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1) Nick Rimando makes three penalty kick saves in the 2009 MLS Cup penalty kick shootout
There were many important moments in this game, but Nick Rimando did the unimaginable against the star-studded L.A. Galaxy to make Real Salt Lake champions of Major League Soccer after just five years in the league. After a hard-fought game and the full extra time, the MLS Champion was decided by penalties. The roller coaster of emotions was more intense than anything you have ridden in California or Florida. Real Salt Lake was largely expected to lose to the Galaxy who had proven to be a powerhouse in the league with David Beckham and Landon Donovan leading the way. The Galaxy struck first, Robbie Findley equalized, and the battle was on. The PK shootout included a three saves from Nick Rimando and finished with a Robbie Russell goal to win the game for Salt Lake. Rimando ended up winning MLS Cup MVP. Deservedly so.
2) Javier Morales makes a last minute goal against Monterrey in Mexico to give Real Salt Lake the upper hand in the 2011 CONCACAF Champions Leage Final
Javier Morales had a moment of brilliance in a game that ended in a 2-2 scoreline. Morales' goal was worth a lot given that away goals are the tiebreaker in the series. Unfortunately, Monterrey ended up winning in Salt Lake City 1-0, but the Morales goal was a brilliant piece of work in an incredibly difficult environment when everything was on the line.
3) Yura Movsisyan makes a 90th minute goal against rival Colorado Rapids to send RSL to the 2008 MLS Playoffs for the first time
Yura Movsisyan, now playing under a lucrative contract in Russia, made a heroic last-minute goal against the rivals on the other side of the mountains. This goal sent an upward-trending Salt Lake club to the playoffs in which they made a pretty deep run to the surprise of many. Movsisyan left his stamp on the club with a few of these last minute goals during his time with RSL.
4) Jason Kreis becomes head coach in May of 2007
Jason Kreis, the first player for Real Salt Lake, was named the head coach of Real Salt Lake after retiring in the middle of the season in 2007. Dave Checketts, the founder and then owner of RSL, saw in Kreis something special that would be able to turn around a miserable state of affairs for the club at that point. Turns out he was right. Kreis, along with Garth Lagerwey and many others in the front office, turned RSL into a consistent winning club with an identity and gave them a championship just two and a half years later.
5) Alvaro Saborio scores on his first touch after being out from injury for four months in 2014
Alvaro Saborio scored an incredible header goal against FC Dallas which essentially kept RSL in the playoff hunt with the top five teams in the West battling not only for positioning but for making the playoffs at all. FC Dallas was the team immediately behind RSL in the rankings and Saborio's goal gave RSL a desperately needed win. As it turns out, that goal and the resulting win ended up qualifying RSL for the 2015-2016 CONCACAF Champions League tournament.