And a fast start.

And a short-handed opponent.

Real Salt Lake wasted every edge it could possibly have enjoyed against the defending champion Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday, blowing an early lead (again) and watching superstar Landon Donovan abuse it (again) in a wrenching 3-2 loss in front of 16,427 fans at Rice-Eccles Stadium that extended its league-record winless streak to 17 games.

"Whatever it is, we have to figure it out," midfielder Chris Klein said. "And it's got to translate into results sooner rather than later."

Playing the first of five home games in six weeks, RSL was hoping to make a statement and start compiling some much-needed points with a new lineup and a new formation.

Instead, it fell to 0-4-1 and wound up just as frustrated as ever - with coach John Ellinger benching starters Jeff Cunningham and Andy Williams at halftime because of a lack of effort and veteran striker Jason Kreis being sent off with a disputed red card in the 87th minute.

"People have to show up to play," Ellinger complained. "And it's disappointing and frustrating - I'm sure for the fans, I'm sure for the coaching staff and the teammates - when players don't show up to play."

Well, one did.

Donovan scored his first goal of the season for the Galaxy (2-2-1) by stealing a pass right off the foot of veteran defender Eddie Pope and easily beating goalkeeper Scott Garlick in the 11th minute. It was the fourth goal in five games against RSL for Donovan, and it came barely five minutes after RSL had gone ahead on a brilliant sequence that netted Kreis the 102nd goal of his career.

Running on to a long pass from defender Carey Talley, Cunningham acted as if he was going to pick up the dribble. But he let the ball roll through his legs to Williams, who had beaten a defender and had nothing but open space for his cross to Kreis - who slid at the far post to poke the ball home.

"It was exactly the start we wanted, obviously," midfielder Kenny Cutler said. "Exactly what we wanted."

As usual, though, it didn't last.

Three times now, RSL has given up an equalizer within minutes of taking a 1-0 lead. It happened at FC Dallas, then at Houston, and then against the Galaxy.

And once Donovan struck - he later added an assist on the Galaxy's third goal, an easy point-blank shot by Herculez Gomez in the 60th minute that made it 3-1 - the team seemed to wilt into a lethargy that infuriated Ellinger. He replaced Cunningham and Williams with striker Atiba Harris and defender Chris Brown, and switched back to a 4-4-2 formation from the 3-5-2 in which he started the game.

"There's no sense putting guys on the field who aren't going to work," Ellinger said. "We're not going to get through this if we don't work. We need an honest effort every game - especially at home. It's criminal that we didn't get that kind of effort at home."

Especially considering the Galaxy were so shorthanded.

Already using backup goalkeeper Steve Cronin apparently just to give starter Kevin Hartman a week off, they also started their first real road game of the season without injured starting defender Tyrone Marshall. Then, they lost midfielder Peter Vagenas and striker Cornell Glen by the 40th minute - Vagenas to a suspected concussion and Glen to a hamstring injury.

By then, though, replacement Cobi Jones had headed home a Chris Albright corner kick in the 26th minute to put the Galaxy ahead 2-1, and RSL was well on its way to its usual post-game destination.

It did close the gap on the first goal of Harris' career in the 74th minute, but that came as small consolation - especially after Kreis was questionably sent off for his angry reaction to a no-call after Albright pushed him to the ground from behind.

"We have to make something change around here," Kreis said.

Galaxy 3, RSL 2

IN SHORT - It was the same old story for RSL, losing to the defending champion and extending its league-record winless streak to 17 games.

KEY STAT - Goalkeeper Scott Garlick faced only three shots - RSL fired seven at the Galaxy's Steve Cronin - but didn't stop any.

KEY MOMENT - Barely five minutes after RSL opened the scoring, the Galaxy's Landon Donovan countered by stealing a pass off Eddie Pope's foot and blasting home an equalizer that fatally turned the momentum.