Real Salt Lake qualifies for MLS Cup semi-finals with 3-2 win over LAFC

Los Angeles • Maybe there was something in the air. Or on the ground.

A few minutes before Real Salt Lake and Los Angeles Football Club meet Thursday at the Banc of California Stadium, Columbus Crew FC was upset by their victory over D.C. United on penalties. Columbus was a sixth seed that dropped a third seed. RSL was a sixth looking for a third.

RSL succeeded. He managed to win 3-2 at the Los Angeles football club and qualify for the semifinals of the MLS Cup. Real will host Sporting Kansas City at 8pm. on Sunday.

"It was a great performance for us," said Damir Kreilach moments before head coach Mike Petke kissed him in the middle of his post-game interview. "Each of us was in. It was the best (absent) match of us this season."

Kreilach scored two goals and added an assist to victory. RSL beat Los Angeles 21-4 in penalty kicks, which earned them nine corners.

But it was the defense of Real that came to play against a team of LAFC who had mistreated in two clashes in the regular season.

Petke opted to launch Nedum Onuoha, Luke Mulholland and Marcelo Silva, all of whom started against Sporting Kansas City while Real had five starters suspended for suspension or international duty. Salt Lake won this game on the road when they needed it the most.

"He was a star tonight," said Petke about Onuoha. "He really was."

RSL has raised 41 clearances to only 10 for Los Angeles.

Kreilach's first goal came in the 21st minute. Right-back Brooks Lennon, after getting a pass from Jefferson Savarino, dribbled the ball to third. He passed the ball clearly to Kreilach, who controlled the pass through the chest and sent a shot from the right foot to the back of the net near the penalty spot.

Los Angeles tied just 10 minutes later. A major foul by Aaron Herrera on a yellow card, Carlos Vela had a free kick a few meters from the penalty area. He sent a cross into the box to Danilo Silva for a header.

Moments after Danilo Silva's goal, the referees suspended the game for five minutes as supporters throwing objects at the field.

Los Angeles started the second half with two good chances. Nick Rimando dipped and stretched to save the first and Latif Blessing's shot was missed over the crossbar.

Christian Ramirez, who came into play to start the second half, scored in the 55th minute on Lee Nguyen's help for a 2-1 lead at LAFC.

In the 58th minute, a shot by Albert Rusnák was blocked and released by LAFC. The ball ricocheted for Kreilach, who jumped into the air and struck him with scissors from the right post and in goal for a 2-2 draw.

Beckerman said that someone had told him about "Karate Kid" by describing Kreilach's goal of equalizing.

"It was incredible," said Beckerman about Kreilach's goal.

At the 69th, RSL was in possession of the attacking third. Kreilach was transferred to Savarino, who placed him at the front post and scored 3-2. The goal was officially credited to LAFC's Walker Zimmerman as a personal goal.