Comments from Rimando's Facebook page

Only 4 mini purple flashlights, 5 lighter, and 1 bag of sand thrown at me. Not bad.... Can someone throw me a beer now?

Heard I was Tony Rimando tonight, all good.... as long as they know they name on my chest!

Thanks for all the love and support today, we needed that come 2nd half. Much love to all the fans around MLS and especially to our 801 RealNation.
On to the Final!

Real Salt Lake to face Monterrey in CONCACAF final

(by James Edwards desnews.com 4-6-11)

Real Salt Lake's reward for beating Saprissa on Tuesday night was an exhausting travel day to Boston as it prepares for a league match against the New England Revolution this Saturday.

Shortly after landing in Beantown on Wednesday night, RSL learned its fate in the CONCACAF Champions League final, and it won't be the rematch many thought.

In the all-Mexican semifinal affair in Mexico City, visiting Monterrey scored on a late penalty kick to salvage a 1-1 draw with Cruz Azul and advance on aggregate, 3-2.

Monterrey will now take on Real Salt Lake in the two-leg Champions League final, with the winner qualifying for the FIFA Club World Cup in Japan in December.

Monterrey, which plays in the third-largest city in Mexico, will host the first leg on Wednesday, April 20, at 8 p.m. at the Estadio Tecnologico.

The return leg will be at Rio Tinto Stadium on April 27 at 8 p.m.

"Monterrey is a very good team. Suazo is one of the best attacking players in South America, and they also have a very good set of defenders," said RSL midfielder Javier Morales.

Both teams have enjoyed a tremendous home-field advantage throughout Champions League play. Real Salt Lake went 3-0 at home in group play, outscoring its opponents 9-3. It beat Columbus at home 4-1 in the quarterfinals and then Saprissa 2-0 in the semifinals.

Monterrey, the 2009 and 2010 Mexican League champions, also went 3-0 at home in group play, outscoring the opposition 6-2. In the quarterfinals, it beat Toluca 1-0 at home and then in the semifinals beat Cruz Azul 2-1.

"Monterrey has a lot of pace, a very strong forward up top. They looked very good in first game against Cruz Azul. It will be fun to face a new team, a team that doesn’t know us," said RSL midfielder Will Johnson.

For most of Wednesday's match, however, visiting Monterrey looked like its impressive Champions League run was coming to an end. Cruz Azul grabbed an early lead on Cesar Villaluz's goal in the 23rd minute, and it maintained the lead up until the 81st minute

Everything changed, though, when the referee pointed to the spot after Cruz Azul defender Waldo Alonso pushed a Monterrey player in the back in the 78th minute. Humberto Suazo buried the resulting penalty to tie the game at 1-1, and Monterrey survived as keeper Jonathan Orozco came up with a huge save in the waning minutes.

RSL met Cruz Azul twice in group play, but in Monterrey it will be facing a team it's never played.

10 most memorable goals in Real Salt Lake history

(by James Edwards desnews.com 4-7-11)

# 10 - Dunseth leaves his markWith 25,287 fans packed into Rice-Eccles Stadium for Real Salt Lake’s first home match in franchise history back in 2005, there was a growing fear inside the stadium that the sellout crowd would be heading home disappointed. That all changed in the 81st minute when Brian Dunseth scored on a diving header to lift RSL to a 1-0 victory over Colorado.



# 9 - Brown equalizes in Kreis’ coaching debutWhen Clint Mathis scored against his ex-mates to put New York ahead 3-1 in the 83rd minute back on May 6, 2007, at Rice-Eccles Stadium, it looked as if coach Jason Kreis’ debut as a head coach would end in disappointment. The unlikeliest of players, Chris Brown, came to the rescue with an equalizer in stoppage time that helped Kreis earn the 3-3 draw in his debut while coaching against Bruce Arena.



# 8 - Kreis scores No. 100Jason Kreis wanted his 100th goal to be something special, and indeed it was back in August 2005. He became the first MLS player in history to reach 100 career goals with a wonderful left-footed volley from 24 yards out that sailed into the upper right-hand corner of the net. “Had to be one of the best goals I’ve ever taken in this league,” said Kreis.



# 7 - Borchers’ late goal extends streakRSL rival Colorado was seconds away from a stunning victory at Rio Tinto Stadium late in the 2010 season, but that all changed on a dramatic 93rd minute header from Nat Borchers. The goal salvaged a 1-1 draw for RSL, but just as important it extended the team’s home unbeaten streak to 24 straight. That streak now stands at 26, and ironically enough RSL’s next home game is slated for next week against Colorado.



