This is a good article. Click here for more information.

MLS Cup 2009

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

MLS Cup 2009
MLS Cup 2009 logo.png
EventMLS Cup
Real Salt Lake LA Galaxy
1 1
After extra time
Real Salt Lake won 5–4 on penalties
DateNovember 22, 2009
VenueQwest Field, Seattle, Washington, US
Man of the MatchNick Rimando
(Real Salt Lake)
RefereeKevin Stott
Attendance46,011
WeatherCloudy, 45 °F (7 °C)
← 2008
2010 →

MLS Cup 2009 was the 14th edition of the MLS Cup, the championship match of Major League Soccer (MLS). The match took place on November 22, 2009, at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington, and was contested between the Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Salt Lake.

Real Salt Lake won the match 5–4 in a penalty shoot-out following a 1–1 draw. Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando was named man of the match for making several saves in the shootout, allowing defender Robbie Russell to score the winning goal. It was the club's first championship, coming in their fifth season in the league, and the second MLS Cup to be decided by a shootout.

An attendance of 46,011 people made the 2009 final the sixth-largest in MLS Cup history. It was also the first MLS Cup to be played on artificial turf. The match was broadcast in the United States on ESPN and Galavisión.

Venue and pre-match[]

Qwest Field was chosen as host venue of MLS Cup 2009

Qwest Field was announced as the venue for the MLS Cup on March 11, 2009, a week before Seattle Sounders FC played their inaugural match at the stadium.[1] Qwest Field became the eighth stadium to host the MLS Cup and the first new stadium chosen for the final since 2005.[1][2] The selection of a venue with an artificial turf playing surface, a first for the MLS Cup, was criticized by several players prior to the final.[3][4]

Qwest Field was built for the Seattle Seahawks of the National Football League in 2003, but was designed with soccer in mind. It hosted several international friendly matches, as well as part of the 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup, prior to becoming the home stadium of the Seattle Sounders.[1] Due to the use of Qwest Field as the MLS Cup venue, the Seattle Seahawks schedule was modified to include three away games in November.[5] In their inaugural season, the Sounders set the league record for average attendance, with 30,897, prompting additional interest in the cup.[6]

The initial offering of 30,000 tickets were sold out in early November, prompting the release of 6,000 additional tickets.[7] Ticket sales passed 40,000 on the day before the match.[8] To celebrate the MLS Cup final, the logos of the league and the two finalists were painted onto the roof of the city's iconic Space Needle. The Philip F. Anschutz Trophy was brought to the city aboard a state ferry by Sounders coach Sigi Schmid and technical director Chris Henderson.[9] Other pre-cup festivities included a free concert by rock band Third Eye Blind,[10] a summit of supporters representing several MLS clubs,[11] a March to the Match from Pioneer Square, and a "Soccer Celebration" festival outside the stadium plaza.[12]

Road to the final[]

Main article: 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs

The MLS Cup is the post-season championship of Major League Soccer (MLS), a professional club soccer league in the United States and Canada. The 2009 season was the 14th in MLS history, and was contested by 15 teams in two conferences.[1] Each club played 30 matches during the regular season from March to October, facing each team twice and two in-conference teams a third time.[13] The playoffs, running from October 29 to November 22, were contested by the top two clubs in each conference and four wild card teams in the next positions regardless of conference.[14] It was organized into three rounds: a home-and-away series in the Conference Semifinals, a single-match Conference Final, and the MLS Cup final.[15]

The 2009 edition of the MLS Cup was contested by the Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Salt Lake. The two teams were from the Western Conference, marking the second consecutive edition to be played between two teams from the same conference.[16][17] The Galaxy and Real Salt Lake played each other twice in the regular season: a 2–2 draw hosted by Real Salt Lake in May and a 2–0 loss for hosts Los Angeles in June.[2]

Los Angeles Galaxy[]

Main article: 2009 Los Angeles Galaxy season
The Western Conference Final, played against the Houston Dynamo at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California

The Los Angeles Galaxy were one of the original teams in MLS and appeared in five previous MLS Cup finals, winning in 2002 and 2005.[18][19] The team finished joint-last in the league in 2008, replacing manager Ruud Gullit with former United States national team coach Bruce Arena midway through the season.[20]

