Real Salt Lake Remains Unbeaten, Tops Fire 3-2
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (AP) — Joao Plata scored twice in the final 24 minutes, including the winner in stoppage time, to help Real Salt Lake remain unbeaten with a 3-2 victory over the winless Chicago Fire on Saturday night.
Alvaro Saborio tied it 1 second into stoppage time for Real Salt Lake (4-0-5). Plata, who cut the Fire's lead in half with a 12-yard shot in the 72nd minute, beat Chicago's Sean Johnson with the winner in the 93rd minute, halfway through stoppage time.
The Fire (0-2-6) scored twice in the first 30 minutes. Mike Magee and Juan Luis Anangono beat Real's Nick Rimando from close range, with Anangono doing so on a pretty header set up by Greg Cochrane.
Salt Lake, which pressured early, capitalized late. Plata's first goal, his fourth of the season, was set up by Javier Morales, and came nine minutes after a 15-yard shot by Magee hit the crossbar and bounded away.
As regulation time ended, Kenny Mansally ran down the left side and curled a cross into the box. It hit Chicago defender Greg Cochrane in the stomach and was chested by Saborio before he kneed it past Johnson and into the net for a 2-2 tie.
Three minutes later, Saborio set up Plata, who beat Johnson from the doorstep for the winner.
The Fire had tied its previous six matches, which matched an MLS record.
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