RSL overcomes stubborn Crew defense
Real earn win, third consecutive clean sheet at home in playoff opener
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Real knew they needed to gain any advantage they could before heading out onto the road for the second leg. But, as the minutes in the second half ticked away, it grew apparent that Columbus was set on bunkering in and escaping from Rio Tinto Stadium with a scoreless draw.
"We tried to play the way we play and they weren't going to allow it," midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. "They were just going to defend with all 11 guys and you saw it with their lineup that they came out with."
RSL thwarted those plans when Robbie Findley broke the ice and produced the game-winning goal in the 88th minute to give his team a 1-0 victory and the advantage it was searching for going into Ohio on Thursday.
Will Johnson set the decisive play in motion with a quick throw-in to Yura Movsisyan on the left flank. After settling the ball near the corner, Movsisyan sent a hard cross toward the near post. Findley charged to meet the ball, slid forward and poked it cleanly between Crew 'keeper William Hesmer and the post for the goal.
It came as a huge relief to Salt Lake, which did not want to see the bunkering mentality of Columbus to be rewarded with a favorable result for the Crew.
RSL coach Jason Kreis actually switched out of his 4-4-2 formation for the last 10 minutes, when Robbie Russell replaced Tony Beltran, going to more of a 3-5-2. Kreis made the move partially out of desperation, looking for some way to wake up the offense before the final whistle.
"I wanted to win in the worst way," Kreis said. "I was willing to make any changes to make that happen -- to go for it. I wasn't going to be content (with) 0-0 for sure."
For Salt Lake, the victory marked the third consecutive game at Rio Tinto Stadium where the team earned a clean sheet. RSL allowed only seven shots and two shots of goal -- neither of which came after halftime.
It increased their home goal differential to a whopping plus-24 margin for the regular season and playoffs combined.
"Defensively, we've really tuned in the last couple of weeks and I think it's paid off," goalkeeper Nick Rimando said. "When we play good defense, we get opportunities and win games."
On the other side of the coin, RSL knows it needs a much better outing from its offense in the second leg of this series. The Claret-and-Cobalt produced only one more shot than Columbus did. And Findley's goal was one of just two balls put on frame in a 90-minute span by the Utah side.
With the Crew sure to come out in attack mode in their home stadium, Salt Lake cannot afford to rest on its one goal cushion.
"We got another 90-minute game to go," Findley said. "And they're going to throw everything at us at home. We got to be sharp when we go over there."
Kreis expressed some disappointment in how his team started the game. He felt like the players played timidly and did not do enough to win balls or connect on passes when it was necessary. Kreis noted his players showed improved form in the second half, but felt like they allowed themselves to get sucked into the tempo Columbus wanted to set far too often.
"I like to win our games at home with a little more flair and a little more possession," Kreis said. "But it's the playoffs and things are different. Again, when you get yourself into a two-leg series like this, you're going to have a team that's just not going to open themselves up."
John Coon is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
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