# 6 - Morales clinches RSL’s quarterfinal berthThousands of miles from home last September, all Real Salt Lake needed was a draw to clinch a quarterfinal spot in the CONCACAF Champions League in early 2011. A loss would’ve left qualification up for grabs heading into the final group game against Cruz Azul, something RSL desperately wanted to avoid. Second-half substitute Javier Morales helped RSL earn the 1-1 draw on a wonderful free kick goal in the 68th minute (photo unavailable).



# 5 - Movsisyan backheel seals playoff winIn the first playoff game in franchise history in 2008, Real Salt Lake kept its supporters on edge for 90 minutes. Yura Movsisyan eventually sent them into pandemonium with a clever backheel goal in the 90th minute that gave RSL a 1-0 lead after the first leg of the two-game Western Conference semifinal. RSL earned a 2-2 tie in the second leg to advance past Chivas USA.



# 4 - Morales scores massive goal against Crew Underdog Real Salt Lake found itself in a major hole in its 2009 playoff series against the best team in MLS. Holding a 1-0 aggregate lead heading into Game 2 in Columbus, RSL coughed it up in just 35 minutes, conceding a pair of bad goals to the Crew. A comeback seemed unlikely for a team that won twice on the road all year. Javier Morales swung momentum back in RSL’s favor by knocking in a Kyle Beckerman through ball to level the aggregate score at 2-2. RSL scored twice more to win 4-2.



# 3 - Movsisyan punches playoff ticketAll Real Salt Lake needed was a tie at Colorado in the 2008 regular-season finale to clinch their first playoff berth in franchise history. Strangely, the team came out and played what coach Jason Kreis described as the worst game all year. None of that mattered, however, as Yura Movsisyan scored a stunning goal in the 90th minute to give RSL the equalizer it desperately needed.



# 2 - Findley equalizes in MLS CupWith his team trailing the L.A. Galaxy 1-0 with 26 minutes remaining in the 2009 MLS Cup, Robbie Findley was in the right place at the right time and buried a dramatic equalizer just in front of David Beckham to level the game at 1-1. The goal eventually sent the game into overtime and penalties, where Nick Rimando made two saves to clinch 2009 MLS Cup title.



# 1 - Olave slays the Purple MonsterWith RSL clinging to a precarious 2-1 aggregate lead over Saprissa in arguably the most important match in team history on Tuesday, reigning MLS Defender of the Year Jamison Olave scored a magnificent 61st-minute goal on a half volley to give RSL a three-goal cushion in the aggregate series. His celebration of cupping his hands around his ears will go down as one of the lasting memories in team history. RSL hung on for a 3-2 aggregate victory and is now two wins away from establishing itself as the best soccer team in North America.

Real Salt Lake scores historic victory

Olave scores on a cracker of a shot

(by Jeff Carlisle espn.go.com 4-6-11)

In Major League Soccer's roughly 15 years of existence, the word "historic" has been bandied about with too much frequency. It's been used to trumpet everything from player signings to All-Star Game victories. Mostly, it's been a bunch of nonsense. But on Tuesday, Real Salt Lake delivered a performance that lived up to that description, advancing to the CONCACAF Champions League final by defeating Costa Rican side Saprissa 3-2 on aggregate.

The win marks the first time since 2000 that an MLS side has reached the final of CONCACAF's biggest club competition. Back then, it was called the CONCACAF Champions Cup, but comparing that edition to the current incarnation is like relating a Sunday cruise to an episode of "Deadliest Catch." Every game of the 2000 tournament from the quarterfinals on was held in Southern California, a convenient location for eventual champion Los Angeles Galaxy.

RSL, on the other hand, had to navigate its way through a six-game group stage and two knockout rounds, an odyssey that involved travel to Panama, Mexico and now Costa Rica. Real's triumph also marked the first time in five attempts that an MLS side had beaten Saprissa in a two-game series, and just the second victory in nine tries against Costa Rican opposition over two legs.

But what was even more impressive was the professional way Real went about its business. Holding a 2-0 lead from the first leg, RSL showed little in the way of nerves in the first half. It refused to bunker in and instead displayed enough attacking initiative to keep Saprissa honest. In fact, had it not been for the heroics of Saprissa keeper Victor Bolivar, who delivered two sharp saves to deny Kyle Beckerman and Alvaro Saborio, the visitors may very well have extended their lead heading into halftime.

That's not to say Real Salt Lake didn't face some tense moments. When Saprissa defender Luis Diego Cordero scored from long range a scant 42 seconds into the second half, the ghosts of past MLS failures in the CCL seemed ready to haunt RSL. Saprissa had all the momentum. Real appeared to abandon the patient buildup that had served it so well in the first half and began playing very direct. As a result, maintaining possession of the ball became near impossible.

But where previous MLS sides had crumbled in such moments, RSL managed to steady itself. When Jamison Olave hammered home a rebound from Nat Borchers' header in the 61st minute, Real was on its way to making a new kind of history.

