RSL buries Fire on PKs, advances to MLS Cup

Grabavoy nails Eastern Conference Championship winning penalty kick

In the penalty shootout, the Fire started off strong with three successes in row. Clint Mathis easily beat Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch for the first RSL PK of the night, but Javier Morales sent the ball off the crossbar and over. RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando then stopped John Thorrington's attempt as Real's Robbie Findley, Kyle Beckerman and Will Johnson all buried their attempts.

With the shootout tied at 4-4, Rimando came up huge stopping attempts by Logan Pause and Brandon Prideaux. Fabian Espindola soared his attempt high, but late substitution Ned Grabavoy nailed his shot toward goal. Busch got a hand on it, but it wasn't enough as the ball went into the goal for the RSL victory.

The teams had their opportunities over the preceding 120 minutes. In the 16th minute, Findley broke through the Fire defense and ran toward goal. Findley shot, but Busch slid in front of the ball, blocking the attempt.

RSL made a push in the 25th minute, with the Fire's defense finally clearing the ball out of danger. But RSL still maintained possession of the ball, stealing it back from the Fire with every opportunity they had.

In the 27th minute, Blanco had a corner from left of goal that McBride put a head on from the near post. His header hit the crossbar and bounced out just as Chicago's C.J. Brown was sliding in to put a touch on the ball.

A Real corner in the 35th minute looked like trouble for Chicago. Fire midfielder Chris Rolfe knocked it out of harm's way, but RSL defender Jamison Olave picked up the rebound, and blasted a shot toward goal. Busch grabbed it for the save.

In the 43rd minute, a RSL push found Morales crossing the ball into the box. Busch punched the ball out of the box and back into play. The Fire cleared the play and made a push toward RSL's goal.

Morales blasted another attempt wide right of goal in the 45th minute. In stoppage time, Findley headed the ball to Yura Movsisyan on the right side of the box. Movsisyan shot, but Busch jumped on top of the ball, keeping the game scoreless.

In the second half, Yura Movsisyan and Daniel Woolard collided in the 49th minute, setting up a RSL freekick. Morales sent the freekick into the outside of the net on the right. Three minutes later, Movsisyan broke through the Fire's defense and blasted a shot wide right.

History repeated itself in the 58th minute. Movsisyan was fed the ball, turned and shot it wide right. Then in the 62nd minute, Beckerman pushed forward, sending the ball into Busch's arms.

Real Salt Lake played far more effective combinations in the game, but the Fire put a decent one together in the 82nd minute, with Prideaux sending the ball from right to left to McBride in the box 15 yards out. McBride laid the ball off to Chris Rolfe at the center of the box but his bullet shot went wide left.

Espindola, who entered the match for Movsisyan in the 73rd minute, shot the ball toward goal in the 88th minute. Fire defender C.J. Brown met him in the box, heading the attempt back into play.

The Fire fans lit up flares as RSL made a run toward goal. Smoke filled the north side of the stadium, where Busch was less than pleased. When the smoke cleared a little, RSL sent a corner kick into the box. Findley attempted to poke it in, but Chicago's John Thorrington cleared the attempt. Beckerman took the last shot of regulation, sending the ball into Busch's arms.

Rimando stepped up once again in the 103rd minute when the referee whistled a handball about 10 yards outside of the box. Blanco bent a perfect shot into the box. Rimando leapt to his right, grabbing the attempt.

Robbie Russell launched a long ball toward goal in the 106th minute. Busch jumped up and caught it for the save. Then in the 113th minute, Beckerman forwarded the ball to Mathis, but he headed it over the bar to set up the shootout.

Real Salt Lake will meet the Los Angeles Galaxy at Qwest Field in Seattle on Sunday, Nov. 22 in MLS Cup 2009.

Kathryn L. Knapp is a contributor to MLSnet.com

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