MLS Real Salt Lake

RSL stay winless on road, fall to Rapids

Published on May 3, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Real Salt Lake News Release


COMMERCE CITY, Colo. - Real Salt Lake keep continuing to forget to pack their offense when they embark on road trips. Compound the road-weary offense with a dose of missing composure in a typically feisty rivalry game, and a 10-man RSL once again was left to ponder its early-season road woes after a 2-0 loss to the host Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Saturday night.

RSL entered the match tied for the Major League Soccer lead with 12 goals, but all those tallies have come at home, with RSL having now been outscored 6-0 in their three road matches, all 2-0 defeats, this season.

The loss also dropped RSL from third place to fourth in the Western Conference, with Colorado taking over third by two points ahead of Real. The result also gave the Rapids a leg up in the Rocky Mountain Cup the regional rivals compete for each season, which has been captured the past two seasons by RSL.

Rapids midfielder Nick LaBrocca gave the Rapids the only goal they would need in the 11th minute, rushing the net untouched through the middle of the box to head home a crossing pass from Colin Clark.

Injuries and an ill-timed red card helped prevent RSL from mounting a rally.

In the 35th minute, RSL starting goalkeeper Nick Rimando left the match after suffering an apparent hand injury while diving low in a goalmouth collision with Rapids forward Conor Casey. Kyle Reynish came off the bench in place of Rimando to make his MLS debut after two seasons with the RSL reserves.

RSL's comeback hopes were further dashed six minutes later, when defender Jamison Olave was issued a red card after a hard takedown of Casey along the sideline.

Forced to play the rest of the match a man down, RSL failed to register a shot on goal in the first half and was unable to generate opportunities against the packed-in Rapids defense throughout the second half.

Before losing Olave, Real Salt Lake enjoyed a few opportunities early but were unable to remain collected enough to get any shots on net. In the early moments Yura Movsisyan, whose 90th-minute goal at Colorado in the 2008 regular season finale lifted RSL to a playoff berth over the Rapids, fired over the crossbar on a decent look.

Movsisyan had a similar opportunity while slicing down the right side of the box in the 22nd minute, but again his strike was off the mark.

Those moments appeared to set the tone for RSL's offensively challenged road show. Will Johnson whiffed on what could have been a nifty give-and-go chance with Movsisyan in the 32nd minute, but after Olave's red card later in the half, RSL generally did not enjoy any open looks in the Rapids' end.

Reynish surrendered the first goal of his MLS career in the 60th minute, when Rapids defender Kosuke Kimura essentially sealed RSL's fate with the first goal of his career, blasting a low shot past Reynish from outside the penalty area off a pass from Terry Cooke.

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Major League Soccer Stories from May 3, 2009


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