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The result actually represents the score halfway through a 180-minute competition. So the Sounders will have three goals to make up Wednesday when the series resolves at CenturyLink Field.
These were the No. 2 and 3 clubs during the MLS regular season, with Seattle finishing 10 points ahead of Salt Lake. However, RSL dominated the first playoff before a crowd of 17,066 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Only missed chances and some diving Kasey Keller saves kept the game scoreless until deep into the first half.
RSL finally broke through in the 41st minute. Javier Morales had found space in the penalty area and sent the ball to the far post, where Alvaro Saborio nudged it in.
Referee Mark Geiger ran to the sideline to discuss possible offside with his lineman before awarding the goal.
Soon thereafter, Geiger whistled an end to what had been a bad first half for the Sounders, who put no shots on goal compared with five by Salt Lake.
Still, the second half somehow started worse, with RSL dominating early. Seattle was fortunate to survive a three-shot sequence in the 47th minute with Keller making two point-blank saves, but not being able to control either. The threat ended as Andy Williams sent the second rebound over the bar.
However, Salt Lake pushed it to 2-0 in the 53rd minute, when Morales rolled a ball across the penalty area, and Saborio back-heeled it just inside the far post.
Ned Grabavoy added one from close range in the 88th minute.
The winner of this series plays in the Western Conference final Nov. 6 against the winner of the New York-Los Angeles series, which begins today.
Seattle is 0-4-1 in MLS playoff games and they has been outscored 7-1.
Don Ruiz, 253-597-8808 don.ruiz@thenewstribune.com twitter/donruiztnt blog.thenewstribune.com/soccer
WEDNESDAY
MLS playoffs, second leg: Real Salt Lake at Seattle, 7 p.m.
