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Real Salt Lake Stays Unbeaten in 2014 with 2-1 Win over Colorado

May 17, 2014 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


SANDY, Utah - Real Salt Lake (6-0-5, 23 points, West #2) stayed unbeaten in 2014 on Saturday night, extending its winning streak to three and starting the 2014 Rocky Mountain Cup on the right foot with a 1-0 win over Colorado Rapids (4-4-3, 15 points, West #5) at a sold-out Rio Tinto Stadium.

FW Joao Plata and MF Javier Morales scored in the 23rd and 51st minutes for the Claret-and-Cobalt. Colorado Captain Drew Moor pulled one back for the Rapids in the 83rd to create a nervy final few minutes, but RSL was able to hold firm, extending its regular season unbeaten streak to 11 games this year and to 15 games dating back to September 2013.

RSL was without three of its most important players on Saturday, as Captain Kyle Beckerman (U.S.), GK Nick Rimando (U.S.) and FW Alvaro Saborio (Costa Rica) were all absent while on international duty. All three players departed on Wednesday after being named to the preliminary World Cup rosters for their respective national teams. The final World Cup rosters will be named by June 2; any RSL players traveling to Brazil for this summer's tournament will miss a minimum of six league games and at least one - and up to three - Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup contests.

Despite the high-profile absences, RSL controlled the entire first half, registering the game's first chance in the eighth minute. MF Ned Grabavoy had the look, starting the play by slipping Plata through into the right side of the area. Plata quickly played a return ball, excellently cutting a cross back to an open Grabavoy at the top of the area. The veteran midfielder hit a shot with his first touch, but it was blocked by Colorado DF Marvell Wynne.

Real Salt Lake DF Chris Wingert tested Colorado GK Clint Irwin in the 17th minute, firing a low shot from distance on the left side that the Rapids "˜keeper smartly parried into the right side of the box and away from danger.

Plata put RSL on top in the 23rd minute. DF Tony Beltran started the play on the right sideline, cutting a ball in to FW Devon Sandoval in the Rapids' third. Sandoval quickly found MF Javier Morales, who pulled a nifty turn and played Plata behind the left side of the Colorado defense. The diminutive Ecuadorian did the rest, firing a low left-footer past Irwin and inside the far post for his sixth goal of the season.

Grabavoy had a good chance to make it 2-0 six minutes later. Sandoval and Morales again combined to make the play, with Sandoval finding the Argentine midfielder in the center of Colorado's third for a through ball to lead Grabavoy into the left side of the box. Irwin was ready for Grabavoy's first time shot, blocking the 12-yard effort before Wynne cleared it away.

Colorado nearly equalized in the 43rd minute, when FW Edson Buddle flicked FW Dillon Powers' free kick from the left flank off the outside of the right post and out of play.

The Rapids had another look just before the halftime whistle, when MF Nick LaBrocca fired a shot from the right side of the area that RSL GK Jeff Attinella held comfortably.

Sandoval earned a penalty kick in the 50th minute. The target striker collected a Grabavoy ball in the middle of the area and took a touch to his left before getting taken down by Irwin. Morales coolly buried the spot kick in the 51st, sending Irwin the wrong way and burying the shot into the top-right corner.

RSL dodged a trio of bullets in the 53rd, 57th and 59th minutes. The Rapids had free headers on all three chances, but were unable to hit the target once. FW Deshorn Brown had the first chance, heading DF Marc Burch's cross wide of the near post from the right side of the six. Moor had the ensuing two opportunities. Powers created the first chance, finding an unmarked Moor at the back post with a free kick from the left side. Thankfully for RSL, the Rapids captain missed the frame, heading his shot wide of the left post. Moor had an even bigger miss in the 59th, missing an open net after an Attinella punch fell to him just eight yards out.

Attinella came up with some big stops in the 68th and 73rd minutes to keep Colorado off the board. MF Dillon Serna had the first chance, pulling a nifty move on the left edge of the area and firing a low shot toward the near post that Attinella parried out for a corner. The fourth-year pro had a nice double save in the 73rd, stopping a low drive from Rapids substitute MF Kamani Hill at the right post before popping up and making himself big to smother Serna's attempt off the rebound.

RSL responded well after Attinella's strong sequence, pushing forward into the attack and nearly finding a third goal in the 77th minute. Plata floated an early cross in from the left wing, with Sandoval collecting and laying off for Morales at the top of the box. Morales ran onto the ball and smashed a dangerous looking half-volley toward frame, but the effort was blocked by a Rapids defender.

Moor pulled one back for Colorado in the 84th minute. Serna assisted, whipping in a free kick from the right wing that Moor got on the end of at the back post. The veteran defender found the target this time, snapping a header inside the left post from 10 yards out.

Colorado desperately pushed for an equalizer in the game's dying moments, but RSL held strong, limiting the Rapids to lumping hopeful long balls into the box.

The Real Salt Lake Reserves and the Colorado Rapids Reserves will meet in MLS Reserve League action on Sunday morning, battling at 11:00 a.m. MT at America First Field in Sandy, Utah. Sunday's Reserve League match is open to the public and free to attend.

The Real Salt Lake first team will return to action next Saturday, taking on FC Dallas at 7:30 p.m. MT at Rio Tinto Stadium. A very limited amount of tickets remain for next week's match and can be purchased at the Rio Tinto Stadium box office, online at www.RealSaltLake.com/Tickets or over the phone at 801-727-2700.

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