Real Salt Lake: Kovalenko picks great time to score

CARSON, Calif. — Anyone expecting pivotal goals from Real Salt Lake would first consider such players as Yura Movsisyan or Javier Morales — not a defensive midfielder who scored his only previous goal this season on a penalty kick.

Nevertheless, Dema Kovalenko put Real Salt Lake into Major League Soccer's Western Conference final for the first time by scoring in the 37th minute in a 2-2 tie with Chivas USA on Saturday night at the Home Depot Center.

That goal gave Real Salt Lake a one-goal advantage in the overall series score, a margin the visitors would maintain.

Kovalenko's goal also reinforced the bold predictions the team made before the season: Real Salt Lake not only would surpass its 2007 victory total of six game but also would reach the playoffs.

"Nobody believed in this team," Kovalenko said. "Even our own paper in Salt Lake said we're not going to make the playoffs. But we know who we are in this locker room. We fought all year and we believe in ourselves."

Kovalenko — who did not play against Chivas USA in the series' first game at Rio Tinto Stadium — started Saturday night on the right flank and began practicing his specialty.

The Ukranian veteran applied enough pressure against Jonathan Bornstein to prevent Chivas USA's speedy left back from passing ahead or joining the offense.

But after Sacha Kljestan's penalty kick gave Chivas USA a 1-0 lead, Kovalenko made history by tying the score.

Robbie Russell began the scoring play with a pass to Javier Morales, who crossed the ball from the right flank into the penalty area.

Kovalenko, marked tightly by Chivas USA's Jim Curtin, dived near the right post and headed a diagonal 8-yard shot — his only one of the game — that settled inside the left post.

"I just knew that I had to go near post," Kovalenko said. "Javier played a great ball."

Not since May 31 had Kovalenko scored, when he converted a penalty kick in a 3-1 victory over San Jose.

Not since 2001 had Kovalenko scored in a playoff game, when he played with the Chicago Fire against Dallas.

Not since July 28 had Kovalenko played all 90 minutes, when he did so against Toronto.

"The last 15 minutes, I was gassed out," Kovalenko said. "I was a little late on some challenges and I had a yellow card (from the first game), so I had to be careful."

But for Kovalenko and his teammates, the final 15 minutes proved to be less significant than the first 37.