Lehi » He scored 108 goals in his illustrious career, but coach Jason Kreis can empathize with the dry spell that Real Salt Lake's Yura Movsisyan has endured for most of this season.

"It's very trying," he said.

That's why Kreis was so thrilled to see his striker whip home his second goal of the season against Colorado last weekend, even though RSL wound up with a disappointing 1-1 draw at Rio Tinto Stadium. Movsisyan scored six of his career-high seven regular-season goals last season in the final eight games, but has sprayed most of his team-leading 34 shots this season -- fourth-most in Major League Soccer -- everywhere but into the net.

"I actually hit the target, for once," he joked, darkly, after the game.

Now, Movsisyan hopes the strike can get him back on track as RSL prepares to play at the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday, though he insisted he wasn't discouraged with the fusillade of errant shots he launched against the Rapids before finally scoring.

"I could have been discouraged," he said. "But you know what? I wasn't. I know that if I keep my confidence, it will come, at the end of the day....So it was good for myself to get that goal for my confidence, but it was disappointing for us not to get the three points at home."

Ugly trend

In the wake of its latest lapse, RSL has allowed a tying or winning goal in the 85th minute or later 12 times in its history -- or, in 9 percent of its 136 league games so far.

In all, the team has let 17 points slip away because of the late concessions. The carnage is even worse if you consider the other four games in which it allowed tying or winning goals between the 82nd and 85th minutes. FC Dallas is the most dangerous opponent, having burned RSL late four times already. The Rapids have done it three times.

Injury report

Striker Robbie Findley has not practiced yet this week because of an ankle injury suffered against the Rapids. Nothing is broken, X-rays showed, so "it's just going to be a pain thing, now," Kreis said.

Flying in formation

Whatever you want to call it -- a 4-3-3 or a 4-5-1 -- Kreis was pleased with the way his three-striker formation worked to both create opportunities against the Rapids, as well as prevent them from occurring. He said he's considering using it again against the Galaxy.

"Defensively you've got the guys in the same positions, and it limits the amount of opportunities teams are getting against us, and that's what I like," he said. "We need to continue to build on it."

And though most of its best chances went begging, RSL generated 18 shots and enjoyed strong service from the flanks. "We have to realize that there is going to be that kind of service into the box, and we've got to get more players in the box, and we've got to finish those opportunities," Kreis said.

mcl@sltrib.com