The MLS Cup Playoffs provided another nail-biter on Saturday as Real Salt Lake defeated the Chicago Fire 5-4 in shootouts to win the Eastern Conference Championship.
This time, Ned Grabavoy – a Chicago-area native and substitute in the final minute of overtime – scored the winning penalty kick in the seventh round as his shot went off the fingertips of Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch.
Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando made three saves in the shootout – all to his left – after stopping six shots through overtime.
The Fire have lost three consecutive conference finals, and fell for the second time on penalties this season. They lost the SuperLiga final 2-1 via the tiebreaker to Tigres of Mexico on June 27.
“It’s an empty feeling in your stomach right now,” Chicago coach Denis Hamlett said. “I think all season we worked hard and stuck together to get to this point and to lose the way we lost tonight; sometimes soccer is a cruel sport.”
On November 22, Real Salt Lake will make their first appearance in the MLS Cup finals when they meet the Los Angeles Galaxy at Qwest Field in Seattle. The game will be shown on ESPN2 at 8:30 PM ET.
