The Adobe Flash Player is required to view this multimedia interactive. Get it here.

Real Salt Lake eliminates Columbus

Columbus Crew's Robbie Rogers, right, and Real Salt Lake's Andy Williams fight for a header during the second half of an Eastern Conference MLS soccer playoff game Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. Real Salt Lake defeated the Crew 3-2 to advance to the next round of the playoffs. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

ENLARGE PHOTO

Columbus Crew's Chad Marshall, left, blocks the ball as Real Salt Lake's Yura Movsisyan takes a shot during the second half of an Eastern Conference MLS soccer playoff game Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. Real Salt Lake defeated the Crew to advance to the next round of the playoffs. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

ENLARGE PHOTO

Real Salt Lake's goal keeper Nick Rimando, right, makes a save as teammate Robbie Findley, left, Columbus Crew's Eddie Gaven, top, and Eric Brunner (23) wait for a rebound during the second half of an Eastern Conference MLS soccer playoff game Thursday, Nov. 5, 2009, in Columbus, Ohio. Real Salt Lake defeated the Crew to advance to the next round of the playoffs. (AP Photo/Jay LaPrete)

ENLARGE PHOTO

RedHawks' Burke ‘always had a smile’
2/10/10
Former Reds OF Taveras released by A's
2/10/10
Snow cancels basketball games, many already rescheduled
2/10/10
Waynesville selects Philpot as football coach
2/10/10
Preview: UD vs. Charlotte
2/10/10
> More sports headlines

The Associated Press 10:46 PM Thursday, November 5, 2009

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Javier Morales and Robbie Findley scored first-half goals and Real Salt Lake advanced to its second straight conference final with a 3-2 victory over the defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew on Thursday night.

The victory, combined with a 1-0 home win Saturday, gave Salt Lake a 4-2 aggregate win in the two-game series. After setting an MLS record with a 24-game home unbeaten streak, Columbus finished the season with three straight losses at home.

Guillermo Barros Schelotto, the reigning MLS MVP, gave the Crew a 1-0 lead with an improbable tally off a 56-yard free kick in the 19th minute. The ball bounced just outside the box and passed inches beyond the reach of diving goalkeeper Nick Rimando.

Schelotto scored again in the 35th minute. He intercepted a pass from Salt Lake defender Robbie Russell and redirected the ball to teammate Emmanuel Ekpo.

Ekpo returned the pass and Schelotto wrong-footed defender Jamison Olave before curling a low, hard shot from the edge of the penalty area inside the right post.

That gave the Crew a 2-1 cumulative lead, but it was short-lived. In the 37th minute, Morales scored an opportunistic goal following questionable defending in front of Columbus goalkeeper William Hesmer.

Moments before the end of the first half, Crew captain Frankie Hejduk was whistled for hauling down Salt Lake's Fabian Espindola inside the penalty area. Findley drove a penalty kick into the left side of the net as Hesmer dove to the right.

Andy Williams scored in the 74th minute to Salt Lake additional breathing room.

In the 85th minute, the Crew's Robbie Rogers sent a pass into the penalty area that second-half substituteJason Garey headed toward the goal. Rimando made a leaping, fingertip save for one of his eight on the night.

In 2008, Salt Lake played in the Western Conference final, but will compete this year in the Eastern finals due to MLS playoff seedings.

___

Story from: STATS LLC, http://www.stats.com

___

November 06, 2009 03:43 AM EST

Share this article