Park City, Utah - The Real Salt Lake Reserves (5-6-0, 15 pts.) concluded the home portion of their 2007 MLS Reserve Division schedule with a 2-1 win over the Chivas USA Reserves (6-3-2 20 pts.) today at a cold and breezy Trailside Park near Park City, Utah. The RSL Reserves got an early goal from FW Kyle Brown around the quarter-hour mark, but Chivas USA equalized with a goal just two minutes later off the left foot of FW and Sueño MLS Winner Jorge Flores. RSL regained the lead in the second half of play when MF Christian Jimenez earned a penalty kick that MF Jamie Watson buried in the net for the eventual game-winning goal.
In the first few minutes of the game both teams came out aggressively, pushing the ball forward and creating good chances that neither could convert, the best coming in the 8th minute when Chivas USA FW Matt Taylor forced RSL GK Kyle Reynish into a leaping save to his right.
The first goal of the game came in the 14th minute of play for RSL. Watson played an attacking ball to FW Yura Movsisyan, who carried it down the left flank. Movsisyan then crossed the ball high into the box, where Brown rose above traffic and got his head on the ball, driving it between the left post and the outstretched hands of the Chivas USA 'keeper for a 1-0 RSL lead.
It didn't take long for the Chivas USA Reserves to respond. Just two minutes later the visitors were awarded with a free kick 40 yards from goal near the right side touchline, which MF Ramon Nunez put it right into the heart of RSL's 6-yard box. Reynish punched the ball out of the box right to Flores, who drove a first-time shot past a recovering Reynish for the equalizing goal. Chivas USA almost took the lead in the 18th minute when Desmond Brooks forced Reynish into another leaping save that kept the match all square.
In the 42nd minute RSL almost took the lead going in to halftime. Movsisyan again crossed a ball into the box, this time finding MF Jean-Martial Kipre. Chivas USA GK Myers bobbled Kipré's shot, the ball falling to his feet. But while Brown was able to slip away with the loose ball, a Chivas USA defender was on the spot to make a timely tackle, thwarting the chance.
RSL came out in the second half looking for the go ahead goal early, and the home side found it the 51st minute. RSL DF Dustin Kirby gave Jimenez a perfect through ball that he ran onto and carried into the box, with Myers coming off his line and sliding into the RSL midfielder as he tried to side-step the challenge, earning a penalty kick for RSL. Watson stepped up and buried the spot kick into the lower right corner to give RSL the 2-1 lead.
Chivas USA had several good chances near the end of the game to tie it up at two, the first coming in the 83rd minute when captain Orlando Perez sent a blistering shot from 25 yards out that just sailed over the crossbar. The best chance was in extra time when Taylor ran onto a ball played over the RSL defense, which drew Reynish well outside his goal box and into the right side of the penalty area. After misplaying the ball, Reynish quickly became the last defender as he followed Taylor to the sideline and tackled the ball over the sideline to force a throw-in. Quickly after the ensuing throw-in, the referee blew the final whistle to give the Real Salt Lake Reserves the victory.
The loss snapped a five-game winning streak for Chivas USA, who finished their year with an impressive 7-2-3 record, while the Real Salt Lake Reserves (5-6-0) will end their 2007 campaign on Oct. 21, by trying to reach the .500 mark in a road contest against their Rocky Mountain Cup rivals, the Colorado Rapids.
Chivas USA Reserves: Myers, Perez, Hernandez, Burling, Brooks, Flores, Solorzano (Ogletree 71'), Nunez (Arvizu 71'), Lopez (Robles 59'), Cortez (Paladini 54'), Taylor
Real Salt Lake Reserves: Reynish, Worthen, Wingert, Kirby, Curfman (Dunseth 62'), Watson, Sturgis, Kipre (Cutler 62'), Jiminez, K. Brown, Movsisyan (Acosta 46')
SCORING SUMMARY
RSL - Brown (Watson, Movsisyan) 14
CHV - Flores (unassisted) 16
RSL - Watson (penalty kick) 51
DISCIPLINE SUMMARY
RSL - Jimenez (caution) 28
CHV - Myers (caution) 51
