SANDY, Utah -- Yura Movsisyan has perfected a method for working late-game heroics in the 90th minute.
One week after coming up with the equalizing goal at that juncture in Colorado that pushed Real Salt Lake into the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time, Movsisyan put in the game's only goal in the 90th minute on Saturday afternoon against Chivas USA.
His game winner -- a nifty flick off the inside of his right heel off a cross from Javier Morales near the endline -- handed RSL a 1-0 win at Rio Tinto Stadium in the first game of their Western Conference Semifinal Series. The second and deciding game will take place next Saturday at The Home Depot Center.
RSL came out of the gates in full attacking mode -- especially Morales. RSL outshot Chivas 9-1 in the first half and also did an excellent job of creating corner kicks for itself throughout the half, coming up with four while allowing zero for Chivas USA.
The Argentinean midfielder took his first crack at the net on a direct free kick in the third minute, but sent the ball too high. He then took a one-touch pass from Movsisyan a minute later and split three defenders for a nice shot that just skipped wide of the near post.
The Utah side did not dial back the intensity through the first half and got plenty of other good chances. Chris Wingert put himself in good position when he broke loose along the far sideline in the 10th minute. But Wingert hesitated as he entered the penalty area and it gave Zach Thornton enough time to gather himself and deflect Wingert's shot over the endline.
Clint Mathis nearly came up with the first goal for RSL in the 18th minute when he put a free kick perfectly on frame from 30 yards out. While Mathis had a shot that was true, the ball did not have enough of an angle to zip past the waiting hands of Thornton.
Another great scoring opportunity came on a corner kick during the 32nd minute. Morales swung the ball from the corner across to Jamison Olave at the near post. Olave headed it up to Will Johnson near the top of the area. Johnson unleashed a rocket, but the ball sailed way too high to seriously test Thornton.
Chivas created their only shot in the 14th minute when Justin Braun centered the ball to Sacha Kljestan and Kljestan delivered a rocket from inside the restraining arc. His shot sailed just wide of the far post.
RSL did not miss a beat with their attack early in the second half. Movsisyan set up Mathis perfectly in the 46th minute. The RSL Golden Boot winner backheeled the ball on a volley to him and, from there, Mathis tried to slot it past Thornton. Thornton barely got a piece of it as the ball bounced past, forcing it wide and over the end line.
Morales created another nice shot on frame in the 49th minute when he swung a corner kick out to Nat Borchers at the edge of the six-yard box. Borchers got his head under the ball and put it perfectly on frame. Chivas narrowly dodged the bullet when Alex Razov cleared it off the line.
Movsisyan appeared to finally put RSL on the board in the 63rd minute when he shook off former Real teammate Carey Talley and unleashed a rocket past Thornton. But the goal was waved off when Movsisyan was charged with a foul for taking Talley down near the top of the penalty area.
The Rio Tinto crowd showed its displeasure with the call by heartily booing Talley whenever he touched the ball until he was substituted for in the 68th minute.
RSL nearly cooked something up again in the 76th minute when Morales sent a free kick to substitute Robbie Findley near the goalmouth. Findley and Thornton went to head the ball simultaneously and it was forced over the endline. The play set up another corner kick by Morales, but nothing more came of it.
Findley got another solid chance on a ball fed to him in the 84th minute. He got loose on the break and uncorked a powerful shot. But the ball sailed wide of the far post.
RSL put an increased emphasis on the offensive end in the waning minutes of the half, going with four forwards -- Mathis, Movsisyan, Findley and Fabian Espindola -- to finish out the match. Espindola got a good look at the net in the 89th minute when Morales fed him the ball on the outside corner of the penalty area. His rocket, though, was easily roped in by Thornton.
Just it when it seemed as if RSL would be forced to settle from a draw from their home leg, Movsisyan popped up again to provide the late heroics and give Real an edge to protect at The Home Depot Center.
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