Kreis rues wasted chances

Real Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis said his side wasted chances in their 3-1 loss to LA Galaxy in the MLS Western Conference final on Sunday.

Despite equalising two minutes after Landon Donovan’s opener, Real could not find the back of the net again as second-half strikes to Mike Magee and Robbie Keane sealed LA’s path to the Championship final.

And Kreis regretted Real’s finishing on the night at the Home Depot Center.

“Was it a night we didn’t attack well enough? Maybe. But we had chances to score and level the game no doubt,” he said.

Real midfielder Will Johnson echoed Kreis’ calls of profligacy in the final third.

“I think it just comes down to the execution. Both teams worked really hard, battled, fought hard, they just executed in the box and we didn’t defend with the intensity and tenacity that is required at this point in the season against a top team,” Johnson said.

Jamison Olave might have well set the tone for RSL’s evening in the fifth minute as he had a clear chance to volley home from inside the six-yard box, only to see his effort drilled right into the chest of Josh Saunders.

Seven minutes later, Chris Schuler missed a second chance to put his team ahead, turning a free header from Javier Morales’ free kick wide of the goal.

While Alvaro Saborio was on hand to head home a goal within two minutes of Los Angeles taking the lead, Salt Lake could not conjure up the same response twice in a row after Fabian Espindola struck the bar after turning and shooting from a seemingly impossible position immediately after Magee put the Galaxy up 2-1.

“It was a good play. I tried to do that because the goalkeeper wouldn’t have imagined I could put it on goal, but unfortunately it didn’t go in,” Espindola said.

Espindola also had the misfortune of missing a one-on-one chance in the 90th minute that could have set up a dramatic period of injury time.

“We missed a breakaway sometime in the 80s (minutes), I knew that was it, it wasn’t our night tonight,” Real captain Kyle Beckerman said.