SANTA CLARA, Calif. -- A 59th minute free kick by Javier Morales was the difference as Real Salt Lake snapped their two-game losing streak, beating the San Jose Earthquakes 3-2 Saturday night at Buck Shaw Stadium.
Real Salt Lake came into the match with the worst road record in MLS, having earned just five points in their first 12 matches away from home (1-9-2). San Jose, on the other hand, was the hottest team in the league, unbeaten in their last nine matches. But Real prevailed in a hard-fought contest that featured a goal in each half from both Yura Movsisyan and San Jose's Darren Huckerby.
At the start of the night's play, a mere four points separated second place from seventh in the Western Conference, and with both teams in the thick of that fight, the game took on a playoff atmosphere.
Coming off a shutout loss to Chivas USA, coach Jason Kreis shuffled the RSL lineup a bit, pulling Andy Williams and Robbie Findley from the starting 11 in favor of Robbie Russell and Clint Mathis.
The Real Salt Lake offense sparked to life early, with Movsisyan opening the scoring in the third minute. The crowd was still settling into their seats when Javier Morales chipped a long ball that sent Movsisyan into the box 1-on-1 with defender Nick Garcia. From the right side, Movsisyan cut inside Garcia and drilled home a left-footed shot from 12 yards out.
San Jose answered in the 23rd minute, when Ryan Cochrane's chip found Huckerby bursting up the middle. In alone on goal, Huckerby easily beat RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando inside the right post to even the score 1-1.
It looked like San Jose had gone ahead in the 33rd minute, when Scott Sealy pounced on the rebound of a Ronnie O'Brien free kick, but his goal was ruled offside.
Just before halftime, it was Salt Lake's turn to threaten, as Movsisyan broke in alone on goal from the left wing. San Jose goalkeeper Joe Cannon made the initial save, but the rebound fell to Movsisyan for a second shot that was cleared off the line by defender Ryan Cochrane.
Then, in first-half injury time, a San Jose corner kick from Huckerby found Cochrane at the far post. His header caught the crossbar as it went over the top.
San Jose went ahead just after intermission, as Huckerby and Arturo Alvarez worked a give-and go in midfield. Huckerby took Alvarez's back heel pass and broke in on goal, slamming a shot from the top of the arc that beat Rimando inside the left post for a 2-1 Earthquakes lead.
But less than a minute later, Real Salt Lake came back. Kyle Beckerman chipped a long ball to Movsisyan, who fended off a challenge from Ronnie O'Brien and flicked the bouncing ball over an on-rushing Joe Cannon to tie the game at 2-2.
Then in the 59th minute, Real Salt Lake went ahead for good when Morales hooked a 25-yard free kick into the upper left corner of the goal for a 3-2 lead.
When San Jose brought on the speedy Shea Salinas in the 69th minute for Ronnie O'Brien, Salt Lake answered by bringing on Robbie Findley for Clint Mathis. Findley almost got on the score sheet in the 72nd minute, when on a 3-on-2 break, a Morales cross from the right side found him unmarked at the far post. But Findley's header from point-blank range was stopped by the San Jose goalkeeper.
San Jose continued pressing for an equalizer in the closing minutes. A 79th-minute Huckerby corner kick reached Jason Hernandez inside the six-yard box, but Rimando was there for a reaction save.
Then an 81st-minute Francisco Lima free kick from 25 yards out sailed over the crossbar, and with it the last San Jose chance.
With the win, Real Salt Lake now sit tied for third place in the West with 34 points, while San Jose remains tied for sixth with 29 points.
Real Salt Lake now travel to New England for a game next Saturday before returning home to open their new stadium in Sandy, Utah, Oct. 9 vs. New York. The Earthquakes also hit the road next week, facing FC Dallas on MLS Primetime Thursday.
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