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Sandy • Dealt an early bout of misfortune Friday night against its Rocky Mountain rivals, Real Salt Lake lassoed misfortune and hog-tied it in 13 minutes.
The middling Colorado Rapids waltzed into Rio Tinto Stadium needing a win just to ensure possibility of life in the Western Conference playoff race, but it was RSL that sealed the victory thanks in large part to a momentous rally from an early first half deficit scoring four goals in 13 minutes in the 5-1 runway win.
"Loved the reaction from the guys," RSL coach Jeff Cassar said. "That's been the message all week long: I want aggression, aggression, aggression — no let-downs at any point. The guys did an amazing job of that."
Three points earned by RSL (13-6-10, 49 points) cemented a season sweep of the Rapids — the first time a club has in the 10-year history of the rivalry — but more importantly, put more distance between FC Dallas for the No. 3 spot in the West.
And believe it or not, the scoreline at one point, was in favor of the visiting Rapids.
Captain Jose Mari drilled a 30-yard, half-volley following a Colorado attack that featured some emergency defending from RSL in and around the 18-yard box. Mari had time to trap it with his chest and send a low, skimming shot through traffic and into the post.
That was the highlight of the night for Colorado, and it was short-lived.
What ensued was a string of dominant offensive displays, which for the Rapids, meant a winless streak that reached nine-consecutive games Friday night in Sandy. It was RSL's leading scorer in 2014, Joao Plata, who pulled the club level in the 32nd minute scoring his 13th goal of the season. The 22-year-old forward ran onto a back-heel pass outside the box by midfielder Ned Grabavoy and curled a shot to the top shelf of the far post.
"What else can I say?" Grabavoy said after the game. [Plata's] our best soccer player."
Just a minute later, RSL grabbed hold of a lead it would not relent.
Midfielder Javier Morales scored his ninth goal of the season off a corner kick when his take from the northwest corner of the stadium dipped toward the near post and newcomer Sebastian Jaime. But the ball redirected off Colorado defender Thomas Piermayr and in to put RSL up 2-1.
The lead was padded for the first time in the 37th minute when Rapids goalkeeper Joe Nasco fumbled a free kick played into the box by Morales. There was defender Chris Schuler who stuck out his stomach as the ball went by Nasco. The rough night for the Colorado keeper continued in stoppage time of the first half when he was credited with an own goal off a shot from Plata.
Morales stepped over a pass made centrally by Grabavoy as the ball rolled to Jaime. The new RSL striker, making his first start with the club, sent a through ball to a streaking Morales who played it across the face of goal to Plata. The first-time shot was redirected in by an out-of-position Nasco.
The rough night just got worse Nasco.
He mishandled a corner kick played in by Morales in the 63rd minute and defender Carlos Salcedo, starting in place of the suspended Nat Borchers, cooly finished his first goal of his Major League Soccer career to put RSL up 5-1.
"I thought I was watching the highlights," midfielder Luke Mulholland said. "It was a great response from going down one-nil down."
Twitter: @chriskamrani —
RSL 5, Colorado 1
Colorado 1 0 — 1
RSL 4 1 — 5
First half » 1, Colorado, Jose Mari 4, 21st minute. 2, Real Salt Lake, Plata 13 (Grabavoy), 32nd. 3, Real Salt Lake, Morales 9, 33rd. 4, Real Salt Lake, Schuler 3, 37th. 5, Real Salt Lake, Nasco (own goal), 45th.
Second half » Real Salt Lake, Salcedo 1, 63rd.
Goalies » Colorado, Joe Nasco Real Salt Lake, Nick Rimando.
Yellow Cards • O'Neill, Colorado, 36th Serna, Colorado, 84th Burch, Colorado, 88th.
Referee • Ricardo Salazar. Assistant Referees • Corey Rockwell. Ian Anderson. 4th Official • Juan Guzman.
Attendance » 20,692 (20,008)
Lineups
Colorado • Joe Nasco, Marc Burch, Marvell Wynne, Thomas Piermayr, Dillon Serna, Carlos Alvarez (John Neeskens, 82nd), Jose Mari, Shane O'Neill, Deshorn Brown (Charles Eloundu, 82nd), Kamani Hill (Marlon Hairston, 46th), Gabriel Torres.
RSL • Nick Rimando, Tony Beltran, Carlos Salcedo, Chris Schuler (Aaron Maund, 46th), Chris Wingert, Luke Mulholland, Javier Morales, Ned Grabavoy (Luis Gil, 83rd), Kyle Beckerman, Sebastian Jaime (Robbie Findley, 70th), Joao Plata. —
MLS standings
EASTERN CONFERENCE
W L T Pts GF GA
D.C. 14 9 5 47 42 31
Sporting K.C. 13 10 6 45 43 34
New England 13 12 3 42 41 39
New York 9 8 11 38 44 41
Columbus 9 9 10 37 40 36
Philadelphia 9 9 10 37 45 43
Toronto FC 9 11 7 34 36 43
Houston 9 13 5 32 33 50
Chicago 5 7 15 30 34 40
Montreal 5 17 6 21 32 52
WESTERN CONFERENCE
W L T Pts GF GA
Seattle 17 7 3 54 51 37
Los Angeles 14 5 9 51 57 30
Real Salt Lake 13 6 10 49 49 36
FC Dallas 13 9 6 45 48 37
Vancouver 8 7 13 37 36 36
Portland 8 8 12 36 49 48
Colorado 8 14 7 31 40 53
San Jose 6 11 10 28 33 39
Chivas USA 6 16 6 24 23 51
Friday's Game
Real Salt Lake 5, Colorado 1
Saturday's Games
Vancouver at Portland, 3 p.m.
Houston at Philadelphia, 5 p.m.
Seattle FC at New York, 5:30 p.m.
San Jose at Montreal, 5:30 p.m.
New England at Columbus, 5:30 p.m.
D.C. United at Chicago, 6:30 p.m.
FC Dallas at Los Angeles, 8:30 p.m. —
Storylines
O For the first time in the 10-year Rocky Mountain Rivalry a club goes 3-0-0 against the opposition as RSL topples Rapids 5-1.
• After going down in the 21st minute, RSL responded with four first-half goals in a 13-minute span.
• Real moves within two points of the L.A. Galaxy for second in the Western Conference.