Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado Rapids | MLS Match Preview

REAL SALT LAKE vs COLORADO RAPIDS
RIO TINTO STADIUM, Sandy, Utah
Sept. 19, 2014 (WEEK 28, MLS Game #265) 8 p.m. MT (NBCSN; TSN2)

The final Rocky Mountain Cup match of the MLS league campaign brings together two teams on the opposite side of the red line when Real Salt Lake play host to the Colorado Rapids on Friday evening at Rio Tinto Stadium. Real currently sit in third place in the Western Conference and have a firm grip on a playoff position, despite falling to a lastgasp winner in a 3-2 loss at Seattle last weekend. The Rapids are six points behind fifth place and the final postseason placing, their winless streak now at eight games following a 2-2 draw with Portland at home last weekend.

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REFEREE: Ricardo Salazar. SAR (bench): Corey Rockwell; JAR (opposite): Paul Scott; 4th: Juan Guzman
MLS Career: 192 games; FC/gm: 26.7; Y/gm: 3.4; R: 56; pens: 68

SUSPENDED: RSL: Nat Borchers (through Sept. 21)
WARNINGS:
SUSPENDED NEXT YELLOW CARD: COL: Nick LaBrocca, Thomas Piermayr … RSL: Javier Morales
SUSPENDED AFTER TWO YELLOW CARDS: COL: Carlos Alvarez … RSL: Olmes Garcia, Nat Borchers, Alvaro Saborio, Luke Mulholland, Kyle Beckerman, Tony Beltran, Chris Schuler, Chris Wingert
DISABLED LIST: none
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none

HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (30 meetings): Real 11 wins, 32 goals … Rapids 10 wins, 28 goals … Ties 9
AT SALT LAKE (15 meetings): Real 8 wins, 19 goals … Rapids 3 wins, 10 goals … Ties 4
2014 (MLS):
5/17: RSL 2, COL 1 (Plata 23, Morales 50 – Moor 83)
8/2: COL 0, RSL 1 (Morales 14)

• The teams are meeting for the third time this season, and Real have won both. A Javier Morales goal in the 14th minute led RSL to a 1-0 win Aug. 2 at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, while Joao Plata and Morales scored on either side of halftime to lead Real to a 2-1 win, May 17 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
• The RSL win in Commerce City was the first by a road team in the Rocky Mountain Cup series since 2007, when RSL knocked off Colorado 1-0 in Commerce City to close out their playoff hopes.
• The rivals play for the Rocky Mountain Cup, a trophy awarded by the supporters groups of both teams. The rivalry has lived up to its billing in past seasons, as last-day results sent RSL into the MLS Cup Playoffs ahead of their Rocky Mountain rivals in 2008 (a last-minute RSL goal for a 1-1 tie) and 2009 (a 3-0 Real win). In 2007, the RSL win also ended the Rapids’ playoff hopes, though Real also did not qualify.
• Coaches record: Jeff Cassar vs. COL: P2 W2 L0 T0 … Pablo Mastroeni vs. RSL: P2 W0 L2 T0

LAST MEETING (MLS)

• RSL hit for the opener after just 14 minutes. Chris Wingert's run down the left side opened up plenty of space for a hard-charging Javier Morales, and he fired into the bottom corner from just inside the penalty box past Colorado goalkeeper Clint Irwin.
• Real goalkeeper Nick Rimando made six saves, perhaps the best saved for last, as Deshorn Brown’s desperation blast required a terrific diving save for Rimando's 112th career shutout, equaling the all-time MLS record.
• COLORADO RAPIDS (4-2-3-1): Clint Irwin - Christopher Klute, Drew Moor, Marvell Wynne, Marc Burch - Nick LaBrocca, Jose Mari (Carlos Alvarez 73) - Dillon Serna (Gabriel Torres 73), Dillon Powers, Vicente Sanchez - Deshorn Brown.
• REAL SALT LAKE (4-3-1-2): Nick Rimando - Tony Beltran, Aaron Maund (ejected 46), Nat Borchers, Chris Wingert - Luis Gil (John Stertzer 85), Kyle Beckerman, Ned Grabavoy - Javier Morales (Cole Grossman 74) - Robbie Findley, Devon Sandoval (Carlos Salcedo 50).

