Real Salt Lake midfielder Andy Williams celebrates second-half goal to tie MLS Cup 2009 at 1-1 before his team won 5-4 on penalty kicks over heavily favored Los Angeles. AP/Elaine Thompson
Underdogs throughout, nobody bothered to tell Real Salt Lake because in succession, the club knocked off 2008 MLS champion Columbus, then followed it with a thrilling win at Chicago on penalty kicks and closed the deal Sunday night in Seattle amid 40,000-plus fans and flashbulbs popping for David Beckham and Co. by upsetting the star-studded Galaxy after the game was tied 1-1 after regulation and overtime.
If you had a chance to catch your breath as an RSL fan during the MLS Cup playoffs, you were most certainly alone, because in these playoffs, Real Salt Lake provided all the drama for several Hollywood productions.
The championship victory over the Galaxy was no exception, as another halftime deficit and slow start for RSL turned the way of the team where the motto is “fortune favors the bold,” with a Robbie Findley finish in the second half to tie things up at 1-1.
Even during penalty kicks, it was L.A. who scored first, when Beckham curled his shot into side netting. But a few kicks later, the always impeccable Galaxy star and PK taker Landon Donovan rocketed his shot above the crossbar and into the stands, setting up that word again, improbable.
With all the drama RSL has provided in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs it was only fitting that Andy Williams, with the club since its 2005 inception, would have an opportunity to win RSL’s first title during the fifth round of kicks.
But it was not to be, as LA goalkeeper Josh Saunders guessed correctly and dived left to corral Williams’ kick and send it to extra PK's after five were taken by each team.
On the seventh round of penalty kicks, however, RSL goalkeeper and MLS Cup MVP Nick Rimando guessed right--as he has been wont to do during the playoffs.
Rimando saved Edson Buddle’s blast, setting up the stage for RSL defender Robbie Russell, who went left--just as Ned Grabavoy did last week in the Eastern Conference finals to win.
The goal gave RSL their first professional championship and Utah’s first in 40 years since the Utah Stars of the now-defunct ABA. Real Salt Lake also became the first team to win MLS Cup despite having a losing regular season record.
Improbable. Unfathomable. Unbelievable. Those are just a few words describing Real Salt Lake’s run to MLS Cup as a No. 8 seed. And now, it's actually happened. RSL is now the 2009 MLS Cup Champions after defeating the heavily favored Los Angeles Galaxy and its cavalcade of stars, 5-4 in penalty kicks.
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