Real Salt Lake eliminates Seattle Sounders in penalty shootout
Nov 23, 2021, 11:03 PM
Real Salt Lake players celebrate the team's win over the Seattle Sounders in a penalty-kick shootout in an MLS first-round playoff soccer match. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
(AP Photo/Ted S. Warren)
SEATTLE (AP) — Justen Glad scored the deciding goal in the sixth round of a penalty shootout, and Real Salt Lake beat Seattle 6-5 in the tiebreaker after a scoreless game to eliminate the Sounders in the opening round of the MLS Cup playoffs Tuesday night.
Real Salt Lake won despite failing to record a shot in the 120 minutes of regulation and extra time. It was the first time in league history a team failed to register a shot in a playoff match.
Despite all that, RSL was perfect in the shootout — and David Ochoa saved Kelyn Rowe’s attempt in the sixth round. Glad’s winning shot was deflected by Seattle goalkeeper Stefan Frei, hit one post, rolled to the other and trickled over the goal line for the winning score.
Aaron Herrera, Pablo Ruiz, Damir Kreilach, Bobby Wood and Marcelo Silva all scored in the shootout for RSL. Ruiz’s first attempt was saved by Frei, but video review determined Frei came off the goal line early and Ruiz scored on the second try.
Real Salt Lake will face Sporting Kansas City in the Western Conference semifinals on Sunday. RSL beat Sporting Kansas City on the final day of the regular season to qualify for the playoffs.
Real Salt Lake’s only other penalty shootout victory in the MLS playoffs came in the 2009 final, which was played in Seattle.
Raul Ruidiaz, Joao Paulo, Abdoulaye Cissoko, Alex Roldan and Nicolas Lodeiro scored for Seattle in the shootout, but the final result was the cap to a night of frustration for the home side.
The Sounders outshot RSL 21-0 over the 120 minutes, but only three of their shot attempts were on target and Ochoa was rarely threatened. Seattle had won its previous 15 home playoff matches and had reached the past two MLS Cup finals.
Real Salt Lake won despite playing without captain Albert Rusnak after he tested positive for COVID-19. The team announced the positive test about 90 minutes before kickoff.
Rusnak had 11 goals and 11 assists during the regular season, second on the team.
Real Salt Lake was committed to not getting beat defensively and stuck to its plan at the expense of never threatening Frei.
The plan worked and Seattle’s chances were limited. The closest Seattle came to a goal was Ruidiaz hitting the crossbar with a 25-yard half-volley in the 73rd minute.
Seattle’s Jordan Morris played 104 minutes in his first start since undergoing major knee surgery in February. Morris had played only as a reserve in Seattle’s final two regular-season matches.
