Real Salt Lake Come Up Short On Penalties, Head To Minnesota
Oct 29, 2024, 9:59 PM | Updated: Oct 30, 2024, 2:35 pm
SANDY, Utah- The pressure was on and the air was crisp as Real Salt Lake and Minnesota United FC took the field on Tuesday night. With the temperature at a comfortable 42 degrees at kick-off, it was officially playoff time at the base of the Wasatch Front.
Real Salt Lake and Minnesota United FC were deadlocked during the regular season with two draws, and Tuesday night was more of the same story. The two sides battled hard, taking penalties to decide a victor in game one of the playoffs.
Playoff season is Loon hunting season for our XI#RSLvMIN | @Intermountain pic.twitter.com/6XPyeP2IXp
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) October 30, 2024
First Half
Minnesota started the game with possession off of the opening kick-off but quickly gave up the ball to RSL.
Real Salt Lake then kept the ball on their half of the field for around five minutes. Two chances were created during the stint including a corner kick in the 4th minute and a cross in the 5th minute intended for Chicho Arango at the back post that was intercepted.
In the 6th minute, Minnesota’s Jefferson Diaz committed a hard foul on Chicho Arango just inside RSL’s attacking half, earning himself a booking. Arango was down on the pitch for several minutes before he rose to his feet and play continued.
It was clear early that Real was controlling the pace and much of the possession, a theme throughout the first half.
In the 13th minute, Diego Luna uncorked his first shot on goal from the middle of the box. It was a quality attempt but Dayne St. Clair made a great save to clear it for Minnesota.
In the 14th minute, Minnesota found their first bit of momentum with a corner kick.
It became apparent at this point in the first half that both teams were playing a bit of chess, settling in during the first of what could be six halves of soccer between these two teams over the next couple of weeks.
In the 22nd minute, Alexandros Katranis megged his defender during a build-up, a moment that got the crowd going. Katranis was spectacular through the first 45 minutes, controlling the tempo on his side of the field. Several times, Salt Lake flipped the field with long passes to Alex.
In the 26th, Matt Crooks sent a pass into the box from the goal line, but nobody for RSL was in the vicinity.
Diego Luna showed great effort in the first half, keeping pressure on the Minnesota keeper, even disrupting St. Clair enough to cause a pass out of bounds, giving the ball back to the Claret-and-Cobalt.
Just as the match hit the 30-minute mark, Minnesota committed two quick fouls in the midfield, clearly out of frustration for their inability to sustain possession of any kind.
Minnesota’s frustration would continue as their first good chance of the game, a shot from right around the spot, was blocked by Justen Glad.
Even after four minutes of extra time, neither side budged and they entered the break tied at zero.
Even in a scoreless game, Real Salt Lake appeared to be executing their intentions, holding 65% of the possession in the first half.
Level at the break #RSLvMIN | @SeatGeek pic.twitter.com/pLXHBqMAi4
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) October 30, 2024
Second Half
Minnesota came out and clearly appeared to be pushing the pace.
Just within the first four minutes after halftime, Minnesota had two break away chances. The first ended in a crucial save from Zac MacMath and the second attempt snuck just outside the far post, keeping the score level.
In the 52nd minute, RSL quickly put the ball back into play after a freekick was awarded in the midfield, leaving nobody between Diego Luna and the keeper. St. Clair left his line to oppose Luna, deflecting his chip attempt, ultimately resulting in a clearance for Minnesota.
In the 54th, Real found themselves with numbers on a breakaway. Dominik Marczuk took the ball up the near side of the pitch, finding Chicho Arango in the middle on the way to the goal. Arango’s long-range shot would end up off target, sailing high and wide of the net.
Six minutes later, after several trades in possession, the RSL forwards stole the ball deep in their attacking half. The ball would once again find the feet of Chicho Arango right at the top of the box. He would put the shot on goal, but it wasn’t much of a challenge for St. Clair.
As the matched entered the last half hour, Dominik Marczuk nearly put RSL on top as a desperate pass flew high in the air above Minnesota’s box. The defenders fell asleep for a split second as they waited for the ball to fall back to the pitch, allowing Marczuk to get underneath it. The Minnesota defense realized just in time, deflecting his attempt wide of the net.
At this point in the match, tension was building as a goal felt imminent.
With twenty minutes remaining, Anderson Julio and Diogo Gonçalves entered the match for Diego Luna and Matt Crooks, giving Real Salt Lake fresh legs on their attacking front.
In the 71st minute, Minnesota once again manufactured a breakaway, leaving Zac MacMath on an island against two attackers. A perfect pass was sent across the box, almost certainly meaning a goal for Minnesota, but MacMath intervened at the last second, blocking the attempt.
ZAC COMES UP BIG https://t.co/wJrdJSy0Dh
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) October 30, 2024
In the 75th minute, Braian Odeja went on a run down the middle of the pitch, leaving it for Arango to cross the ball into the box. During the header attempt, there was contact in the box that was not called to the dismay of the Riot.
Anticipation was growing within America First Field as the match entered the last ten minutes of full-time.
In the 80th minute, Minnesota’s Wil Trapp stopped an RSL attack with a hard foul from behind on Emeka Eneli, giving the referee no choice but to show him a yellow card.
In the 83rd, Zac MacMath once again added to his case for Man of the Match with two more point-blank saves on Minnesota’s Kelvin Yeboah and Bongokuhle Hlongwane before Wil Trapp sent a shot over the bar.
83' | Zac comes in clutch x3 #RSLvMIN | 0-0 pic.twitter.com/qfIykXJ237
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) October 30, 2024
In the 88th minute, MacMatch made another save on an Oluwaseyi attempt from outside the box.
In the 92nd, RSL won a corner and subsequent throw-in but was unable to convert.
The two squads traded chances in the dying moments, but just like the regular season, ended 90 minutes all knotted up.
The match would be decided via penalty shootout
Penalties
The penalty shootout unfolded on the Riot’s side of the field, giving the fan section a good view and a chance to influence the takes with their noise.
The strong takers stepped up first for each team with Teboah and Trapp for Minnesota and Arango and Gonçalves for RSL all stepping up and putting their shots in the back of the net.
The first break came when Zac MacMath continued his stellar play, saving Boxall’s attempt. However, Justen Glad would step up for Real and send his shot over the bar, evening the score once again.
Following the two misses, Jeong and Oluwaseyi for Minnesota and Julio and Eneli for RSL made their shots.
In the sixth round of the shootout, Diaz for Minnesota made his attempt, putting Odeja in a do-or-die situation. He stepped up to the spot, but put it off the cross bar, giving Minnesota United FC the first win of the three-game series.
ANOTHER UPSET! 😱@MNUFC take Game One on PK's 5-4!
Audi #MLSCupPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/h2blv4MKS5
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) October 30, 2024
Game 2 Between Real Salt Lake and Minnesota United FC
The series will now shift to St. Paul and Allianz Field on Saturday, November 2, at 7:00 p.m. MT. Real Salt Lake will need a win to bring the third game back to America First Field for a decisive final match.
