Just like everybody else, though, he missed.

His desperation shot ricocheted harmlessly off the post just moments before final whistle blew, the last in an agonizing series of near-misses that doomed RSL to a devastating 1-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls in the Major League Soccer Western Conference final at a sold-out Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday night.

"Maybe that's soccer . . . or voodoo," midfielder Kyle Beckerman said glumly. "I don't know what it is. It should have been the other way. We should have got all that voodoo stuff for us. It's at home, right?"

Well, yes.

But nevertheless, it was the first time in a long time that RSL was not able to manufacture a magical goal when it needed one, and the team could only watch as the Red Bulls celebrated their first trip to the MLS Cup championship against Columbus next weekend.

"It's really tough to put into words, how this feels right now," defender Nat Borchers said.

RSL entered the game on a franchise-record seven-game unbeaten streak and dazzlingly unexpected playoff run, but fell behind in the 28th minute when New York's Dave van den Bergh tapped home a cross that goalkeeper Nick Rimando had deflected.

"They were trying to get a cheap goal, and they did," Borchers said.

From there, the Red Bulls mostly packed it in and played defensively, allowing RSL to load up the attack. Over and over it fired at goalkeeper Danny Cepero, but over and over it knocked shots off the post, or wide of the net, or high into the crowd. RSL launched 24 shots in all, 16 in the second half - all to no avail.

"Tonight was just one of those nights," coach Jason Kreis said. "Chance after chance after chance. Three balls off the post, two in the second half. I don't know what else we could do. I drove myself to laughter over there on the bench. It was either that, or cry."

The loss ended an unexpectedly impressive fourth season for RSL.

The team had been miserable for its previous three seasons, and was actually out of playoff position just two months ago. But its stirring play down the stretch - back-to-back 90th-minute goals vaulted it into the playoffs and gave the team its first playoff victory - made losing to the Red Bulls all the more painful.

"We've had these days before," striker Yura Movsisyan said. "But at the end we came out with the goal. But today, it just didn't want to happen. That was the sad part."

Even Cepero, caught out of position several times but saved by the woodwork or errant shots, acknowledged being surprised that RSL did not put one away.

"It's definitely surprising," Cepero said. "They were inches away, literally. Inches away from scoring goals. But you know, some nights it's not there for you. We've been on the wrong side of that, where we couldn't find the net, and like I said, luck plays a role - whether you want to believe it or not."

The Red Bulls still have never lost to RSL in nine games, and reached the title game for the first time despite going 1-4-1 to finish the regular season. They will meet the regular-season champion Crew in the title game, while RSL prepares for next season.

"Stick with us," Kreis said. "We're going places."

mcl@sltrib.com

"Tonight was just one of those nights. Chance after chance after chance. Three balls off the post, two in the second half. I don't know what else we could do. I drove myself to laughter over there on the bench. It was either that, or cry."

JASON KREIS, RSL coach

RSL 3, San Jose 2

RSL 2, New England 2

RSL 1, New York 1

RSL 3, FC Dallas 1

RSL 1, Colorado 1

RSL 1, Chivas USA 0

RSL 2, Chivas USA 2

New York 1, RSL 0

* IN SHORT: Real Salt Lake ends its season with a 1-0 loss to New York in the MLS Western Conference final.

* KEY STAT: RSL fires 24 shots, but suffers its first shutout in eight games.

* KEY MOMENT: New York's Dave van den Bergh taps in an easy deflection in the 28th minute to send the Red Bulls into the MLS Cup.