Park.



Copyright 2009 The Sports Network
All rights reserved

 Email To Friend  Email This Article  AddThis Feed Button     Add to Mixx!

read more stories in Sports

ABC 7 Talkback - Story Comments
You need to be a registered member of
ABC 7 News to leave comments on news stories.
Not a member yet? Click Here to sign up.
Username or Email Address
Password
Please leave your comments below:
Messages that harass, abuse or threaten other members; have obscene or otherwise objectionable content; have spam, commercial or advertising content or inappropriate links may be removed and may result in the loss of your posting privileges. Please do not post any private information unless you want it to be available publicly. Never assume that you are completely anonymous and cannot be identified by your posts.
More News and Videos


TM & © WJLA/NewsChannel 8, a division of Allbritton Communications Company
Please read our Privacy Policy. By using this site, you accept our Terms of Service.
Children's Television | EEO Reports | DTV Consumer Education Reports
Closed Captioning Contact Information
WJLA adheres to the ICRA RATING SYSTEM
  {ts '2009-11-05 23:27:20'}