In the 2009 SuperDraft, the Galaxy selected Omar Gonzalez and A. J. DeLaGarza, both of whom would lead a revamped defense alongside newly-acquired goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.[21] Though without star midfielder David Beckham due to an extended loan to A.C. Milan,[22] the Galaxy began the season with one loss and two wins in their first twelve matches.[23] After Beckham's return in July, the team went on a six-match unbeaten streak and secured a playoff berth in late August.[24][25] The Galaxy finished the season with 12 wins, 6 losses, and 12 draws, placing first in the Western Conference with 48 points.[23][26]

The Galaxy played the Western Conference Semifinals against Chivas USA, the co-tenant of the Home Depot Center appearing in their fourth consecutive playoffs.[26] The first leg ended in a 2–2 draw, marked by four goals that were the result of defensive mistakes by both teams.[27] The Galaxy advanced to the Conference Final after winning 1–0 in the second leg, with Landon Donovan scoring the lone goal from a penalty kick.[28] The Western Conference Final was played against the Houston Dynamo and hosted by the Galaxy at the Home Depot Center. The match was interrupted by two power outages in both halves of regulation time, which ended scoreless after a Dynamo goal in the 80th minute was disallowed.[29] Defender Gregg Berhalter scored in the 103rd minute and was followed six minutes later by a Landon Donovan penalty to give the Galaxy a 2–0 win and a place in the MLS Cup final.[18]

Real Salt Lake[]

Main article: 2009 Real Salt Lake season

Real Salt Lake entered MLS as an expansion team in 2005, but failed to qualify for the playoffs in its first three seasons.[30] Veteran midfielder Jason Kreis, who had scored the franchise's first goal, was appointed head coach after six straight losses to begin the 2007 season and worked with new general manager Garth Lagerwey to rebuild the team.[31][32] After acquiring several key players in 2008, including captain Kyle Beckerman, and defenders Nat Borchers and Jámison Olave,[33] the team qualified for the playoffs and advanced to the Western Conference Final, where they were defeated by the New York Red Bulls.[34][35]

Salt Lake began the 2009 season, their first to be fully played at Rio Tinto Stadium and fifth overall, with nine home wins, five draws, and one loss. The team failed to produce similar results in away matches and finished with a losing record of 11 wins, 12 losses, and 7 draws.[36][37] Real Salt Lake qualified for the playoffs on the last day of the season with 40 points, thanks to favorable results from three matches that eliminated five other teams competing for the final two wild card spots.[38]

As a wild card, the team was seeded into the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Columbus Crew, the defending MLS Cup champions.[37] Real Salt Lake won the home leg 1–0 on a goal by Robbie Findley, but conceded two early goals in the opening 35 minutes of the away leg in Columbus. The team responded with three goals scored by Javier Morales, Findley, and Andy Williams to win 3–2 and advanced 4–2 on aggregate.[39] Real Salt Lake faced the Chicago Fire in the Eastern Conference Final at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois, which ended in a scoreless draw after extra time. Salt Lake won the ensuing penalty shootout 5–4 after seven rounds, relying on three saves by goalkeeper Nick Rimando.[37][40] Real Salt Lake became the third MLS Cup finalist to have qualified for the playoffs as the lowest seed, mirroring the New York Red Bulls the previous year, and was the second expansion team to contest an MLS Cup.[41]

Summary of results[]

Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away).
Real Salt Lake Round LA Galaxy
5th place in Western Conference
(Seeded into Eastern Conference bracket)
Pos. Team Pld W L D Pts
3 Seattle Sounders FC 30 12 7 11 47
4 Chivas USA 30 13 11 6 45
5 Real Salt Lake 30 11 12 7 40
6 Colorado Rapids 30 10 10 10 40
7 FC Dallas 30 11 13 6 39

Source: MLS

Regular season 1st place in Western Conference
 
Pos. Team Pld W L D Pts
1 LA Galaxy 30 12 6 12 48
2 Houston Dynamo 30 13 8 9 48
3 Seattle Sounders FC 30 12 7 11 47
4 Chivas USA 30 13 11 6 45
5 Real Salt Lake 30 11 12 7 40

