One hundred eighty minutes, 10,800 seconds, 43 shots, but no goals. Ugh.

Zero-zero is the most unjust result in soccer. It's unsatisfying on so many levels. No one goes home happy. Well, except for the visiting coach.

"It is good," said San Jose coach Frank Yallop after Wednesday's night's goal-starved performance. "What it really does is not let Real Salt Lake get three points."

Cutting through the post-game spin, this one was plain and simple: RSL absolutely squandered two points against the Earthquakes - and Yallop knows it.

RSL had one extra man on the field for the entire second half, and couldn't muster a goal. At least not one that stood up - as Kyle Beckerman's apparent goal was called back for his offside position.

They tied a franchise record with 24 shots - that's 0-for-24 if you're keeping score at home - but 20 of those were off target on a relatively easy night for Quakes keeper Joe Cannon.

Two weeks ago, RSL frittered away another pair of points against the Kansas City Wizards, despite firing 19 shots. At least they tested K.C. keeper Kevin Hartmann, who was forced to make several sensational saves to steal a point for the visitors - and two from the home side.

These are the points that can haunt a team in September. Admittedly, two games is no reason to push the panic button.

Scoring droughts happen (as RSL fans know all too well).

But RSL shot nearly four dozen blanks against a pair of conference cellar dwellers - and that doesn't bode well as Major League Soccer enters the heart of summer. As temperatures climb, coach Jason Kreis will find it increasingly difficult to achieve consistency when international competitions, yellow card accumulations, injuries and transfers conspire against him.

It's time to blame RSL's suffering on the doctor.

"Dr. Goals" is Kenny Deuchar, who came to the Wasatch front this spring with one of the best nicknames in league history - and a soccer résumé to match. An eye-popping scorer at home in Scotland, his size and strength seemed to make him a natural target forward for RSL's deep and competent midfield.

To be kind, let's hope his surgeries are more precise than his recent play. He has more yellow cards (three) than goals (two). He hasn't registered an assist. And save for one tally against Los Angeles in a tie in May, he's come up completely empty at Rice-Eccles.

Deuchar seems to do everything but score.

He draws defenders to him. He creates space for lightning-quick Robbie Findley and Fabian Espindola. He settles long balls. He wins headers consistently, leaving the league's biggest backs in his wake.

And he works constantly, rambling with elbows and knees askew after every loose ball - one part Nate Jaqua and two parts Pinocchio.

Fans love him. His teammates love how much attention his 6-foot-3 frame attracts. His background as a licensed medical practitioner is one of the season's most interesting sidebars. Now RSL just needs him to do what they brought him all the way from Scotland for - live up to his nickname.

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* Former RSL GM STEVE PASTORINO contributes regularly to The Tribune on soccer. He welcomes your comments at pastorinosoccer@comcast.net.