REAL SALT LAKE
Real Salt Lake weren’t able to make it two wins in a row, Seattle Sounders FC hitting for a late winner for a 3-2 victory Friday evening at CenturyLink Field. RSL are in third place in the Western Conference with 46 points from 28 matches.

LAST MATCH

• Real opened the scoring in the 30th minute. Javier Morales took a feed from Luke Mulholland in the Seattle penalty area and slotted a shot past Sounders FC goalkeeper Stefan Frei finishing off a 16-pass sequence.
• But Sounders FC responded in the 38th minute, equalizing on a ballistic strike from 25 yards out by Lamar Neagle that zipped past Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando and into the upper left corner.
• The home side then took the lead just five minutes later when Obafemi Martins converted a breakaway attempt from a feed by Clint Dempsey that deflected just off Rimando’s fingertips.
• But the lead turned out to be short-lived. RSL equalized shortly early in the second half, leveling the contest thanks to a 50th-minute goal from forward Joao Plata, when his shot from the left corner of the area was aided by a fortuitous deflection off Seattle midfielder Osvaldo Alonso and past Frei.
• RSL was dealt a huge blow when referee Kevin Stott showed center back Nat Borchers a red card after he held back Martins on a breakaway attempt in the 69th minute. Sounders FC were unable to capitalize on the advantage until the last possible second, when Andy Rose freed himself in the RSL box and latched onto a cross knocked down by DeAndre Yedlin before slotting past Rimando, setting off a wild celebration.
• RSL head coach Jeff Cassar made one change to the team that defeated FC Dallas 2-1 at Rio Tinto Stadium. Joao Plata started up top in place of Olmes Garcia.
• REAL SALT LAKE (4-3-1-2): Nick Rimando - Tony Beltran, Chris Schuler, Nat Borchers (ejected 68), Chris Wingert - Luke Mulholland, Kyle Beckerman, Ned Grabavoy (Carlos Salcedo 70) - Javier Morales - Robbie Findley (Alvaro Saborio 68), Joao Plata (Cole Grossman 84).

TEAM NEWS

• It was the fifth time this season Real allowed a goal in the 88th minute or later to cost them points – the first four were all game-tying goals that cost eight potential points in all.
• “I thought our possession when we decided to possess was fantastic. I think we could have done more of that. We need to get better at that and managing the game. The effort was there,” said RSL head coach Jeff Cassar. “You think two goals on the road in a tough place to play would be enough but I think it's a different game with 11 players on the field.”
• Said Javier Morales: “When you play against good teams like Seattle, they have big players. Details make the difference. We made little mistakes and they cost us a lot – three points. Because I think we dominate. We play good soccer. We create chances. But, at the end, we got nothing. So that was the difference. Details tonight was the difference between them and us.”
• Morales had a goal and an assist, the 15th time in his eight-year MLS career he’s been involved in at least one goal and one assist in the same game. Morales has two goals and two assists over the last three games since returning from injury.
• Joao Plata scored his first goal since Aug. 16, and now has 12 goals for the season. Plata had seven goals total over his first three MLS seasons.
• “Ned Grabavoy had taken a serious knock before (the red card to Nat Borchers) and was starting to hurt. We were playing Joao Plata out of position and he was doing great. He was running out of gas though and it came down to one play,” said Cassar. “It just stinks that it came down to us getting a red card and then pushing on to get that result.”
• Luke Mulholland recorded his sixth assist of the season, his first since Aug. 16 when he scored and added an assist in the home meeting with Seattle.
• Alvaro Saborio made a second consecutive appearance off the substitutes’ bench, playing the final quarter of the match, his first two league appearances since mid-May.
• “I thought that we played some good soccer. I thought that we really moved them around and especially in the midfield they had to make some difficult decisions about who to step to and we created a lot of space,” said Borchers. “I thought that we were tactically bright and it was fun there for the second half, for a big stretch it was just an open game and I thought that we'd come out on top.”
• Carlos Salcedo is the likely replacement for Borchers, who will be serving a one-match ban after being sent off in the Seattle match.
• “Carlos has stepped in numerous times this year,” Tony Beltran said. “Everybody has seen that he's a very capable young man. It's tough as a young player sometimes, because we have a lot of good, veteran players. It's tough to break through and get playing time. But credit to him: He's always had a good head on his shoulders and worked hard. He'll do just fine.”
• Said Cassar: “He's definitely in consideration — both him and Aaron [Maund],” Cassar said. “But Carlos has been playing well when he's gotten in there and is looking sharp. He's coming off a good couple weeks with the U-21 Mexican [national] team.”

