The Columbus Crew finally broke through against Real Salt Lake, scoring a pair of goals in the final 15 minutes to claim a 2-0 victory on Saturday night at Crew Stadium.
Guillermo Barros Schelotto buried a penalty kick in the 76th minute and then Eddie Gaven came on as a substitute and netted his a goal only minutes later, giving the Crew their fifth win of the season and vaulting them to just one point behind first-place D.C. United.
The victory extended the Crew's unbeaten streak to six games, and they recorded a shutout for the third match in a row. Real are still in sole possession of last place in the Western Conference and the league, losing for the second match in a row after recording their only victory of the season.
As the game opened neither team came out with the guns blazing, but Columbus did get the better early opportunities at goal. A nice passing sequence in the 10th minute led to a Danny O'Rourke blast from well outside the box, but it was deflected out by the RSL defense. From the ensuing corner kick Schelotto placed the ball perfectly on the head of Marcos Gonzalez, but the Crew defender poked the ball over the crossbar with his attempt.
RSL had a good opportunity for a goal at the 29 minute mark when forward Alecko Eskandarian was fouled by Gonzalez. The resulting free kick from 25 yards was pounded off the Crew wall and then passed to RSL's Robbie Findley, but he was in an offside position.
The Crew countered at the other end of the field only minutes later as Alejandro Moreno turned on a ball at the top of the box and sent a quick shot toward the corner of the goal. RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando was able to deflect the shot back into play only to see Jacob Thomas send the ball back toward goal, but his shot sailed high of the mark as well.
Columbus again pressed the action in the 34th minute. Schelotto found room to operate on the left wing and placed a centering pass directly in the path of Moreno as he streaked to goal. RSL center back Eddie Pope closed on the Crew striker as he was attempting to shoot and interrupted Moreno just enough to cause the shot to trickle to Rimando.
At the half the Crew were dominating the statistics, taking 10 shots to RSL's two as the visitors had not even forced a save out of Crew 'keeper Will Hesmer, but the score was still knotted at 0-0.
The beginning of the second half was mostly a midfield battle until the 73rd minute when the Crew started to again press the advantage and it was Schelotto again instigating in the attacking end. This time he found Moreno cutting to goal on a restart just outside the area, but Moreno's header was off the mark again.
One minute later Schelotto, again with the ball in a dangerous position at the top of the penalty area, pushed a pass wide to Andy Herron. The always dangerous Herron found Eddie Gaven racing to the front of the net and delivered a pass that Gaven redirected into the back of the net, only to be ruled offside by the referee's assistant.
Columbus continued to have RSL back on their heels, and Herron had the ball on the right flank and tried to push it past RSL defender Ritchie Kotschau. As Herron raced to get back to the ball in the box, he tripped over Kotschau, and referee Alex Prus pointed to the spot. Schelotto stepped up and hammered the penalty kick high into the center of the net to give the Crew the lead.
The teams had played to a scoreless draw in their first meeting of the year, the second week of the season in Salt Lake City, and after waiting 165 minutes for the first goal, it took just four for the second.
Moreno was left alone on the left wing and after skipping past a defender drove a low cross into the area. This time Gaven was onside and reached back behind to pick Moreno's cross out of the air with his left foot, sending a one-hop shot past Rimando and just inside the left post for the 2-0 lead.
In stoppage time, Eskandarian was sent off for a second yellow card after a harsh tackle from behind on Schelotto right in front of the Crew bench.
Nathan Linton is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
