Salt Lake deciphers Chivas riddle, 1-0
Now in its fourth season, Real Salt Lake is still looking to make its mark in Major League Soccer, its solid crowds and soon-to-open stadium in Sandy, Utah, notwithstanding.
Unlike Chivas USA, which also joined the league in 2005 and has twice made the playoffs -- winning the Western Conference title last season -- Real Salt Lake has yet to play a postseason game.
This year looks little different. The team came into town Friday riding a three-game losing streak, having lost all five of its road games, and never having defeated Chivas USA at the Home Depot Center.
Until Saturday night.
Thanks to one squandered scoring opportunity after another by the home team, Real Salt Lake was able to leave town with a 1-0 victory and three points, good enough to improve to 4-5-3 and to leapfrog Chivas into fourth place in the West.
“I don’t really feel like it’s a big monkey off our back or a big jinx, to be honest,” Coach Jason Kreis said of ending the 0-6-1 mark against Chivas in California. “I’m a firm believer that it was only going to be a matter of time. I think we’re a good team.”
It was former Galaxy player Robbie Findley who scored, taking a pass from midfielder Kyle Beckerman and racing past defender Carey Talley before stroking a shot past goalkeeper Dan Kennedy.
“He’s really looking very confident at the moment and looking like the player that we saw in preseason,” Kreis said of Findley. “So hopefully [U.S. Olympic Coach] Peter Nowak is taking notice.”
Kennedy was in the nets because starter Brad Guzan is with the U.S. national team for today’s World Cup qualifying game against Barbados in the same stadium.
Kennedy had thwarted Real Salt Lake just moments before when he tipped a header by forward Kenny Deuchar over the crossbar, but Findley’s shot eluded him.
Would Guzan have perhaps made a difference?
“It could have been different, yes,” Chivas Coach Preki said.
But it was the offense, not the defense, that let Chivas down. Scoring chances were created, but no one came close to putting the ball into the net.
Ante Razov was foiled on a free kick by goalkeeper Nick Rimando. Talley sent a shot sailing high over the bar after being set up by Jonathan Bornstein’s cutback pass. Sacha Kljestan had a chance. Justin Braun wasted two good opportunities.
Real Salt Lake had only the two chances and took advantage of one.
“We were very unlucky not to take something from that game,” Preki said.
Chivas USA fell to 4-6-2 and into fifth place in the West, with the Chicago Fire and Mexican icon Cuauhtemoc Blanco next on the schedule, Thursday in Carson.
Preki has until then to find an answer.
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