There is absolutely no question that Real Salt Lake (RSL) earned this championship. They faced the Los Angeles Galaxy for the MSL Cup on Sunday. RSL’s victory was wholly unanticipated especially against the Galaxy.
RSL wasn’t even likely to make it into the playoffs. They weren’t even expected to beat Columbus or Chicago in the first two rounds of the playoffs but they were able to work as a group and build upon each other’s strengths in order to earn the title.
“It’s a Cinderella story, it really is” declared RSL midfielder Ned Grabavoy. This victory was the product of two years of hard work and steady team building. Jason Kreis took charge in May 2007 of the team and when Garth Lagewey joined four months later on they were able to develop a stronger team by reviewing and working on changing the constant mistakes the team was doing.
By making these adjustments they were able to create a better club and were able to get not only better players but a binding team spirit. Then when the team got captain Kyle Beckerman it was the best trade they could have possibly made. With this squad the athletes and coaches were able to make up a good team through hard work and determination.
This is the team’s first major win. They made it into the Western Conference last year but lost. They were inconsistent and conceited which were two problems they faced. But luckily this year the team came together and made it to the championship. In the championship two players had to be taken out of the game because of a strained knee and illness, the team pulled together and kept the ball constantly moving.
Many players understood with RSL that they may be good at particular things but the coaches needed more. The coaches helped turn each player into improved defensive and offensive players by focusing on individuals strengths and weaknesses. By working on these skills RSL players improved themselves and it paid off.
In this game there were many athletes that played an important role in the victory. But, Nick Rimando the goalkeeper saved the day. He received the title of MVP after stopping two penalty kicks. Romando paved the road for Robbie Russell’s game clinching score.
Rimando is at the top of the MSL when it comes to penalty kicks. He has only let in 11 goals out of 20 penalty kick attempts, which means that he is far greater at stopping penalty kicks than many MLS players. Opposing shooters only have a 69 percent probability of success against him.
Even if you’re a Galaxy fan you have to confess that RSL played the better game. The fact that Rimando was capable of saving Donovan’s kick was astonishing! But just the reality that this team was able to clench the tournament against the all powerful Galaxy is a statement in and of itself. This is really a sweet victory for RSL.
About the Author Info
Diane Johnson graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of Utah and enjoys writing about current events, politics, college degrees, masters degree online, and the office. Her job gives her a good chance to educate the public about online universities
