RSL move closer to playoff berth

FC Dallas eliminated from playoff contention as Real prevail

Yura Movsisyan (top) got Real Salt Lake's scoring started after they fell a goal down early on. (AP)

Everything added up right this time when RSL came away with a much needed 3-1 victory at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday night.

Yura Movsisyan, Will Johnson and Robbie Findley scored for RSL to cancel out an early Marcelo Saragosa goal, who sent off after just 30 minutes leaving FC Dallas a man down for an hour. Pablo Ricchetti was sent off in the final minute for FCD.

RSL could be guaranteed of a playoff spot by the conclusion of the weekend, if Colorado fails to defeat Chivas USA on Sunday at The Home Depot Center. If the Rapids win, then third place in the Western Conference and the final automatic playoff spot will come down to the meeting between Real and Colorado at Dick's Sporting Goods Park next Saturday.

Dallas struck first in the seventh minute when Saragosa headed in a throw-in from Adrian Serioux. Serioux put the ball into the goalmouth Saragosa headed it down past 'keeper Nick Rimando. It was the quickest goal RSL had conceded to an opponent this season.

Initially, Rimando got his fingertips on the ball and appeared ready to swat it away. But the ball bounced off his hand and landed in the top of the goal.

RSL nearly came up with an equalizer in the 19th minute. Clint Mathis got the play started going by lobbing it down to Chris Wingert along the near sideline. Wingert tracked the ball down in the corner and worked it back over into the penalty area.

After the ball got knocked around for a bit, Serioux tried to clear it out up top in an effort to keep the ball away from Mathis. His header went right to the feet of Javier Morales, who sent the ball back at FCD 'keeper Dario Sala like it was a boomerang. Sala went down on his knees to get the saving catch.

Movsisyan made an effort to stimulate the offense on an attempted breakaway in the 29th minute. Movsisyan tried to plow through a cluster of three defenders to create a one-on-one between him and Sala.

It did not work out so well when he could not shake the defenders fully. By the time he was semi-free, Sala came out and blocked the drive with a well-placed kick.

RSL got a huge break when a red card sent Saragosa to the showers in the 30th minute, leaving the Hoops down a man through the remainder of the match. The Utah side wasted no time in cashing in on its good fortune.

Movsisyan came up with the equalizer in the 35th minute. Morales crossed it into him around the top of the penalty area. Movsisyan spun around a defender and fired a left-footed bullet that sailed past Sala inside the right post.

Ian Joy misfired on a chance for a go-ahead goal in the 45th minute. RSL worked the ball around from the near sideline to the far side of the penalty area. When it got to Joy, he uncorked a nice laser that could have blistered the nets, but his shot zoomed just wide of the right post.

Johnson finally put RSL ahead in the 53rd minute. Wingert fed Johnson the ball a few yards up from the right post and outside the area. Johnson flicked it up in the air and volleyed the ball perfectly on the turn over Sala.

Real dodged one bullet in the 76th minute when Ricchetti got his head under a ball bobbing around in the penalty area and just knocked it over the bar.

Robbie Findley made certain no last-second comeback would be in the works with his goal in the 86th minute. The assist came -- once again -- from Morales when he set Findley up nicely at the top of the penalty area.

Findley then dribbled inside a Hoops defender and curled a perfectly placed shot over Sala and inside the upper right corner to end any hopes Dallas harbored for at least salvaging a tie.

Dallas lost a second player in the 90th minute when Ricchetti was ejected with a straight red card of his own.

RSL heads to Colorado next Saturday, likely needing at least a point to clinch the first playoff spot in club history. FC Dallas finished the 2008 season on the road, playing the Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center.

John Coon is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.

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