"I'm looking out there at the guys to see whether or not we're going to lose our stuff and continue to kind of go in a downward spiral," said Real manager Jason Kreis through a team spokesman. "I don't think we did; I think we kept it together pretty well. That's another bit of evidence of them being a mature group."

Not even Alonso Solis' 87th minute penalty, which condemned RSL to a 2-1 defeat on the night, could take the shine off a truly momentous aggregate victory.

Of course, Kreis wasn't about to let his side bask in what it has already achieved. "We did accomplish something, there's no doubt about it," he said. "But I think all of us feel that the real history is to be made. We've gotten to the dance, now we'll see what we can do."

Kreis has every reason to be wary. RSL is set to play the winner between Mexican sides Cruz Azul and Monterrey, and the record of MLS teams against Mexican opposition is even grimmer than it was against Costa Rican sides. Only once in 12 attempts has an MLS team prevailed over two legs against a Mexican team. That was back in 2002, when the then Kansas Wizards defeated Santos Laguna in the quarterfinals.

Things haven't gone much better in the CCL since CONCACAF first instituted a group stage during the 2008-09 tournament. In group matches, MLS teams have gone 2-12-2 against Mexican teams. But one of those wins came when RSL beat Cruz Azul 3-1 this past October. That win came after the two sides played an epic encounter two months earlier in Mexico City that Cruz Azul won, 5-4.

Such numbers aren't likely to trouble Kreis. He'll look at it as another opportunity to rewrite the history books.

Real Salt Lake advances to CONCACAF final despite loss

(by Adam Williams desnews.com 4-5-11)

Losing never tasted so sweet.

Real Salt Lake will be the first MLS team to ever play in the CONCACAF Champions League final, despite a 2-1 loss to Costa Rican club Saprissa on Tuesday night.

RSL entered Tuesday's game with a two-goal advantage and won the series by a 3-2 aggregate score after beating Saprissa 2-0 on March 15 at Rio Tinto Stadium. RSL will play either Cruz Azul or Monterrey of the Mexican League in the CONCACAF championship game. The two Mexican sides square off tonight.

"We would have liked to advance to the final in a more impressive fashion," RSL coach Jason Kreis said. "This was not our best game, but I don't want to take anything away from the accomplishment. The guys are pleased and we are happy to moving on to the finals."

After a reasonably tame first half for both sides, Saprissa stunned RSL in the first minute of the second half when midfielder Luis Diego Cordero unleashed a twisting blast over the arms of RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando. The goal awakened the raucous crowd, who took to chanting, singing and jumping, shaking the stadium and giving Saprissa its first taste of momentum.

But it was short-lived.

In the 60th minute, RSL defender Jamison Olave smacked in a loose ball from six yards out to tie the score. An RSL corner kick was deflected in the box and floated toward Olave, who used a right-footed volley to power the ball past Saprissa keeper Victor Bolivar.

As quickly as the crowd of 15,000 had created deafening noise in the stadium known as the "monster's cave," they were immediately muted by Olave's goal.

"It was critical for us to respond at that point in the game," Olave said after the game. "We'd just fallen behind and their crowd was getting loud.

"When we tied the score, it completely changed the game. It gave us a cushion and let us relax again. We couldn't relax the first 15 minutes of the second half."

After RSL tied the score, the next 20 minutes passed with little difference between the sides, as RSL worked off chunks of the clock by holding possession and stifling the Saprissa attack.

Yet, right when it looked like the game would end in a 1-1 draw, in the 87th minute, Saprissa was awarded a penalty kick. Alonso Solis converted the penalty kick and gave Saprissa to 2-1 lead. The final three minutes of regulation, plus three minutes of extra-time, were a hectic bombardment of the RSL box and goal. Saprissa pushed all of its players forward looking to score again, while the RSL defense sat back and repeatedly cleared the ball downfield.

In the waning seconds of the game, Saprissa forward Javier Arrieta fired a shot just wide of the RSL net. The crowd groaned and the final whistle blew.

The exhausted RSL players embraced and congratulated each other on the foreign turf.

"When the final whistle blew, we were both relieved and happy with the result. The second half was tough and their pressure was relentless," RSL midfielder Andy Williams said. "But we were able to hold them off and accomplish what we set out to do. Now we'll start thinking about the next round."

RSL is the first MLS team to ever reach the CONCACAF Champions League finals. The CONCACAF Champions League is played annually between the best club teams from North and Central America.

"It means a lot to this organization to be heading to the finals," Olave said. "It says a lot about the organization we are becoming. We are a mature team and are seeing a lot of success in the early part of the season. I have total confidence that we are going to have a very successful year."

(more to come)

Red Bull fans enjoy the away section in Columbus

I like the two security guys keeping a close watch.