Source: MLS

Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg MLS Cup Playoffs Opponent Agg. 1st leg 2nd leg
Columbus Crew 4–2 1–0 (H) 3–2 (A) Conference Semifinals Chivas USA 3–2 2–2 (H) 1–0 (A)
Chicago Fire 0–0 (5–4 p) (A) Conference Final Houston Dynamo 2–0 (a.e.t.) (H)

Broadcasting[]

The MLS Cup final was televised in the United States on ESPN and ESPN360.com in English and Galavisión in Spanish.[42] GolTV Canada broadcast the match in Canada,[43] and ESPN International carried the match in 122 countries, primarily in Latin America, the Middle East, and Oceania.[44] This was the first edition of the MLS Cup to be carried on a cable network, as the previous thirteen were on ABC, and was scheduled later at night to compete with NBC Sunday Night Football.[45] ESPN covered the match using 19 cameras and several digital features, including player tracking statistics and an offside line displayed on instant replays.[44] JP Dellacamera was the lead play-by-play commentator and John Harkes provided color commentary.[46] The network's coverage of the final was later criticized by Salt Lake City-area media outlets for its favoritism of the Galaxy.[47]

Match[]

Summary[]

A view of the match from the stands

The Galaxy were described as the favorites in the MLS Cup match-up, with a better set of players and manager Bruce Arena's previous cup victories with D.C. United.[48] Both teams fielded their regular lineups, with no major injuries; David Beckham was forced to skip several practice sessions prior to being injected with a painkiller to alleviate a bruised right ankle.[2][49] Kevin Stott was named the head referee for his third MLS Cup final, following the 2001 and 2005 finals.[2]

Despite a forecast of rain,[50] the weather at kickoff was cloudy and the air temperature was 45 °F (7 °C).[51] During the first half, the Galaxy had the majority of possession and chances on goal, taking six shots.[52] Real Salt Lake midfielder Javier Morales was substituted in the 22nd minute after suffering from a torn meniscus in his left knee after a collision with David Beckham; Morales left the field in tears and was replaced by Clint Mathis.[53] After two missed opportunities, Los Angeles forward Mike Magee scored the final's opening goal in the 41st minute, finishing a cross from Landon Donovan.[50] At halftime, the Galaxy led 1–0 and Real Salt Lake were forced to substitute midfielder Will Johnson, who was suffering from food poisoning contracted days earlier.[54]

Real Salt Lake regrouped in the second half and set up a chance in the 47th minute for Robbie Findley, who collided with Omar Gonzalez and Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts.[54] After being clipped by Gonzalez's right foot, Ricketts broke his right hand but elected to continue playing after being evaluated by on-field trainers.[55] Salt Lake continued attacking and Findley scored the equalizing goal in the 64th minute by finishing a deflected shot from Yura Movsisyan. Ricketts walked off the field and was substituted in the 66th minute for his backup Josh Saunders in what was the first goalkeeper substitution in MLS Cup history.[50][55] Both teams exchanged several chances late in the second half, including misses from Movsisyan and Donovan, but neither could score a second goal. The half ended with seven minutes of stoppage time due to Ricketts' treatment.[50]

In extra time, Real Salt Lake continued to have the majority of possession and chances, eventually tallying nineteen shots to the Galaxy's thirteen.[52] Shots by Findley and Mathis were blocked and sent wide of the goal, grazing the outside of the side net.[56] The match remained tied after extra time, leaving the MLS Cup to be decided through a penalty shootout for the second time in its history.[57]

The shootout began with David Beckham, who scored on his attempt, and was followed by successful penalties taken by Clint Mathis for Salt Lake, Gregg Berhalter for the Galaxy, and Findley for Salt Lake.[57] With the score tied 2–2, Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando saved an attempt by Jovan Kirovski, and Saunders saved a kick by Salt Lake captain Kyle Beckerman.[50] Despite his proficiency in penalties, Landon Donovan missed by putting it over the goalpost, and Ned Grabavoy scored to give Salt Lake a 3–2 lead going into the final rounds.[58] Magee scored to keep the Galaxy in the shootout and an attempt by Salt Lake midfielder Andy Williams was saved by Saunders to trigger sudden death rounds. Williams was chosen as the final kick taker for Salt Lake by manager Jason Kreis because of the emotional connection to the team and Seattle that he had due to his wife's then-ongoing battle with a rare form of leukemia, which was being treated in Seattle.[58][59] Chris Klein and Chris Wingert both scored their respective penalties, bringing the score to 4–4 before Rimando saved an attempt by Galaxy forward Edson Buddle.[50] Salt Lake defender Robbie Russell scored the winning penalty in the seventh round, bringing the score to 5–4. After scoring the penalty, he turned around and fell to his knees as he was swarmed by his teammates.[57]

