RSL's never-give-up attitude pays off
Claret-and-Cobalt refuse to panic, answer early deficit with three goals
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But RSL knew better. Thanks to a 1-0 win at home on Saturday it trailed the total-goals series by one despite what was on the Crew Stadium scoreboard.
This was no time to panic and Real Salt Lake got goals from Javier Morales in the 37th, a penalty by Robbie Findley in first-half stoppage time and an Andy Williams goal in the 74th for a 3-2 win and the series victory 4-2 on aggregate.
RSL, the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference, will play at either New England or Chicago Nov. 14 for a berth in MLS Cup 2009.
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Defender Chris Wingert said the team didn't lose hope after Schelotto's second tally because of the cushion, as slim as it was, that it built in the first leg.
"It did make a difference because of the fact we didn't feel like we were completely out of it, especially scoring a pretty quick one (Morales' goal) the guys were saying, 'We're right back in it; the game is basically tied and let's move on,' " Wingert said.
"We didn't play great but I don't think they played great either. It was a battle and we wanted to hang in there and keep chugging along and see what happens. We hung tough. We knew we were going to get chances in the second half. We didn't need to create much. We needed to battle defensively because we knew the game would open up."
RSL coach Jason Kreis knew the Crew would be flying at home, especially Schelotto because he did not play in the opener.
"I was pleased with the first 15 minutes. I thought we would be under the gun the first 15 minutes but we got through that but right after that is when we allowed the first one then to get piled on with the second one -- it was a real bad mistake by us. A real bad error by Robbie Russell to allow that second one," Kreis said. "It obviously felt like we were in a big hole but the reaction of the guys was fantastic.
"To be honest, the game tonight was a microcosm of two years for us. We've had a lot of challenges and had to work extremely hard. We've certainly seen a lot of adversity but the way we responded to it tonight was fantastic."
Williams, a former Crew player like Wingert, was confident even with the early setbacks.
"We didn't panic at all. We knew that this team couldn't hold us to one goal tonight. Once we got the first goal we'd be all right. Unfortunately we had to wait until they were up 2-0," he said. "We're a great team. The playoffs are a new season. All the records are out the door.
"Our midfield has been playing well. The defense has been playing well. Once we settled down and started knocking the ball around I figured our midfield would outplay their midfield."
Kreis said Morales' goal coming so fast after the Crew went up 2-0 was the difference.
"It was huge, especially coming before halftime," he said. "To have something come quickly like that gives us something to jump on right away. To get it any time before half I would have been pleased and then to get the second one put us in a really, really good place."
Once RSL moved to the second half it relied on the goalkeeping of Nick Rimando for six of his eight saves.
"He made some fantastic saves tonight again," Kreis said. "This time of the year is about players making plays."
Kreis hopes the series win will silence the doubters. His team won only two of 15 on the road this season but he changed routines by bringing the team into Columbus two days earlier than usual as people wondered if that was the right move.
"The answer's in the pudding, right? This is the first time in a long time, first time since I've been the coach here, that we got any kind of result here or even played a good game. I would say the answer is yes," he said. "We believe a lot more than anybody outside of our locker room and that's been pretty obvious this week from everything we've read and heard.
"It will be interesting to see this week if all those people who were saying, 'They've got no chance,' are suddenly saying, 'They've got a chance.' That will be interesting.
"Maybe a team improves over the course of a season facing a lot of disappointing situations. At some point it clicks in their minds about all the little things that they have to do in order to win and never give up."
Craig Merz is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
