SALT LAKE CITY - Real Salt Lake's Monday night game came down to the final minutes against Toronto FC, but an 87th minute goal by FW Robbie Findley would be enough to lift the Utah side to a thrilling 2-1 victory in front of 12,319 fans at Rice-Eccles Stadium. After a scoreless first half for both sides, Real Salt Lake (7-6-6, 27 pts.) got some help in the final third from DF Jamison Olave, who finished off a cross from fellow back-liner Chris Wingert in the 63rd minute to move the scoreboard to 1-0, RSL. An Olave foul in the 84th minute set up a free kick for Toronto FC (6-7-4, 22 pts.) just outside the penalty area, and Reds MF Amado Guevara appeared to grab a share of the spoils for the visitors by converting the dead ball opportunity from 25 yards out into the upper left corner of goal to draw the match even at 1-1. But Findley provided the dramatic finish for Real Salt Lake three minutes later, as his sliding finish from 14 yards out off a rebounded shot allowed RSL to take the lead for good and head into an 18-day break with a four-point lead in the Western Conference standings over second-place sharers Houston and Los Angeles.
RSL MATCH FACTS
• With a win in its 113th ever League contest, Real Salt Lake tonight moved above the .500 mark in MLS play for the first time in the club's four-year history.
• Newly-acquired M/D Robbie Russell made his Real Salt Lake and Major League Soccer debut this evening, entering the match in the 73rd minute in place of defender Ian Joy.
• Findley's 87th minute goal marked the latest that RSL has scored a game-winning this season (previous mark by Andy Williams - 73rd minute of a 2-1 win over FC Dallas on May 10).
• The goal for Findley was his fifth of the season, pushing him two tallies past MF Kyle Beckerman, FW Fabian Espíndola, and MF Javier Morales for the RSL scoring lead. The U.S. Olympic Team alternate won the team's Golden Boot award last season with six goals for RSL on the 2007 campaign.
• Espíndola returned to Real Salt Lake's 18-man roster for the first time since the squad's 3-1 win over San Jose on May 31 (L MCL sprain).
• Olave's goal was his first-ever tally in an RSL uniform, coming 14 games into his tenure with the squad. Olave finished the night with three shots, including two on frame.
• Real Salt Lake also remained undefeated at home this season in League play, moving its mark at Rice-Eccles to 6-0-5 (Toronto FC is the only other remaining undefeated team at home at 5-0-4).
• With the win, RSL's mark against Eastern Conference foes this season also rose above .500 to 4-3-3.
• From here, Real Salt Lake will enjoy an unprecedented 18-day span in between League contests, getting back to action on Aug. 16 with a road date at the Houston Dynamo. However, it won't be a total vacation for the next three weeks, as the RSL Reserve side will play a make-up date at the FC Dallas Reserves on Aug. 6.