Details[]

Real Salt Lake1–1 (a.e.t.)LA Galaxy
Findley Goal 64' Report Magee Goal 41'
Penalties
Mathis Penalty scored
Findley Penalty scored
Beckerman Penalty missed
Grabavoy Penalty scored
Williams Penalty missed
Wingert Penalty scored
Russell Penalty scored		 5–4 Penalty scored Beckham
Penalty scored Berhalter
Penalty missed Kirovski
Penalty missed Donovan
Penalty scored Magee
Penalty scored Klein
Penalty missed Buddle
Qwest Field, Seattle
Attendance: 46,011
Referee: Kevin Stott
Real Salt Lake
Los Angeles Galaxy
REAL SALT LAKE:
GK 18 United States Nick Rimando
DF 4 Colombia Jámison Olave
DF 6 United States Nat Borchers
DF 3 United States Robbie Russell
DF 17 United States Chris Wingert
MF 11 Argentina Javier Morales Substituted off 22'
MF 5 United States Kyle Beckerman (c)
MF 77 Jamaica Andy Williams
MF 8 Canada Will Johnson Yellow card 14' Substituted off 46'
FW 9 Armenia Yura Movsisyan Substituted off 75'
FW 10 United States Robbie Findley
Substitutes:
GK 1 United States Chris Seitz
DF 2 United States Tony Beltran
MF 12 Haiti Jean Alexandre
MF 20 United States Ned Grabavoy Substituted in 46'
MF 84 United States Clint Mathis Substituted in 22'
FW 16 Argentina Fabián Espíndola Substituted in 75'
FW 19 Brazil Pablo Campos
Manager:
United States Jason Kreis
LOS ANGELES GALAXY:
GK 1 Jamaica Donovan Ricketts Substituted off 66'
LB 2 United States Todd Dunivant
CB 16 United States Gregg Berhalter
CB 4 United States Omar Gonzalez Substituted off 89'
RB 28 United States Sean Franklin
RM 10 United States Landon Donovan (c)
CM 23 England David Beckham
CM 33 Trinidad and Tobago Chris Birchall Yellow card 39' Substituted off 79'
LM 18 United States Mike Magee
FW 14 United States Edson Buddle
FW 9 United States Jovan Kirovski
Substitutes:
GK 12 United States Josh Saunders Substituted in 66'
DF 5 Trinidad and Tobago Yohance Marshall
DF 20 United States A. J. DeLaGarza Substituted in 89'
MF 6 United States Eddie Lewis
MF 7 United States Chris Klein Substituted in 79'
MF 8 Ukraine Dema Kovalenko
FW 21 United States Alan Gordon
Manager:
United States Bruce Arena

MLS Cup Most Valuable Player:
United States Nick Rimando (Real Salt Lake)

Assistant referees:
United States C.J. Morgante
United States Rob Fereday
Fourth official:
United States Baldomero Toledo

Post-match[]

Real Salt Lake are hosted by President Barack Obama at the White House, June 2010

Real Salt Lake's upset victory gave Utah its first major professional sports championship since the Utah Stars won the American Basketball Association championship in 1971.[57][60] The 2009 final was the second in MLS Cup history to be won by an expansion team and the second to finish with a penalty shootout.[41] Nick Rimando was named the MLS Cup most valuable player, only the second goalkeeper to earn the honor,[61] and Jason Kreis became the youngest coach to win the MLS Cup, along with the fourth former player to coach a championship team.[62]

