SALT LAKE CITY -- With a crucial three points on the line against Toronto FC, it seemed like Real Salt Lake had cooked up the perfect recipe for a late-game disaster once again.
RSL yielded a slim lead in the 83rd minute when a foul by Jamison Olave set up a TFC direct free kick just outside the top of the penalty area. Amado Guevara curled his shot over the wall and under the post -- past a diving Nick Rimando and his outstretched hands -- to knot the game at 1-1.
But Robbie Findley refused to let the game become the latest to get away from Real in the closing minutes. Findley keyed a 2-1 RSL victory at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Monday night when he stuck a dagger in the Reds' comeback hopes with a spectacular game-winning goal in the 87th minute.
Findley netted his team-high fifth goal of the season when he corralled a ball after TFC 'keeper Greg Sutton deflected a shot by Kyle Beckerman toward the top of the box. He beat a pair of Toronto defenders to the bouncing ball and threaded a sliding strike right between to make it 2-1.
Just like that, a seeming draw was back to a sure win.
"It's such a relief," defender Chris Wingert said. "It would have been such a disappointment if we came away with a draw in that game after working so hard. It would have been a real letdown."
That moment also proved to be sweet redemption for Findley. He had a ready-made opportunity to put RSL up 1-0 in the 27th minute when Wingert set Findley up with a perfect cross inside the six-yard box, only to see him clank a chip shot off the left post and back out the other side.
It would have been easy enough at that point to second-guess himself, but Findley was determined to make another play when the situation arose to do so.
"It's always tough if you miss a goal early in the game," Findley said. "You usually think about it the whole game. I think I did a good job of letting it go and just keep on focusing on the game."
In terms of confidence for the front line, the late goal was a huge thing too. Kreis had worked to keep both Findley and Yura Movsisyan thinking positive at halftime after several first-half shots did not go their way.
Getting such a dramatic goal, the RSL boss thinks, will have a long shelf life for Findley.
"I'm so glad that things fell Robbie's way there in the end because I think it's very important for his development here," Kreis said.
Another player who also took an important step forward was Olave. The Colombian defender netted his first career MLS goal when he pushed a header over Sutton for the match's first goal in the 63rd minute.
Olave nearly netted his first header on a free kick from Javier Morales two minutes earlier, but that attempt sailed wide. He finally broke through when Wingert sent in a long ball from the right side toward him in front of the left post.
Olave leapt into the air and got his head under the ball -- easily pushing it over Sutton and into the net.
For Kreis, the goal proved just how well-rounded a player he is.
"He's been nothing short of spectacular and defensively tonight he was spectacular as well," Kreis said. "I was very excited to see him score a goal because I known all along he could be dangerous for us on attacking corners."
Olave nearly traded his good fortune for bad with his foul and subsequent yellow card in the 83rd minute. But with disaster averted, he could walk away instead feeling satisfied at his contributions to another victory.
"Fortunately, I'm starting to reach a good level," Olave said. "Every day, I'm working a little bit harder to get to the level I should be at."
The win not only helps RSL hold onto first place, but it shows another step in the club's maturation process -- namely the ability to pull out a late-game goal when needed.
For Kreis, that is the sweetest part of finally guiding his players to a rare winning record.
"It makes me feel very good," Kreis said. "It makes me feel like my faith is well-placed in them and I know it's a mentally strong group."
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