MLS Review: RSL edges out Fire

Posted Jul 9, 2010 by Nick Murray

Updated Jul 9, 2010 at 11:41 AM

Real Salt Lake earned its first victory ever in Chicago, extending its undefeated streak to 10 games and keeping the pressure on the Los Angeles Galaxy in the Western Conference after Thursday’s Major League Soccer action.

REAL SALT LAKE 1, CHICAGO 0: Robbie Findley’s penalty kick late in the first half was the only goal of the game, although RSL rode its luck in the second half as the Fire hit the post twice as they pushed for an equalizer.

Findley had already hit the post before drawing the penalty, C.J. Brown being ruled to have committed the foul in the area. The U.S. international sent Chicago goalkeeper Andrew Dykstra the wrong way with his shot.

The Fire almost equalized early in the second half, Steven Kinney rising to head goalward from a corner, only to see it come back off the right post. Kinney, who was making his MLS debut, then hit the left post from a similar situation, and Nick Rimando was able to extend his shutout streak to 498 minutes.

The MLS record for a shutout streak is currently held by Tony Meola, who went 681 minutes without conceding a goal for the Kansas City Wizards in his MVP season in 2000. Rimando’s current streak sees him fourth all-time behind Pat Onstand (547 minutes, 2007) and Kevin Hartman (521 minutes, 2006).