The 2009 final was attended by 46,011 spectators, then the fourth-largest crowd for an MLS Cup final and the largest since the 2002 final at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.[63][64] Approximately 2,000 fans attended from Salt Lake City and were joined by Seattle Sounders FC supporters, who chose to root for the "underdog" team.[54] The crowd and atmosphere at the stadium were praised by league officials (including executive Don Garber),[41] the teams, and the media.[64][65][66] The stadium, later renamed CenturyLink Field, hosted its second MLS Cup final in 2019, which saw the Sounders defeat Toronto FC in front of 69,274 spectators—a stadium record for a sporting event.[67][68]

The Real Salt Lake team returned the following afternoon and was greeted by hundreds of fans at Salt Lake City International Airport.[69] The team was honored by a reception at the Utah Governor's Mansion and the Utah State Capitol, culminating in a parade from the state capitol to a rally at Rio Tinto Stadium attended by 5,000 fans. Governor Gary R. Herbert declared November 24, 2009, as Real Salt Lake Day.[70] The team was later honored with a traditional champion's ceremony at the White House by President Barack Obama on June 4, 2010.[71]

Real Salt Lake qualified for the 2010–11 CONCACAF Champions League, where they became the first MLS team to reach the modern tournament's finals, losing 3–2 on aggregate to C.F. Monterrey.[72][73] Real Salt Lake would later return to the MLS Cup final in 2013, finishing as runners-up to Sporting Kansas City after losing a penalty shootout.[74] The Galaxy and Real Salt Lake met in the 2011 Western Conference Final, where Los Angeles won 3–1 and advanced to the MLS Cup final and win their first championship since 2005.[75][76] Los Angeles would also win the cup in 2012 and 2014, bringing their total number of MLS Cup championships to five and surpassing the record set by D.C. United.[77][78]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d "MLS Cup 2009 awarded to Seattle" (Press release). Major League Soccer. March 11, 2009. Archived from the original on March 13, 2009. Retrieved July 24, 2017.
  2. ^ a b c d "A look inside MLS Cup '09: Galaxy vs. Real Salt Lake". Los Angeles Times. November 21, 2009. p. C10. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  3. ^ Goff, Steven (March 11, 2009). "MLS Cup in Seattle". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  4. ^ Edwards, James (November 23, 2009). "Real Salt Lake notes: Beckham comes up empty after three MLS seasons". Deseret News. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  5. ^ O'Neil, Danny (April 15, 2009). "Seahawks bumped from '09 prime time". The Seattle Times. p. C3.
  6. ^ Goff, Steven (November 22, 2009). "Seattle hosts Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Salt Lake in the MLS Cup". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  7. ^ Ruiz, Don (November 14, 2009). "6,000 more seats available for MLS Cup". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  8. ^ Ruiz, Don (November 21, 2009). "MLS Cup ticket sales top 40,000". The News Tribune. Tacoma, Washington. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  9. ^ Jones, Grahame L. (November 21, 2009). "Not to stick a (Space) needle in MLS' balloon, but is it sound?". Los Angeles Times. p. C1. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  10. ^ Miguel Romero, José (November 18, 2009). "Third Eye Blind to perform outside of Qwest Sunday". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  11. ^ Winner, Andrew (November 21, 2009). "Runaway success at Supporters Summit". MLSnet.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2010. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  12. ^ Knapp, Kathryn L. (November 22, 2009). "Undecided fans lead 'March to the Match'". MLSnet.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2010. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  13. ^ "2009 Rules of Competition". Major League Soccer. Archived from the original on November 14, 2009. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  14. ^ "General Overview". Major League Soccer. Archived from the original on January 18, 2009. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  15. ^ "MLS Cup 2009 Playoffs Guide" (PDF). Major League Soccer. October 2009. p. 12. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 19, 2010. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  16. ^ Schaerlaeckens, Leander (November 20, 2011). "MLS makes smart format changes". ESPN. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  17. ^ Rodriguez, Alicia (October 21, 2015). "Audi MLS Cup Playoffs: Tracing the evolution of the postseason format since 1996". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  18. ^ a b Jones, Grahame L. (November 14, 2009). "GALAXY 2, HOUSTON 0 (OT): Overtime win puts Galaxy in MLS final". Los Angeles Times. p. C1. