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 Real Salt Lake

RSL claim Challenge Cup

March 14, 2009 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


RSL began the match taking a direct approach, using the speed of forwards Robbie Findley and Yura Movsisyan. In just the second minute Findley was unlucky not to have his first goal of the tournament, running onto a long ball played from but back but could not get enough behind his shot to beat Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei.

Three minutes later Movsisyan got the better of Frei, running through the TFC offside trap onto an arcing ball played from the center circle by Javier Morales. Movsisyan finished the opportunity for his second goal in the CCC.

Clint Mathis doubled RSL's lead in the 20th minute, slamming home a low cross from inside the six-yard box from Findley.

TFC was further handicapped minutes later when defender Kevin Harmse was issued his second caution in 10 minutes for pulling Findley's jersey, forcing TFC to play a man down.

"I thought it was a fantastic start," Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis said. "We were giving them all kinds of trouble. Some of the troubles we gave them, I think, ended up resulting in getting their player ejected. They were having trouble with our two forwards all night."

With a two-goal and one-man advantage, RSL assumed a more defensive posture for the last 15 minutes of the half, conceding the midfield, which allowed TFC to attack more freely. After several opportunities, Dwayne De Rosario pulled TFC one back in the 37th minute, netting his third goal in three CCC games.

The goal came after Chris Wingert headed an Amado Guevara free kick off the line. Carl Robinson put the ball back in the goalmouth for De Rosario to finish.

RSL joins Columbus, San Jose, and Houston as winners of the preseason tournament. Four of the past five champions have gone on to win one of Major League Soccer's two trophies the same year as winning the CCC.


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