Morales scores in 80th minute and Real Salt Lake blanks Galaxy 1-0
By APWednesday, June 9, 2010
Morales, Real Salt Lake blank Galaxy 1-0
SANDY, Utah — Javier Morales scored in the 80th minute to lift Real Salt Lake to a 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy on Wednesday night, stopping the Galaxy’s record-tying 12-game unbeaten run to start the Major League Soccer season.
In a rematch of last season’s MLS Cup title game that Real Salt Lake won on penalty kicks, Morales took a misplaced back pass that deflected off the Galaxy’s Michael Stephens near the top of the penalty box, turned and fired past goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts for the winner.
The Galaxy immediately argued for an offside call as Morales streaked across the field waving his jersey in celebration.
But it never came, and Real Salt Lake extended its home unbeaten streak to a franchise-record 16 regular-season games.
The defending champs also extended their unbeaten run this season to seven games, and improved to 7-3-2 on the season.
The Galaxy fell to 10-1-2, and had their 15-game regular-season unbeaten streak snapped.
The two highest-scoring teams in the league failed to produce many quality chances, but Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando made a spectacular diving stop as the game entered stoppage time to preserve the victory.
