Extra time goal puts Real Salt Lake in conference finals

Real Salt Lake will now go for the trifecta at Providence Park against Portland. Photo: Real Salt Lake | Facebook

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Real Salt Lake’s (RSL) Bobby Wood directed Justin Meram’s crossing pass low into the right corner of Sporting Kansas City’s goal in the 90th minute to give RSL Lake a 2-1 victory in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference semifinals.

Real Salt Lake advanced to face the Portland Timbers in the conference final, coming off a first-round victory on penalty kicks at Seattle. Portland also won the road, topping Colorado 1-0 on a 90-minute score Thursday.

Sporting K.C. opened the scoring on Johnny Russell’s penalty kick in the 24th minute. Russell converted after Aaron Herrera fouled Gadi Kinda in the penalty area.

Three of the four players involved in Real Salt Lake’s two goals were second-half substitutes. Meram and Anderson Julio came on in the 57th minute, and Wood took over for Rubio Rubin in the 72nd minute.

Julio tied it in the 72nd, leaping to head a pass from Andrew Brody into the lower-left corner.

Real Salt Lake lost all three regular-season meetings with Portland, allowing 12 goals.