COLORADO RAPIDS
The Colorado Rapids put an end to their long losing streak but still saw their winless run extended, the Portland Timbers coming back for a 2-2 draw Saturday evening at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. The Rapids are in seventh place in the Western Conference with 31 points from 28 games.

LAST MATCH

• The visitors broke the deadlock in the 43rd minute. A slick pass from Fanendo Adi went to a streaking Diego Valeri, and he blasted home off of rookie goalkeeper John Berner’s hands and into the back of the net.
• But less than two minutes into the second half, the Rapids won a penalty after Liam Ridgewell was whistled for a hand ball by referee Drew Fischer as the Englishman attempted to block a shot by Colorado's Deshorn Brown. Rapids captain Dillon Powers finished cleanly from the spot for the 48th-minute equalizer.
• The Rapids pulled ahead in the 66th minute. Left back Marc Burch’s terrific cross into the goalmouth went straight onto Brown’s head, and knocked home from close range.
• But the Timbers had one final answer. Substitute Gaston Fernandez took a terrific feed from fellow substitute Maximiliano Urruti and slotted home from the heart of the area for the leveler.
• Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni made four changes to the team that suffered a 6-0 defeat by the LA Galaxy at StubHub Center. John Berner came in between the posts for the suspended Joe Nasco, Shane O'Neill started in the back in place of Christopher Klute, and Kamani Hill and Carlos Alvarez came into the team for Dillon Serna and Edson Buddle.
• COLORADO RAPIDS (4-1-4-1): John Berner - Marvell Wynne, Thomas Piermayr, Shane O'Neill, Marc Burch - Dillon Powers - Kamani Hill, Nick LaBrocca, Jose Mari, Carlos Alvarez (Dillon Serna 72) - Deshorn Brown.

TEAM NEWS

• While the Rapids finally put an end to their club-record losing run after seven games, they still had their winless streak extended to eight games. It’s their longest stretch without a victory since going a club-record 10 games without a win in 2007.
• “We came up for air this game with a point,” Rapids head coach Pablo Mastroeni said. “Now, it’s what we do with it going into a difficult place to play. I love it. I wouldn’t want to go somewhere easy. We’re like a cornered animal. We want to fight. That’s where our mindset is at.”
• Dillon Powers scored his first goal since July 12, converting a penalty kick, the ninth penalty converted by the Rapids this season, tied for most in MLS this year (Vancouver is also 9-for-10 from the spot).
• Powers also added an assist, the fifth time in his MLS career he’s scored a goal and added an assist in the same game.
• “It wasn’t for lack of opportunities; it wasn’t for lack of chances; it wasn’t for lack of having a great mentality after being on the skid that we’ve been on,” Mastroeni said. “The game of soccer is fickle, but what’s most important for me is that those guys battle so hard for one another. And I think that’s a testament to the type of players we have.”
• Deshorn Brown collected his first goal in five matches, his ninth goal of the season, one away from his season total in his rookie season last year.
• Shane O’Neill returned to the back four, playing his first match since July 12 after suffering a knee injury.
• “We’ve battled injuries left and right this year. Thomas Piermayr is playing out of position and doing a great job. Shane, having one week of training, stepped on the field and played 90 minutes,” said Mastroeni. “There are a lot of guys sacrificing for the better of the team.”
• Said O’Neill: “I think everyone realizes that it's three points or bust at this point. From here on out, we're just going out with no worries and for a lot of the game we were playing it and we were feeling really good on the ball. Just a couple of mistakes, [Portland] didn’t really have a whole lot of chances tonight. Just have to fight for the whole 90 minutes next time.”
• Kamani Hill made his first appearance since July 30, playing the full match on the right of midfield after missing the last six league matches.
• The Rapids said midfielder Vicente Sánchez will miss the next 2-3 weeks after suffering swelling in his right knee. Sánchez had made two appearances in the last four matches, both off the substitutes’ bench.