MLS Cup champs arrive in Salt Lake
RSL topped LA Galaxy on Sunday for club's first league title
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Several hundred fans crowded around the baggage claim area in terminal one of the airport. There, amid myriad television cameras and a host of airport security, these legions of RSL faithful serenaded the team with chants and cheers -- celebrating their shootout victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Sunday night.
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• RSL stun Galaxy in PK win • Rimando named MLS Cup MVP • Counted out, RSL never stopped • Kreis credits RSL's spirit, morale • Undecided fans lead pregame 'March' • RSL defy odds to lift MLS Cup • RSL shuffles midfield on fly • Saunders puts in remarkable effort • Dissappointment tinges pride for LA • Galaxy notes: Ricketts breaks hand • RSL notes: Findley shows quickness • MLS Cup 2009 notes & facts
MLS CUP SIGHTS & SOUNDS
 Behind the scenes Watch RSL 1, LA 1 (5-4, PKs) Watch Findley ties the game Watch Magee puts LA ahead Watch Postgame penalty kicks Watch Russell's winning PK Watch MLS Cup presentation Watch RSL postgame presser Watch LA postgame presser Watch ET postgame show Watch ET All-Access: The Sitter Watch ET All-Access: Garber Watch MLS Cup pregame Watch Supporters Summit Watch Galaxy pregame presser Watch RSL pregame presser Watch |
Seeing the boisterous celebration from the crowd awaiting them in the airport felt equal parts special and surreal for a team few people outside of Utah had expected to emerge as MLS champions at season's end.
"These fans have been amazing from day one," midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. "When I was playing against them, they were awesome. I didn't want to admit back then, but they really are amazing fans. They deserve this. They deserve this more than any other fans."
It was a moment to savor for the fans to see Salt Lake return from Seattle as champions. Many of them had stuck with the team through the first three seasons when failure defined what RSL did on the soccer field more than anything else. Real players savored the moment too -- as bringing home the MLS Cup fulfilled career-long ambitions for many of them.
"This is one of my goals I wanted to do," midfielder Clint Mathis said. "I always wanted to play in a World Cup and score in a World Cup (game). I've done both of those. This was the only thing I had not gotten to do yet and now I have."
It served as a bit of irony that the final game of the season came down to a shootout yet again for Salt Lake. The Claret-and-Cobalt had been a terrific second-half team and a rather lackluster first-half team throughout the season. When the playoffs arrived, it seemed that the longer they stayed on the field, the more unstoppable Real became.
When forced to go to consecutive shootouts to keep their championship dreams alive, Real promptly delivered favorable results amid the most tense and dramatic of circumstances.
Reserve midfielder Ned Grabavoy slotted home a game-winning penalty kick to help RSL beat Chicago in the Eastern Conference final after goalkeeper Nick Rimando made a pair of incredible saves in a row. Then, in Seattle, the way the shootout unfolded against the Galaxy mirrored how it developed against the Fire.
Once again, Rimando came up with the big save as each team went to seven shooters. Finally, on the seventh shot, Robbie Russell put the ball in the back of the net and everything changed in an instant for the once downtrodden club.
"It was almost like deja vu when Nick made the save," Grabavoy said. "I knew it wasn't going to slip away then. We were halfway to him when he took the shot."
Perhaps the person in the whole airport who relished the reality of being part of a championship team the most was RSL coach Jason Kreis. In his storied MLS playing career, Kreis had never reached a MLS Cup Final. To coax his players to that pinnacle produced a swell of happy emotions within the young coach.
"It feels incredible," Kreis said. "For me, it's been 13 years now. 13 years in MLS trying to get that cup. To have it now feels fantastic."
RSL owner Dave Checketts credited Kreis and general manager Garth Lagerwey with doing a masterful job in assembling a championship caliber team that finally led RSL into the ranks of MLS champions.
"They deserve tremendous credit," Checketts said. "The way they brought players together from everywhere in the world. This team is going to be good for a long time."
John Coon is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
