Real Salt Lake beats the Columbus Crew 3-2 (4-2 on aggregate) – Recap and Video Highlights – Thursday, November 5, 2009

The Major League Soccer Playoffs continue on Thursday, November 5, 2009 with the second leg of the Columbus Crew and Real Salt Lake. RSL had a 1-0 lead on aggregate heading into this match. So, who won and advance to the Conference Finals? Here’s a recap of the match along with video highlights.

Real Salt Lake beats the Columbus Crew 3-2 (4-2 on aggregate) – Video Highlights

1st Half

Real Salt Lake nearly took the lead in the 10th minute as a through ball was sent for Andy Williams. He time his run perfectly and had a breakaway but goalkeeper Will Hesmer came out to make the save. Columbus was not sharp early and struggled to get Schelotto touches. After the chance for Williams, the Crew started to get some chances. Schelotto sent a cross into the box that was headed by Eddie Gavin on goal but saved.

The match picked up in intensity and pace after the first 10 minutes. Real Salt Lake was the more dangerous team early and was looking for a goal that would put a lot of pressure on Columbus. The match would turn in Columbus’ favor in the 19th minute as Schelotto had a free kick from 35-40 yards out. The free kick was sent in the box where several players missed a header and goalkeeper Nick Rimando did not come off the line. The ball bounced and ended up going into the far corner and a bad goal for RSL to concede.

The match score was now 1-0 for Columbus and 1-1 on aggregate (no away goals rule in MLS). The goal from Schelotto would give Columbus confidence and the momentum. A defensive mistake from RSL resulted in Schelotto getting a shot from the edge of the box and scoring. It was a turnover in the final third that gave Columbus the scoring chance. Rimando had little chance to save the shot was it was a great shot to the low right corner.  The Crew led 2-0 and (2-1 on aggregate) after 35 minutes of play.

Real Salt Lake would not give up and found the equalizer only a few minutes later. In the attack, Kyle Beckerman sent a great pass to Javier Morales who got behind the defense and sent a shot past Hesmer in the 37th minute. Both defenses struggled and the match opened up quite a bit after the first 20 minutes.

The final minutes of the first half were controversial as there was a handball just outside the box committed by RSL missed by the official and a penalty kick awarded against Columbus in stoppage time. A free kick was sent in the box and Frankie Hejduk took down Fabian Espindola.

Robbie Findlay converted the penalty in the second minute of stoppage with a low short to the left corner as Hesmer guessed right. It would end at 2-2 and RSL leading 3-2 on aggregate.

2nd Half

Columbus came out attacking in the second half as Real Salt Lake was more conservative with a lead. RSL caught another break as there was a handball in the box that should have been a Columbus penalty kick but wasn’t called. A few minutes later it appeared Alejandro Moreno had earned a penalty as he went down in the box, but the referee ruled it was a dive and he had exaggerated.

The Crew had most of the chances through the first 20-25 minutes of the second half. RSL didn’t take many chances and didn’t send many players forward in the attack. RSL started to pick it up in the 70th minute and Jamison Olave had a wide open header off a corner kick that just went wide. Real Salt Lake would extend their lead in the 74th minute as it came off a corner kick. The corner was sent short to Andy Williams who took a shot that went through several players and into the right corner.

The Crew desperately looked for two goals in the final 15 minutes as they were now down 2-4 on aggregate. Columbus failed to find any goals and will not repeat as MLS Cup champions. It was a great match from Real Salt Lake who were down in the first half but fought back with three unanswered goals.

Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Referee’s Assistants: Thomas Supple; Joe Fletcher
4th Official: Silviu Petrescu
Time of Game: 90:00
Weather: Clear -and- 44 degrees
Attendance: 10,109

Tags: mls