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Movsisyan scores 2 as RSL tops FC Dallas 4-2

Jul 25, 2009 - 5:22 AM By JASEN ASAY STATS MLS Correspondent

SANDY, Utah (STATS) - Yura Movsisyan knew it wouldn't take much for Real Salt Lake to rally from a two-goal deficit against FC Dallas on Friday night.

It turns out the Real Salt Lake striker was correct.

Movsisyan scored twice and Real Salt Lake (6-7-5) took advantage of an own goal by FC Dallas' Daniel Torres to earn a 4-2 victory, with all four goals coming in the second half.

"We knew all we needed was one (goal) to wake us up," said Movsisyan, who entered the game at the start of the second half. "It was good we got it so early in the second half."

With the score tied at 2, Real Salt Lake took the lead when Fabian Espindola's cross hit off Torres and into the goal in the 88th minute. Movsisyan added his second goal of the match in stoppage time to seal the win over FC Dallas (4-9-5).

"I've been involved in a lot of games that you believe were a game of two halves," said Salt Lake coach Jason Kreis. "Obviously that's the case for us tonight. We were utterly abysmal for 45 minutes then extremely good for 45 minutes."

Trailing 2-0 at halftime, Real Salt Lake cut FC Dallas' lead in half in the 55th minute when Movsisyan beat Dallas goalkeeper Ray Burse on a one-on-one.

Robbie Findley pulled RSL even in the 62nd minute with a penalty kick after being fouled in the box by Jair Benitez.

Jeff Cunningham scored a goal and assisted on another against his former team for FC Dallas, but missed a second-half penalty kick.

In the 71st minute, with the score tied at 2, RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando saved Cunningham's shot from the penalty spot. On the sideline, Kreis jumped with his fist in the air to celebrate the save, but then continued to yell at the fourth official concerning the call that set up the penalty kick.

"That was a game-changing play from someone who is a leader on this team," Kreis said. "But then I got ridiculous there after that and got myself thrown off."

Kreis was red-carded and ejected for verbally abusing the fourth official and missed RSL's final two goals.

"Somebody told me we won," joked Kreis during his postgame press conference. "Is that true?"

Kreis had another reason to celebrate Rimando's save. Cunningham's 13th-minute goal was the 108th of his career, moving him into a tie for third all-time with the Salt Lake coach. Cunningham still trails D.C. United's Jaime Moreno (128) and Chivas USA's Ante Razov (114).

Kreis was Cunningham's teammate during the 2006 season and then for four games in 2007 before retiring to become coach. Following RSL's next three games, Cunningham was traded to Toronto FC.

Dave van der Bergh gave FC Dallas a 2-0 lead in the 21st minute when Cunningham passed the ball to David Ferreira, who sent the ball across the goal box to van der Bergh.

"I thought we played some of our best soccer in the first half," said FC Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman. "We were able to come up and press, win some balls and get a couple of goals. The second half was obviously a different story."

FC Dallas' Drew Moor was ejected in stoppage time after a hard foul on Tony Beltran.