Lack Of Execution Fails Real Salt Lake

Despite Salt Lake’s best efforts, Monterrey’s attackers were able to get between their center backs and outside backs Wednesday.

These divisions enabled them to exploit Salt Lake’s defense. The result was a first-half stoppage time goal, and Salt Lake’s first home loss in almost two years.

“The goal was probably the exact thing we told the guys that we didn’t want to allow,” coach Jason Kreis said. “Passes in between our right back and center back.”

In first half stoppage time, Sergio Santana played a ball to Humberto Suazo, and received it back on a run between Salt Lake’s centerbacks. As Nick Rimando charged to stop the play, Santana passed the ball back to Suazo, who scored easily.

“For 75 minutes, I felt like we were the aggressors,” Kreis said. “When you play a team as talented as Monterrey, you take one play off and you get punished for it.”

Monterrey’s speed bothered Salt Lake for the entire two-leg series, yet that advantage did not result in a single goal. Salt Lake’s defenders were always able to come up with critical plays that prevented Monterrey from capitalizing on their athleticism.

It was often a Nat Borchers header or a Jamison Olave touch that managed to keep Salt Lake in contention.

Instead, momentary lapses of judgment allowed Monterrey to score “messy” goals and win the regional championship.

Monterrey’s first leg goals were the result of a broken play with poor clearance and a penalty kick respectively. The second leg goal came as two defenders missed a running attacker and could not compensate.

In additino, Walter Ayovi, Sergio Santana, and Osvaldo Martinez made things difficult for Salt Lake’s back line – and not just when Monterrey had the ball. Martinez in particular challenged the possession of Salt Lake’s defensive players in ways they were not used to seeing. Rather than passively let the defenders pass the ball, or work to control the passing lanes, Martinez often charged straight at the defender with the ball.

While this tactic did not yield a goal, it clearly took the back line out of rhythm on multiple occasions and hindered Salt Lake’s attack.

Still, Salt Lake got multiple opportunities to score, but the home side was simply unable to convert on any of their chances in the second leg.

In the waning minutes, centerbacks Olave and Borchers moved forward and attempted to head in services from the midfield, but the side wasn’t able to find the back of the net.