This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Sandy • Habits are hard to break.
And they're hindering Real Salt Lake from stacking up the points it set out to stack during this home-heavy summer.
Entering Saturday night, RSL had conceded a goal in 13 straight matches across all competitions — the longest such streak since the club's inaugural season in MLS in 2005. But another untimely miscue added to the streak in Sandy against the visiting Montreal Impact in front of 20,086.
For the 14th consecutive game, RSL let a goal hit the back of the net — an unfortunate new club record. Fortunately for RSL (8-5-5), a 79th-minute penalty kick goal by Yura Movsisyan rescued a point for the home team in the 1-1 draw against the Impact.
Movsisyan was the one who brought RSL level, but the lead-up to the eventual penalty call was made possible by a hustle play from left back Demar Phillips. The Jamaican defender split two Impact defenders along the goal line before playing it to an onrushing Joao Plata. Montreal midfielder Calum Mallace fouled Plata and referee Ricardo Salazar pointed to the spot.
"That was just hard work, sacrificing, believing, winning the ball," RSL coach Jeff Cassar said of Phillips' hustle. "That came from nothing. Sometimes you need those kinds of goals."
A minute later, RSL dodged what looked to be a penalty when center back Justen Glad took down Impact midfielder Ignacio Piatti inside the box. Montreal did not get the same courtesy as RSL.
If not for a lunging, fingertip save by Evan Bush, RSL captain Kyle Beckerman would've buried a game-winning shot from 25 yards out, but the Montreal goalkeeper was there to preserve a point in stoppage time. On the ensuing corner kick, midfielder Javier Morales sliced a wide open shot wide of goal.
Montreal took a lead just minutes in when goalkeeper Nick Rimando batted away a dipping 40-yard free kick from Impact center back Laurent Ciman. The ball squirted loose in the RSL box, but was quickly finished by midfielder Harry Shipp, who beat Glad to the ball to finish to at the far post, putting RSL in an early hole.
"From the bench, it just seemed so flat and I kept splashing water up at my face just to wake up, because there were times where I was disinterested in the game," said RSL midfielder Luke Mulholland, a second-half substitute. "That's been how it is for a few weeks, even the games we've won at home."
While RSL has failed to hold a zero on the scoreboard since mid-April, another bad habit compounded the early deficit. Once again, RSL ran into another slow, uninspiring start. Simple passes rolled out of bounds or directly to Impact players. The dynamic front three of Movsisyan, Plata and Burrito Martinez were rattled by Montreal's physicality and compact defending.
"I told the guys at halftime, in all honesty, I could sub 12 players," Cassar said. "I could sub myself, I could sub every single one of them."
The Impact, content with absorbing pressure and countering, nearly doubled its lead in the 45th minute. Piatti beat Glad 1-on-1 in the box before firing a shot on goal from 10 yards away. Luckily for RSL, it was right at Rimando, who swatted it away.
"That start was rough. It was rough from everyone," Cassar said. "We'll move on. We have to."
Twitter: @chriskamrani —
Storylines
R Montreal goes up 1-0 in the eighth minute on a goal by Harry Shipp.
• RSL concedes a goal for its 14th straight match across all competitions.
• RSL hits the road Wednesday at the Vancouver Whitecaps.