OurSports Central (press release), WI
Real Salt Lake Reserves Down Dynamo Reserves 5-3
07/04/08 – Major League Soccer (MLS) Real Salt Lake
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PARK CITY, UT (Friday, July 4, 2008) – 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 Nu�ez 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.