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  19. ^ "Factbox: 2012 MLS Cup final". Reuters. November 28, 2012. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  20. ^ Jones, Grahame L. (August 19, 2008). "Arena is new Galaxy coach, GM". Los Angeles Times. p. D1. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  21. ^ Serrano, Adam (August 18, 2014). "On this day in LA Galaxy history: Bruce Arena hired as head coach and general manager in 2008". LA Galaxy. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  22. ^ Jones, Grahame L. (July 10, 2009). "Galaxy will be challenged by match with AC Milan". Los Angeles Times. p. C9. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  23. ^ a b MLS Cup 2009 Playoffs Guide 2009, p. 91.
  24. ^ Jones, Grahame L. (August 29, 2009). "A Chivas USA win over Galaxy would boost playoff hopes". Los Angeles Times. p. C7. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  25. ^ Jones, Grahame L. (November 13, 2009). "Beckham, Galaxy both shining anew". Los Angeles Times. p. C1. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  26. ^ a b Jones, Grahame L. (November 1, 2009). "Galaxy, Chivas USA are rivals, but friendly, too". Los Angeles Times. p. C5. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  27. ^ Jones, Grahame L. (November 2, 2009). "Galaxy, Chivas pay for error of their ways". Los Angeles Times. p. C3. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  28. ^ Jones, Grahame L. (November 9, 2009). "Galaxy advances by beating Chivas USA, 1-0". Los Angeles Times. p. C5. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  29. ^ de Jesus Oritz, Jose (November 14, 2009). "Galaxy eliminate Dynamo in Western Conference final". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  30. ^ Edward, James (November 1, 2008). "Real Salt Lake aims for Chivas, looks to win it all". Deseret News. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  31. ^ Edward, James (May 4, 2007). "Winless RSL has coaching shake up". Deseret News. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  32. ^ Edward, James (December 4, 2013). "Real Salt Lake: Rebuilding the roster laid foundation for RSL's playoff run". Deseret News. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  33. ^ "MLS History: Real Salt Lake, 2008". Major League Soccer. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  34. ^ Alden, Doug (October 30, 2008). "Real Salt Lake earns 1st MLS playoff spot". Republican & Herald. Pottsville, Pennsylvania. Associated Press. p. 19. Retrieved November 4, 2018 – via Newspapers.com.
  35. ^ Black, Michael (November 16, 2008). "RSL: Rowdy, loud crowd makes some noise". Deseret News. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  36. ^ "MLS History: Real Salt Lake, 2009". Major League Soccer. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  37. ^ a b c Rasmussen, Dan (November 30, 2009). "Real Salt Lake: How did RSL go from inconsistent to winning a championship?". Deseret News. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  38. ^ Edward, James (October 25, 2009). "Real Salt Lake: Believe it! RSL earns playoff spot". Deseret News. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  39. ^ Edward, James (November 6, 2009). "Real Salt Lake rallies to advance". Deseret News. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  40. ^ Stejskal, Sam (November 15, 2009). "Real Salt Lake 0, Fire 0". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  41. ^ a b c Kelley, Mason (November 23, 2009). "Real Salt Lake Wins M.L.S. Cup". The New York Times. p. D1. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  42. ^ Jones, Grahame L. (November 22, 2009). "David Beckham's injury could add twist to MLS final". Los Angeles Times. p. C3. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  43. ^ "Today on TV". The Ottawa Citizen. November 22, 2009. p. D6.
  44. ^ a b Reynolds, Mike (November 21, 2009). "ESPN Kicks Off MLS Cup 2009 In Primetime". Multichannel News. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  45. ^ Ourand, John (September 21, 2009). "MLS Cup to appear in prime time on ESPN, opposite 'Sunday Night Football'". Sports Business Daily. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  46. ^ "ESPN at MLS Cup 2009: Los Angeles vs. Salt Lake City" (Press release). ESPN. November 17, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  47. ^ Pierce, Scott D. (November 27, 2009). "Scott D. Pierce: Real Salt Lake spoiled ESPN's wish for L.A. win". Deseret News. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  48. ^ Miguel Romero, José (November 21, 2009). "L.A. Galaxy has edge in star power at MLS Cup final". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  49. ^ "David Beckham to take painkilling injection for MLS Cup final". The Guardian. November 20, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  50. ^ a b c d e f Goff, Steven (November 23, 2009). "Real clinches MLS Cup in penalty kicks". The Washington Post. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  51. ^ Stejskal, Sam (December 10, 2016). "Will Toronto FC vs. Seattle Sounders be the coldest MLS Cup on record?". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  52. ^ a b Rock, Brad (November 23, 2009). "Real Salt Lake regroups to dominate 2nd half". Deseret News. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  53. ^ Enriquez, Fidencio (October 30, 2011). "Top 50 MLS Cup Moments: #21 Moved to Tears". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  54. ^ a b c Edwards, James (November 23, 2009). "Real Salt Lake wins dramatic MLS Cup on penalty kicks". Deseret News. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  55. ^ a b Borg, Simon (October 5, 2011). "Top 50 MLS Cup Moments: #46 Out Of Hand". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  56. ^ Steinberg, Jacob (November 23, 2009). "Real Salt Lake beat David Beckham's LA Galaxy on penalties to win MLS Cup". The Guardian. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  57. ^ a b c d Miguel Romero, José (November 23, 2009). "Real Salt Lake wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on November 5, 2018. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  58. ^ a b "Top 50 MLS Cup Moments: #8 Great Western Shootout". MLSsoccer.com. November 12, 2011. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  59. ^ Miguel Romero, José (November 21, 2009). "Both teams want the home crowd on their side". The Seattle Times. p. C1. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  60. ^ Rock, Brad (November 23, 2009). "Real champions: Not a great season — but Real Salt Lake had great finish". Deseret News. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  61. ^ "Four fantastic MLS finals". FIFA.com. November 28, 2013. Archived from the original on May 29, 2016. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  62. ^ "Real Salt Lake wins MLS Cup 5-4 on penalty kicks". KSL. Associated Press. November 22, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  63. ^ "Galaxy's star power can't stop Salt Lake". The Register-Guard. Eugene, Oregon. Associated Press. November 23, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  64. ^ a b "RSL Captures MLS Cup In Front Of Enthusiastic Crowd In Seattle". Sports Business Daily. November 23, 2009. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  65. ^ Thiel, Art (November 23, 2009). "MLS Cup wasn't pretty, but it did sparkle". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  66. ^ Kelley, Steve (November 23, 2009). "A fantastic finish to first MLS season in Seattle". The Seattle Times. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  67. ^ Goff, Steven (November 10, 2019). "Seattle Sounders claim MLS Cup for 2nd time in 4 seasons by roaring past Toronto FC, 3-1". The Washington Post. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  68. ^ Petterson, Joel (November 10, 2019). "For Seattle and Toronto, a Big Stage to Settle a Score". The New York Times. p. SP2. Retrieved December 5, 2019.
  69. ^ Rasmussen, Dan (November 23, 2009). "Cheering fans greet Real Salt Lake; championship rally scheduled at Rio Tinto Stadium". Deseret News. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  70. ^ Edward, James (November 25, 2009). "Utah celebrates Real Salt Lake Day". Deseret News. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  71. ^ Edward, James (June 4, 2010). "President Obama welcomes Major League Soccer champion Real Salt Lake". Deseret News. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
  72. ^ Williams, Adam (April 5, 2011). "Real Salt Lake advances to CONCACAF final despite loss". Deseret News. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  73. ^ Edward, James (April 27, 2011). "Real Salt Lake: Monterrey wins CONCACAF Champions League, 3-2 on aggregate". Deseret News. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  74. ^ "Sporting KC outlasts RSL for title". ESPN. Associated Press. December 6, 2013. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  75. ^ "Galaxy beat Salt Lake to reach MLS Cup". CNN. November 7, 2011. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  76. ^ Baxter, Kevin (November 20, 2011). "Galaxy makes a big splash to win the MLS title". Los Angeles Times. p. C1. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  77. ^ Baxter, Kevin (December 8, 2014). "Robbie Keane delivers in Galaxy's title-clinching victory". Los Angeles Times. p. C1. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
  78. ^ Davis, Jason (December 9, 2014). "Fortunes fluctuate in L.A., D.C.'s turnaround and legendary departures". ESPN. Retrieved November 5, 2018.
Retrieved from ""