Real Salt Lake earned their first road point of the season Saturday, playing to a scoreless draw with D.C. United at RFK Stadium. The draw however, extends Real's winless streak to five games and they have yet score a goal away from Rio Tinto Stadium.
Real matched United's speed of attack the entire match and clearly outplayed the home side in the second, but were unable to make the final ball clean enough to beat goalkeeper Josh Wicks, who had an outstanding match for United.
Real, the only team to beat D.C. United this season, opened with five in the midfield with Robbie Findley running alone up front, countering United's standard 3-5-2 formation. Real came from behind on April 11 at home to defeat United 2-1. United are now unbeaten in their last seven league matches since that loss.
With the limited space in the midfield, both teams struggled to get any attacking rhythm in the first quarter-hour, with the most dangerous threat coming from United's Marc Burch deflecting a Robbie Russell cross from the right flank that nearly caught Wicks straying too far the other way. The young 'keeper, making his second consecutive start, shuffled back quickly to gather in the ball.
United's first serious threat came on a free kick in the 17th minute after Will Johnson climbed over Santino Quaranta's back near the top right corner of the penalty area. Christian Gomez whipped in a low, dangerous cross that nearly found the head of Bryan Namoff but a strong tackle from Kyle Beckerman on the loose ball forced United into an offside position.
Real staved off another United quality free kick opportunity after Russell's reckless chop on the back of Luciano Emilio's right ankle, this time on the other side of the field. Marc Burch floated the ball to the opposite side of the penalty area with Quaranta knocking the ball down nicely to Namoff, whose deft chip to the back post found the unmarked Fred, who missed the well wide of the inside the 6-yard box.
Russel was finally cautioned for a high tackle on Fred in the midfield in the 37th minute.
Just prior to that, United wasted perhaps their cleanest opportunity of the half but Emilio's wide open header from near the penalty spot off a cross from Quaranta sailed harmlessly over Nick Rimando's goal.
The former United standout keeper got the nod despite a lacerated left third finger despite speculation during the week that Kyle Reynish would make his first MLS start. Normal backup Chris Seitz is also unavailable after with a grade 2 right shoulder strain suffered on a collision in the 2-0 loss at home to Kansas City last weekend.
Despite Real's willingness to absorb United pressure, their size advantage in the back line controlled the air and space with none of D.C.'s three quality opportunities resulting in a shot on goal.
Real finally cracked United's back line with a crafty ball by Beckerman springing Robbie Findley, but the speedy attacker's outside of the right foot shot did not have enough bend to get around Wicks, who knocked it away cleanly with both hands.
In the 61st minute, Namoff turned the ball over on the left sideline to Morales and then promptly hauled down the Argentinean midfielder. After the ensuing free kick was knocked away by United to the back side of the 18-yard box, Russell sent a ball to the back post just out of the reach of Beckerman, Jamison Olave and Yura Movsisyan, who had come on for Clint Mathis moments earlier.
Five minutes later Morales slithered his way through three United defenders before ripping a right-footed shot from the top left side of the penalty area that was deflected over the top for a corner.
Real continued to pressure with Movsisyan sending a low dangerous cross-shot in from the right side headed for Ned Grabavoy that Wicks did well to punch away in the 69th minute.
Real's defenders showed they were still in the match on the ensuing United attack as Russell made a saving sliding tackle to knock the ball away from Rodney Wallace, who had come on seconds earlier.
Play did not stay in that end long as Beckerman and Findlay challenged United's young 'keeper twice in a minute. Wicks palmed Beckerman's shot from distance over the bar and after Real regained control on the ensuing corner, Wicks got down to his left to deny Finley.
Real's defenders geared back up in the last 10 minutes. Namoff sent a probing ball to the back post from the right flank that was knocked toward second half substitute Ange N'Silu, but the Congolese striker could not control well enough at the top of the six yard box to get off a shot.
Chris Pontius, another second-half substitute, came even closer but his header slipped just wide of the right post seconds later in the 82nd minute.
After the United attacking sequence, Real boss Jason Kreis, clearly content to save the point, inserted midfielder Chris Wingert for Findley, leaving Movsisyan alone up top to round out the match.
RSL remains on the road next weekend, traveling to take on the San Jose Earthquakes on May 30.
Chris Snear is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
