The fireworks started early on this Independence Day for the Real Salt Lake Reserves, who saw FW Yura Movsisyan pour in a second half hat trick to go along with a pair of assists in leading RSL to a 5-3 victory over the Houston Dynamo Reserves at Quinn's Junction in Park City. The result pushed the Western Conference-leading Dynamo Reserves (4-1-1, 13 pts.) to their first defeat in six games this season, while the RSL Reserves (3-1-1, 10 pts.) moved to within a three-point result of Houston in the standings. The game was just the latest in a series of offensive slugfests at the venue in the Wasatch Mountains, the Utah side having now outscored its opposition by a 17-10 margin in four entertaining affairs at Quinn's Junction.
In a match that featured three ties, it was Dynamo DF Mike Chabala getting the visitors on the board first just seven minutes in, as a MF John Michael Hayden corner kick was deflected by DF Geoff Cameron to the feet of Chabala, who took his chance surely from 10 yards out to give Houston a 1-0 lead. Movsisyan was active early on and produced two quality scoring chances in the opening half hour. However, it was his low cross into the goal box in the 31st minute that would help RSL even up at 1-1, as fellow FW Tino Nuñez slid around a Houston defender at the doorstep to hook in a shot that Dynamo Reserves 'keeper Corbin Waller couldn't keep from trickling over the goalline.
The RSL Reserves would taste the lead for the first time eight minutes later on a play that started with an adventurous, 50-yard run straight up the middle of the field by center back David Horst, who ended his foray by slipping a pass towards the Dynamo arc. Movsisyan kept the chance alive with a 50-50 challenge that popped the ball in the path of a hard-charging Nunez who, with Waller retreating back to his line, lashed the ball in first-time from 22 yards out to give RSL a 2-1 lead. RSL MF Alex Nimo was unlucky not to lengthen the RSL lead right before the half, as the 18-year-old's forceful blast from 20 yards thumped off the underside of the crossbar in the 45th minute.
A turnover in the defensive third by Horst in the 49th minute would allow Dynamo Reserves FW Kyle Brown a chance to seek revenge on his old side, and the striker calmly carried into the area and finished inside RSL netminder Chris Seitz's right post to even things back up a 2-2. The tie would be short-lived, as four minutes later RSL Reserves DF Dustin Kirby picked out Movsisyan at the top of the area with a perfect lob, the striker able to all but set up camp before finishing with authority from nine yards out to put RSL back up top 3-2. The back-and-forth would continue at a furious pace, and Houston would again bring things square just past the hour mark when FW Franco Caraccio's laid-off ball from the endline was met by DF Nick Hatzke, who buried a shot past Seitz with a first-touch finish of his own to bring the proceedings to 3-3.
Real Salt Lake would push back in front for good in the 73rd minute, when RSL DF Tony Beltran pumped in a sublime cross towards the penalty spot that Movsisyan met with a crashing header, beating Waller low from 10 yards out. After going ahead for a third time on the morning, this time the home side would be able to pad its cushion in the 81st minute. It was RSL MF Adam Acosta this time playing the role of provider for Movsisyan, as the Armenian striker nodded the midfielder's over-the-top ball towards goal with his first touch before finishing with vigor from 20 yards out, bringing the match to its eventual 5-3 finish.
MLS Reserve Division
Real Salt Lake Reserves 5 : 3 Houston Dynamo Reserves
Friday, July 4, 2008
Quinn's Junction - Park City, UT
Scoring Summary:
HOU - Mike Chabala 1 (Geoff Cameron 1, John Michael Hayden 3) 7
RSL - Tino Nunez 2 (Yura Movsisyan 1) 31
RSL - Tino Nunez 3 (Yura Movsisyan 2) 39
HOU - Kyle Brown 6 (unassisted) 49
RSL - Yura Movsisyan 4 (Dustin Kirby 1) 53
HOU - Nick Hatzke 2 (Franco Caraccio 1) 61
RSL - Yura Movsisyan 5 (Tony Beltran 1, Dustin Kirby 2) 73
RSL - Yura Movsisyan 6 (Adam Acosta 1) 81
Misconduct Summary:
None
Real Salt Lake Reserves Line-up (4-4-2): GK-Chris Seitz (Kyle Reynish 83); DF-Tony Beltran, DF-Matias Mantilla (Capt.), DF-David Horst, DF-Dustin Kirby; MF-Adam Acosta, MF-Brad Earl (Richard Bindrup 61), MF-Alex Nimo, MF-Kevin Reiman; FW-Yura Movsisyan, FW-Tino Nuñez
Substitutes not used: Matthew Johnson, Steve McMurdie, Zack DeFrancis
Houston Dynamo Reserves Line-up (4-4-2): GK-Corbin Waller; DF-Erik Ustruck, DF-Stephen Wondolowski (Capt.), DF-Geoff Cameron, DF-Mike Chabala; MF-Chris Wondolowski, MF-Nick Hatzke, MF-John Michael Hayden, MF-Corey Ashe; FW-Kyle Brown, FW-Franco Caraccio (Johnny Alcaraz 62)
Substitutes not used: James Georgeff
Attendance: 160
Weather: Sunny & 72 degrees
